White Bean Soup With Roasted Mushrooms

White bean soup with roasted mushrooms is rich, hearty, and filling. It is perfect for fall, winter, or any time of the year. The mushrooms have a rich, savory flavor similar to meat, yet this soup is entirely plant-based and vegan!

Isn’t it great to find a soup that comes together with just a handful of ingredients from the fridge or pantry? You need a couple of cans of white beans, fresh mushrooms, and a few pantry staples for the most satisfying mushroom soup. It just needs a nice hunk of French bread or some to finish it off!

Why You’ll Love This Mushroom and White Bean Soup

• Inexpensive - Since this recipe most uses canned beans and a few storage vegetables, it’s perfect to stretch your budget!
• Quick & easy - The process for this recipe is quite simple. Roast the mushrooms in the oven; while you’re doing that, saute the veggies. Add everything together in the pot and simmer until nice and tender. Dinner is ready in 40 minutes, and one batch makes 8 servings!
• Naturally vegan - Finding a recipe to make your whole crew feel good is so nice. This mushroom and white bean soup is vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free, so it’s suitable for a broad audience!

Ingredients

• Fresh mushrooms - Halve or quarter your favorite mushrooms. Button and baby portabella mushrooms are great!
• Onion - Stick with a yellow or white onion for a nice, mellow flavor.
• Garlic - Mince the garlic into almost a paste.
• Olive oil
• Seasonings - Season with a mixture of salt, pepper, ground sage, and dried thyme.
• Better than bouillon
• White beans - Drain and rinse a can of cannellini beans and northern beans for two different textures.
• Black truffle oil - A little goes a long way! This will add a really rich, earthy flavor.

Variations

• Creamy mushroom soup - Leave the roasted mushrooms whole or blend them into the soup. Add heavy cream or a can of coconut cream for an even creamier texture.
• Make it meaty - The rich flavors of mushrooms taste wonderful with beef. Add leftover pot roast or stew meat for a savory soup.
• Add more veggies - This soup tastes lovely with carrots, celery, and parsnips, especially during cold winter.

How to Make Mushroom and White Bean Soup

1. Preheat oven to 450F degrees.
2. Toss mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, making sure they are all coated a little bit.
3. Put parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread the mushroom evenly in one layer over the paper.
4. Roast in a 450F degree oven for 10 minutes, turn them over, and roast for an additional 15 minutes.
5. While roasting mushrooms, heat the remaining oil in a soup pot, sauté the onions until transparent (5 minutes or so), add the garlic and stir.
6. Add the water, Better than Bouillon seasoning, cannellini beans (remember to drain and rinse before adding), salt, pepper, thyme, and sage, and simmer over medium heat.
7. When the mushrooms are done roasting, remove ½ cup of the mushrooms to a mini food processor or blender.
8. Retrieve about 1 cup of broth from the stock pot and add it to the food processor along with the Northern beans, and pureé until smooth.
9. Add pureed bean mixture back to stock pot, whisking it in until smooth.
10. Add the remaining roasted mushrooms to the soup.
11. Just before serving, add the truffle oil to the soup to finish it.
12. Stir to combine flavors.
13. If you'd like, add a few sliced scallions to garnish.

Expert Tips

• One bean or two - It’s really up to you if you want to use just one type of bean or stick with both. The different textures are nice, but it’s okay to use just one type.
• Try homemade stock - Instead of diluting the bouillon paste, use your own homemade veggie stock or beef broth.
• Add some crunch - Although this soup has a lot of texture, it doesn’t have a lot of crunch. Serve each bowl with some crackers or croutons for a nice bite.

Recipe FAQs

Why does my mushroom soup taste bland?

We often think of mushrooms as having a rich, meaty flavor, but that only happens if they’re properly cooked. Otherwise, they have a watery, bland flavor. The secret to really rich and flavorful mushroom soup is to concentrate the mushroom flavor. Dry roast the mushrooms or cook them in a dry pan until they release moisture and evaporate. They won’t look like much at this point, but they’ll be loaded with that meaty flavor you’re craving! Don’t forget to season well at every part of the process to really highlight those flavors.

Do beans go well with mushrooms?

Absolutely! When you think of mushrooms, think of meat. The flavors that pair well with beef traditionally pair well with earthy mushrooms: blue cheese, thyme, onions, etc. Choose white beans, like cannellini beans, to pair with your mushrooms, as their creamy texture really highlights the mushroom flavor.

Do you have to blend mushroom soup?

Nope! Although we often think of mushroom soup as being smooth and creamy, there’s no rule that you have to blend it. It’s quite lovely to have little pops of mushroom flavor in your soup. If you can't decide, blend just half for the best of both worlds.