‘Cheesy’ bean soup

My recipe for ‘cheesy’ cannellini bean soup came about on a very dull, miserable, wet day. I knew I needed to do some grocery shopping, but preferred the thought of staying put and catching up with some reading. I didn’t even have enough fresh veg to make ‘Fridge soup‘ but a quick look in my cupboards told me all was not lost.

This recipe really does make the most of store-cupboard ingredients. Everything I used is something that I always have in – nothing special. I often use the rind of my vegetarian Grana Padano cheese in this sort of recipe, but I opted for my nutritional yeast instead. It provides a robust savoury flavour that is very cheese-like, is really easy to use and means this recipe is vegan friendly too.

The end result was amazing, and I was annoyed that I had only made enough for one portion. Well, one portion and a little bit extra.

‘Cheesy’ cannellini bean soup

Serves 1

Difficulty Very easy

Suitable for Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten free diets

• 3 shallots, chopped
• Rapeseed oil, a dash
• 1 rounded teaspoon corrriander seeds
• 1 generous teaspoon chopped garlic
• 400g tin of cannellini beans
• 1 generous teaspoon Marigold Swiss Vegetable boullion powder – I used the vegetarian version, but they do have another version that is vegan friendly. I think it is is purple with a yellow lid.
• 1 tin of water ie I filled the empty bean tin with water
• 1 tablespoon Marigold Enegevita vegan yeast flakes (nutritional yeast)
• Zest of half a lemon, grated

Method

1. Heat the rapeseed oil in a pan and add the shallots. Fry until soft but don’t brown.
2. Add the coriander seeds and garlic and heat for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the cannellini beans, stir, then add the water and vegetable bullion.
4. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes or until the beans are soft but don’t let them disintegrate.
5. Stir in the yeast flakes and lemon zest then heat for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Blend the soup if you want. I reserved about 1/3 of the soup, blended the rest then returned the portion I had reserved. that’s just how I like it, there is no need to do it this way.
7. Serve.

NB The chives were purely decorative to add some context for the colour of the soup. You don’t need them.

Enjoy!

Val x