It’s slow cooker soup season and I have a treat for you – it’s one of my family’s favorites because it has so much flavor.
This vegan slow cooker white bean veggie soup is easy to make and it cooks hands off all day in your slow cooker. Sometimes you just need a good bean soup.
Slow cooker soup season is my favorite, I love eating tons of veggies and putting my cooking on auto-pilot for at least a few nights a week.
I bet you have the ingredients to make this Crockpot White Bean Soup on hand. Just throw everything in your slow cooker & dinner will almost make itself – it’s such an easy recipe!
This white bean vegetable soup uses simple ingredients that are probably in your pantry right now. Plus it will be one of the easiest meals you make all week.
Be sure to also try my Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup and Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup – they are also easy recipes you’ll want to make all winter long.
What you need to make crock pot white bean soup
You just need simple pantry ingredients. Dry cannellini beans, or another variety of dried beans like navy or great northern, vegetable broth, or water with 2 veggie bouillon cubes, carrots, sweet potato, and a can of diced tomatoes to make the base.
And you’ll season your nurturing soup with bay leaf, marjoram, basil, fresh rosemary sprigs, or dry, using salt or a salt substitute and pepper, to taste.
Can I use broth in place of water?
You can use either vegetable broth, vegan stock, or water as the base. I love using homemade vegetable bouillon. So when I use water I through in a few cubes.
I make a double batch, freeze it in ice cube trays, and then I have it on hand for months. It takes up so much less space than homemade broth.
You can also use a vegan chicken broth. It’s just vegetable stock with yeast extract or nutritional yeast.
I love just adding in a few things, turning on my crockpot, and then having dinner ready when I’m done working.
How to make slow cooker white bean vegetable soup
Please note that this recipe uses a 4 to 5-quart slow cooker. If you have a larger crockpot you can double or triple the recipe.
Just place beans and the ingredients except for the salt and pepper in your slow cooker. The cooking time is 7 to 9 hours on low. Before serving add salt and pepper to taste.
WHAT VARIATIONS CAN I MAKE?
Think of this recipe as a base and you can substitute ingredients that you happen to have on hand. It’s the zen of soup-making at its best!
Leave them out but add some nutritional yeast to make up for the umami that tomatoes add.
Add a chopped winter squash like acorn, delicata, or butternut.
Use some Italian seasoning, oregano, or you can leave it out.
Substitute 2 teaspoons of dried thyme.
In my opinion, you can always add a few handfuls of minced greens like fresh spinach, kale, collards, or the like. It adds color and it’s nutritious!
You can add in a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the soup up. I like to garnish each bowl with a swirl of balsamic vinegar.
You can also cook up some vegan Italian sausage coins and add at the beginning of cooking or add them at the bottom of individual bowls and label the soup over.
Next time I’m going to switch it up by adding baby spinach, using pinto beans, chopped red pepper
How do I make this thicker?
If you want a thicker soup take a potato masher and mash some of the beans and veggies. Or use an immersion blender, but just puree a portion of the soup.
How do I store white bean soup?
I store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days/
Can I freeze this soup?
You sure can! I recommend that you freeze leftovers in single servings. Then you can grab one to take to work or have a soup ready to go on a day that you don’t feel up to cooking. It makes a great freezer meal.
What white beans should I use?
Since I subscribe to the Rancho Gordo bean club I have a regular rotation of hard-to-find heirloom beans. Because of that, I’m used to substituting one bean for another.
When I call for white beans in a recipe you can always mix and match cannellini, navy beans, or great northern beans. They are always easy to find in stores and
Can I substitute canned cannellini beans for dried?
You sure can! I would cut the broth or water by half since cooked beans won’t soak up all that extra liquid. You could even use any canned beans that you have on hand.
Do I need to soak dry beans?
This varies from recipe to recipe, so make sure you always read the ingredients and instructions before you begin. You don’t need to do the soaking beans step for this recipe.
What should I serve with this slow cooker soup?
I made the oat bread in the photos from the Girl versus Dough recipe. It’s my new favorite bread recipe and turns out just right every time.
I use agave nectar in place of the honey and olive oil instead of the butter, so it’s easily veganized. What’s your favorite thing to eat with soups? Your go-to bread recipe?
Slow cooker soup season is my favorite, I love eating tons of veggies and putting my cooking on auto-pilot for at least a few nights a week.
I love just adding in a few things, turning on my crockpot, and then having dinner ready when I’m done with working.
More amazing recipes to make in your slow cooker
- Slow Cooker Mole with Potatoes and Beans
- Slow Cooker Cabbage Steaks
- Vegan Slow Cooker Veggie Loaf
- Slow Cooker Black-eyed Peas
- Pumpkin Lasagna
- Whole Wheat Spelt Potato Rolls
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Coconut Caramel Sauce
- Maple Pumpkin Spice Latte
Vegan Crockpot White Bean Soup with Vegetables
Equipment
- 4 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup dry cannellini beans or other white bean like navy or great northern
- 8 cups vegetable broth or water with 2 veggie bouillon cubes
- 1 1/2 cup diced carrots about 3 medium carrots
- 1 cup diced sweet potato about 1 small or 1/2 a large
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground rosemary or 2 inch sprigs fresh
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- This recipe uses a 4 to 5 quart slow cooker.
- Add all the ingredients except for the salt and pepper to your slow cooker.
- Cook on low 7 to 9 hours.
- Before serving add salt and pepper to taste.
Aimee B. says
This soup looks so yummy & comforting! Also, where did you find the adorable owl bowl and plate? I <3 owls!! 🙂
Kathy Hester says
Thank you! I got it either at Home Goods or TJ Maxx. They are owned by the same people so sometimes they have the same thing at both stores too. I love owls too 😉
Ruchama says
I think I’ve read several places that white cannellini beans are considered kidney beans and should be parboiled before cooking in slow cooker. Do these beans cook so long that this is not necessary? My soup would have to be on low for at least 18 hours. Would it hold up?(I will probably leave out the sweet potato so this is not a consideration.
chery says
For any kind of dry beans its always good to soak and sprout them b4 cookong. I also read somewhere that dry beans dont cook well with tomatoes, so when i use dry i always cook the beans with the broth and spices first and add the tomatoes later.
Kathy Hester says
There is a very small percentage of the Phytohaemagglutinin (Kidney Bean Lectin) that’s present in raw and undercooked kidney beans in cannellini beans – about 10% I think. While you should always boil kidney beans for 10 minutes before adding to your slow cooker to finish cooking, it is up to you on cannellini beans. I have found that as long as they are not undercooked I have had no issue with them. However if you are the least bit concerned please go ahead and boil them.
You might need to add some extra water and the beans might break down a bit after 18 hours, but it would still taste great. Maybe use winter squash in place of the sweet potato.
The Peace Patch says
Really hits the spot…thanks for the recipe! I love homemade bread with soup especially a heavy dense rustic bread or a seed-topped vegan challah…yumza!
Looking forward to your book! 🙂
Rick says
I just finished assembling this and just started the slow cooker. Only now do I see this about boiling dry cannellini; hoping it is not necessary as the ship has sailed. Do look forward to tasting this tomorrow.
Kathy Hester says
I never boil cannelloni beans, you should be fine. It’s only red kidney beans that need to be boiled for 10 minutes before adding to your slow cooker.
Rick says
Thank you!