Veggie Bean Soup

Creamy, satisfying, nutritious, and full of flavor. I actually use my Crock-Pot for meat, chicken, and cholent, rather than for soups. But after creating this recipe, I’m hooked. It’s a pleasure to put everything in a pot and forget about it. You can sauté the onions and garlic the day before to make the process even quicker.

SERVES 12

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2¹⁄₄ cup small white beans (preferably soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed)
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• ¹⁄₃ cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional but recommended)
• 8 cups water, divided
• 2 Tbsp pareve chicken soup mix
• 2 Tbsp onion soup mix
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ¹⁄₂ tsp sage
• full ¹⁄₂ tsp thyme
• handful frozen spinach
• 3 cubes frozen parsley

Heat olive oil in a medium frying pan. Add onions and sauté over medium heat for 15 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add garlic during the last 2 minutes. Transfer onions and garlic to a 6–8-quart Crock-Pot. Add beans, carrots, celery, zucchini, quinoa, and apple cider vinegar, if using. Add 4 cups of water. Dissolve chicken and onion soup mix in the remaining 4 cups of water and stir. Add to Crock-Pot with the salt, pepper, sage, and thyme. Turn Crock-Pot to high and cook for about 7 hours. Add spinach and parsley the last half hour or hour. Cool slightly.

Remove half the soup (with beans and veggies) from the Crock-Pot and blend with an immersion blender. Return to pot and mix together. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. You can add a bit of Italian seasoning at the end if you feel it needs a little kick.

Note: This soup thickens as it sits. Reheat it over low heat, stirring often. You might want to add a bit of water to thin out.

Tip: Soaking beans makes them easier to digest. First pick through your beans to remove any bad ones, then rinse in a colander. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with water by 2 inches (5 cm). Cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain and rinse, and they’re ready to use.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 716)