This Vegan White Bean Stew is far from boring. It's packed and layered with flavor that will leave you wanting to lick the bowls and spoons that touch it! It's vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, healthy, hearty and FRESH.
This stew is made with great white northern beans, potatoes, carrots, kale, and uses no tomato, no dairy and no meat!
Vegan white bean stew is one of my favorite soups, right next to my Vegan Tomato Soup. They both have so much flavor and are light and tangy.
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📝Ingredient Notes
White wine- this is a pretty budget friendly vegan white bean stew recipe, so you don't have to have anything fancy here. Use a white wine you enjoy the taste of. If you aren't used to cooking with wine, don't worry. It will cook out and not taste of alcohol. But, it will provide a fantastic flavor to the stew that you won't get with just broth!
Lemon juice- most white bean soups don't call for this. But, along with the white wine, I think it's part of what truly makes this the best ever white bean soup!
🍷Substitutions
White wine- If you prefer not to cook with wine, just substitute the wine for more broth.
Vegetable broth- If you are not vegan or vegetarian, you can also use chicken broth.
Great northern beans- You can also use cannellini beans or even navy beans.
Lemon juice- Instead of lemon juice, you can use 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or more to taste.
Kale- I love this vegan white bean stew using kale, but fresh spinach leaves will also work.
Fresh herbs have more flavor, but dried herbs will work just fine.
🔪Instructions
In a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and chopped onion. Let cook down for about 5 minutes. I sprinkle it with some salt to draw out the water from the onions so it will cook faster.
Next, add the grated garlic, carrots and potatoes. Sautee for about 5-8 minutes.
Add the spices.
Pour in the white wine and then the broth.
Toss in the white beans and the lemon juice, then stir.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for about 20 minutes.
Take about 3 cups of the beans with a little bit of the liquid, and leave out the carrots as it can make the stew have an orange color, and blend in a blender or immersion blender. Add back into the pot, add the salt and pepper to taste and stir until well combined.
Bring to a boil again, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for about 30 more minutes.
Add the kale at least 10 minutes before you're ready to serve.
Remove from the heat, let cool and enjoy!
🧊Storing
Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days in an airtight container. The flavors will continue to develop over the course of a couple of days, so leftovers will be even more delicious!
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. I prefer to cut the potatoes into larger pieces so they don't fall apart from cooking so long. You'll also want to make sure you add the lemon juice last and throw in the kale before eating, while the stew is still hot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
In place of canned beans, you can make it using dried beans. Make sure to soak them prior. It will of course take longer to cook so make sure you read the directions on the bag. You'll need about 2 cups of dried great northern beans.
There are factors you should consider when using this recipe with dried great northern beans, however. Sometimes when cooking with dried beans, they can remain a bit hard after they are cooked. Some of the factors are from using old beans, poor quality beans or adding acid (like lemon juice) to them too early, prohibiting them from swelling.
Between great northern beans, cannellini beans and navy beans, great northern beans are best for soups and stews. They hold their shape well and take on the flavors that they are cooked with.
The main difference between soup and stew is the amount of liquid you use and then how long it's simmered and reduced for. The thicker the soup becomes, the more it's considered to be a stew.
If you try this quick and easy Vegan White Bean Stew, please leave a review and let me know if you enjoyed it! Also, snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @thedairyfreemenu. I'm so happy to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Vegan White Bean Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- ½ large onion (or about 1 cup) finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves grated
- ½ cup carrots chopped
- 1 ½ cups potatoes chopped in small bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
- ¼ cup white wine
- 3 cups vegetable broth (reduced sodium)
- 3 cans great northern beans rinsed and drained
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice fresh
- 3 cups chopped kale
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and chopped onion. Let cook down for about 5 minutes. I sprinkle it with some salt to draw out the water from the onions so it will cook faster.
- Next, add the grated garlic, carrots and potatoes. Sautee for about 5-8 minutes.
- Add the spices.
- Pour in the white wine and then the broth.
- Toss in the white beans and the lemon juice, then stir.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for about 20 minutes.
- Take about 3 cups of the beans with a little bit of the liquid, and leave out the carrots as it can make the stew have an orange color, and blend in a blender or immersion blender. Add back into the pot, add the salt and pepper to taste and stir until well combined.
- Bring to a boil again, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for about 30 more minutes.
- Add the kale at least 10 minutes before you're ready to serve.
- Remove from the heat, let cool and Enjoy!
Notes
- I think it's best to add your salt to taste here, because soup is one of those things that can tend to require a lot of it, at least in my recipes they do. And so you can be the judge of how salty you like yours!
- Beans will release starch as they cool down causing the stew to thicken more. So, when you reheat leftovers, allow it to get pretty hot to thin it out some.
Nutrition
Note: Nutrition label is just an estimate. Amounts may vary. Nutrition label does not include added salt.
Ashley Niggemann says
The only thing I’m upset about is I should have made more! This went so fast! Definitely recommend you make it!!
Kayla says
Thank you for sharing! I appreciate the review 🙂