13 bean soup is filled with flavor, nutrition, and best of all it is easy to make! All you need is 13 bean mix, oil, garlic & onion, canned tomatoes, and some spices!
13 Bean Soup Ingredients
13 bean mix. Use any 13- 15 bean soup mix that you find at the store. It is basically just a mix of 13 different types of beans and lentils!
Avocado oil. I like to use avocado oil in my cooking because it holds up really well to heat! Plus it is an excellent source of healthy fats.
Yellow onions. My recipe calls for 2 small diced onions, and that is just because the size of onions I had on hand! You can easily substitute in a large onion.
Garlic. Use fresh minced garlic for the best flavor and nutritional benefits rather than pre-minced garlic.
Canned diced tomatoes & tomato paste. Make sure to buy organic and BPA free cans. BPA can disrupt your hormones.
Broth. I prefer to use bone broth in my recipes for extra protein and collagen. But, you can use any broth or stock that you like in this recipe. If you are vegan or vegetarian simply swap animal broth for vegetable broth.
Spices & Herbs: bay leaves, thyme, chili powder, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper.
Health benefits of beans
Beans are excellent for your health! Beans are an excellent source of fiber, plant based protein, antioxidants, and wide variety of vitamins and minerals.
Protein. Protein is necessary for maintaining and repairing the body. It is also necessary for making genetic material, like in our ovaries and for growing babies.
High fiber. Fiber is so important for maintaining gut health. A healthy gut means you are getting optimal nutrients absorbed into your system. Fiber also binds excess estrogen in the gut and helps pull it out of the body.
Antioxidants. Antioxidants fight inflammation and disease all over the body. They are important for optimal reproductive health in both women and men.
Folate is extremely important for women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. It protects babies and is important for use in neural tube development (baby's spinal cord, brain, and skull).
Iron is important in transporting healthy red blood cells around the body. This is especially important during pregnancy, when your blood volume increases and you need to make sure enough oxygen gets to baby.
Copper helps with iron absorption and transportation around the body. It is also important in maintaining a healthy immune system.
Why soak your beans overnight
Two main reasons for soaking your beans overnight. 1. Soaking your beans overnight helps to break down dough fibers to help with digestion. Those tough fibers can cause gas and bloating in the gut. And no one wants to go to work with bad gas. 2. Soaking your beans overnight helps to soften them for quicker cooking. If you don't soak them ahead of time, your soup is going to take a lot longer to cook and your beans might not be as soft.
How do you add flavor to bean soup?
There are so many things to add flavor to bean soup: Broth. Fresh garlic and onions. Tomatoes. Spices and herbs. Salt. Don't be afraid of salt! Salt is necessary to maintain proper fluid balance in our bodies. As long as you aren't eating a lot of packaged foods (which contain the kind of salt our bodies don't do well with), salt your foods with unbleached & unrefined sea salt!
Make sure you are using QUALITY and FRESH herbs & spices. And I don't mean that you have to go to the produce section and buy a fresh bundle of thyme. I mean that you won't get a lot of flavor out of spices that have been sitting on your spice rack for years. Spices lose flavor over time! If you notice your dried spices are not very fragrant, chances are that they have gotten old and are not going to be very flavorful either. I like to buy my spices in smaller containers and replace them more often to ensure the best flavor.
How to make 13 Bean Soup
**Before your start** Know that the beans are best when soaked overnight. Add 1 cup of 13 bean mix to a bowl and cover completely with water. Leave at room temperature overnight until you are ready to make your soup.
The next day, make sure to pour all the water from your soaked beans and rinse them a couple of times.
Now let's get started!
Homemade 13 bean soup:
Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.
Add 2 small chopped onions. Cook the onions until they are soft and translucent, stirring a couple of times while you prepare your other ingredients.
Next, add 3 cloves minced garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant and just softened.
Next, add 3 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes, 1 6oz can of tomato paste, 64oz broth, soaked beans, 3 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Stir to combine. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and cook for 1-2 hours or until the beans are soft. Stir every half hour or so to make sure the beans aren't sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Other healthy soup recipes you might enjoy:
- The Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup!
- Roasted Butternut Squash Pear Soup
- Instant Pot Aged Beef and Vegetable Stew
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13 Bean Soup (Healthy & Flavorful!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried 13 bean mix, soaked in water overnight
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 small yellow onions, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 64 oz broth or stock
- 3-4 bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt & black pepper to taste
- dash cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Add 1 cup dried 13 bean mix to a bowl and cover with water. Allow beans to soak at room temperature overnight. Before cooking, rinse and drain beans before adding them to soup.
- In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil.Add 2 diced yellow onions and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add 3 cloves minced garlic. Cook the garlic until it is just softened and fragrant.
- Next, add the 3 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes, 1 6oz can tomato paste, 64 oz broth, 3-4 bay leaves, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, salt, pepper, dash of cayenne pepper, and the soaked beans.Stir to combine.
- Cover pot with a lid, reduce heat to low and allow soup to cook for 1-2 hours or until the beans are softened.Stir your soup occasionally to make sure the beans aren't sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Jamie
Yum! I loooove rosemary. Anyone interested in this stuff should definitely check out the book Everyday Roots. It teaches you how to replace all the toxic chemicals in your life with healthy organic alternatives. Its completely changed my life and how I feel everyday! 🙂
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Keep up the great content!
Christie
Wow 13 beans?! That's amazing! I love that creamy texture and the aromatics you used for this soup.
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YEsss! You know you got your daily fiber intake with this one 😀
Clarice
This is a great tasty easy recipe. Plus it’s healthy for you. Gets more flavorful with each passing day. I did add about a cup of uncooked whole wheat elbow macaroni during last 15 minute because I wanted to use it up. Soup is excellent all by itself. Can also be served over leftover brown rice. Yum