This Vegan Bean & Frozen Vegetable Soup is an easy recipe to use up your pantry and freezer staples for those of you who stocked up for Covid-19 social isolation.
If you’re struggling with meal planning thanks to Coronavirus and social isolation and you’re stuck with a TON of frozen vegetables and canned goods, know that I’ve totally got your back. I myself have a lot of pantry and freezer staples to use up, so I’m constantly trying to figure out what to do with them that will still taste good.
Now canned beans is not a huge problem. Canned beans always taste pretty good to me. But man, frozen vegetables can be a STRUGGLE. I tried first to pan-fry them at a super high heat to get them crispy, but they ended up being a soggy mess. Then I tried to roast them at a super high heat to get them crispy, soggy again. I was really struggling obviously so I figured soup was a safe choice. And, lo and behold, it was! This vegan bean and frozen vegetable soup is crazy simple, nutrient packed and a great way to use up that massive freezer full of frozen veggies.
Key ingredients for Vegan Bean & Frozen Vegetable Soup
Well, this is going to be an embarrassingly small list, but that’s the beauty of making these crazy easy freezer and pantry staple meals!
Canned Beans – I used chickpeas and red kidney beans but you can totally use whatever you have on hand.
Frozen Vegetables – I used a bit of cauliflower, peas, corn, squash, carrots, and kale, but again, experiment with what is going on in your freezer right now.
Diced tomatoes – This is to add the tomato flavour without any fresh tomatoes needed.
Vegetable juice – I like using a low sodium variety as some of these veggie juices are really high in salt. I typically have V8 in my pantry, but any tomato based juice will work.
Top Recipe tips
Whatever you do, make sure your frozen vegetables were stored correctly when they were frozen. If you let frozen vegetables thaw, then freeze them again, they will end up coated in water and moisture which can result in soggy vegetables. BOO.
Also, I strongly suggest choosing frozen vegetables that are around the same size as each other. Feel free to cut up some pieces to make them more uniform in shape. If your vegetables are different sizes, then stagger when you pop them into the pot. Broccoli, cauliflower and larger pieces of carrots should go in first, smaller bits like corn, bean pieces and peas next, and any bits of kale or spinach can go in last.
faq about this recipe
Here are some of the most likely common questions about this recipe.
what vegetables work best in the soup?
The best is the classic carrot, corn and pea combination, but I also love the cut green beans!
Do any vegetable not work well in this soup?
I would avoid any “Asian style” blends or anything that has bell peppers (these get super soggy) or raw onions (since you’re putting them in without being sautéed in oil.
can i freeze this vegetable soup?
Yes, this soup is very freezable.
do you have any other great recipes with pantry or freezer staples?
You bet! I have been pumping them out like crazy! Here’s some favourites:
VEGAN LENTIL BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
KOREAN SAVOURY OATS WITH A RUNNY EGG
VEGAN UNSTUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS IN A BOWL
What are you making with your frozen vegetables? Have you tried making this vegan bean & frozen vegetable soup?
Vegan Bean & Frozen Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil1 onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 28 oz can low sodium diced tomatoes
- 4 c low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups canned low sodium vegetable juice or tomato juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 4 tsp brown sugar or maple syrup or to taste
- 8 cups frozen vegetables of your choice
- 1 19 oz can low sodium chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 19 oz can low sodium red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- Ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
- Vegan parmesan style cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, juice, broth, thyme, oregano..... Allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Add in the frozen vegetables, chickpeas, kidney beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until all of the vegetables are warmed through and softened.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with vegan cheese, if desired.
Updated on October 4th, 2021
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Jan says
Hi Abbey
So the nooch goes in the same time as the spices?
Glad to find this recipe as just returned from a trip and no fresh veggies🥹
Abbey Sharp says
Yes! You can also use it as a “parmesan” topping. Enjoy!
Fay says
Thanks! This was just what I was looking for. Super simple, amazingly tasty, QUICK and I had all the ingredients! I can’t find the nutritional summary though, such as number of servings and calories.
Anna says
Hi Abbey,
a way to make frozen broccoli crisp is to cook it until soft in water for a few minutes, drain, cut in small pieces and then coat in olive oil, heat in a pan with high heat without caring about it getting a little bit burner at the edges. Like this I transformed a really tasty recipe from Chocolate&Zucchini. She is using fresh broccoli, but I never got that in my fridge.
https://cnz.to/recipes/vegetables-grains/charred-broccoli-and-avocado-salad-recipe/
I noticed that it works better in the pan than in the oven like in the original recipe. And it’s a lot lot faster.
Or I make a stew. Then I cook broccoli or cauliflower in water again, drain, cut small, set aside and put it in like a topping, only warming it up again. If the pieces are big I feel them very soggy too. But if they’re small it’s okay. Or one could prepare them in the same way, mix them under cooked millet with grated cheese and other normal tasty ingredients like onions to make some vegetarian fried patties in the pan with a nice salad. I think they would taste good in every veg pattie.
Ah and it needed I squeeze them after cooking, but then they’re grain small.
I would love to see how you turne that Infos in some delicious recipes!
My experience with frozen bell pepper is a only bad one too. I end up throwing them away, they were so distasteful!
Abbey Sharp says
Thanks for sharing!