20-Minute Red Bean Soup
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This is a savory red bean soup made with canned red kidney beans and a flavorful broth. It’s ready in under 20 minutes, so it’s a great option when you want soup without soaking beans or simmering for ages. Serve it with crusty bread or spoon it over rice for a more filling bowl.
Tips for making red bean soup
- Caraway seeds give this soup its signature flavor. They look a bit like cumin seeds, but the taste is completely different. I also use them often in cabbage dishes like braised red cabbage and cabbage and sausage foil packets, and whole seeds are great in stews or homemade bread.
- I did not use any salt whatsoever. I suggest you taste the soup after it has been pureed and see if it needs any seasoning.
- Use vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian or chicken stock for a richer flavor. Water plus bouillon can be used in place of vegetable stock. If the stock is low-sodium, add salt to taste after cooking.
- Use 1 cup of broth per 1 cup of cooked, drained beans for the perfect consistency. Add ½ cup extra broth to make it thinner or ½ cup less to make it thicker.
Serving suggestions
- Crusty bread: Any kind will do whether it is store-bought or homemade bread, dinner rolls or focaccia.
- Light salad
- Sandwich or grilled cheese
Optional toppings
- Sour cream and fresh parsley
- Croutons: I like making homemade croutons with any stale baguette I have on hand.
- Cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil
- Crispy bacon bits
Recipe FAQ
Is this the sweet red bean soup?
No. This is a savory red bean soup. If you’re looking for a sweet dessert-style version, this is not it.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps well in the fridge, and the flavor is even better the next day.
How long does it last in the fridge?
Store it in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Is red bean soup vegetarian or vegan?
It can be. Use vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian. For a vegan version, skip the sour cream topping.
More easy soup recipes
- Carrot Ginger Soup (great for a quick lunch or as a first course)
- Sweet Potato Soup (made with coconut milk)
- Creamy Broccoli and Celery Soup: Just a handful of ingredients, blended smooth and made without cream.
- White Bean Soup with Chorizo: A hearty mix of white beans, chorizo and vegetables simmered in a flavorful broth.
- Creamy Chickpea Soup: Chickpeas and potato blended with coconut milk, finished with lemon and optional feta or seeds.
20-Minute Red Bean Soup Recipe
A quick, savory red bean soup made with canned red kidney beans, broth and a hint of caraway. Ready in about 20 minutes, with no soaking and minimal prep.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil see note 1
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced (see note 2)
- ½ teaspoon whole caraway seeds see note 3
- 2 cans red kidney beans 14 ounce each, drained and rinsed (see note 4)
- 3 cups vegetable broth see note 5
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- salt to taste (optional)
- sour cream for serving (optional)
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat the oil (2 tablespoons) in a medium pot over low to medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic (2 cloves) and caraway seeds (½ teaspoon) and cook for 1 minute.
- Add drained beans (28 ounces), vegetable broth (3 cups) and parsley (¼ cup). Increase the heat, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Blend until smooth (either with immersion blender or carefully countertop blender). Taste and season with salt, if desired.
- Serve warm with your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
- Olive oil can be substituted with vegetable, avocado or sunflower oil.
- Fresh garlic is best for this soup. I don’t recommend dried garlic.
- You can use ¼ teaspoon ground caraway instead of whole caraway seeds.
- I use 14-ounce cans. Two cans yield about 3 cups of drained beans.
- Vegetable broth keeps it vegetarian. Chicken stock also works if you’re not a vegetarian.
- Toppings idea: Sour cream, parsley, bacon bits, drizzle of olive oil, croutons, …
- Serving idea: Great with a sandwich, salad or a scoop of rice.
- Make ahead: This soup can be made up to 3 days in advance.
Nutrition
Calories: 224 kcal (11%), Carbohydrates: 36 g (12%), Protein: 12 g (24%), Fat: 4 g (6%), Saturated Fat: 1 g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g, Sodium: 711 mg (31%), Potassium: 605 mg (17%), Fiber: 11 g (46%), Sugar: 3 g (3%), Vitamin A: 693 IU (14%), Vitamin C: 9 mg (11%), Calcium: 53 mg (5%), Iron: 4 mg (22%)
Nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and may vary based on ingredient brands, substitutions, and portion sizes.
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and rating below or tag me on Instagram @happyfoodstube.
LEAVE A COMMENT
I don’t know what you mean by “cooked” beans and the see #4 isn’t helpful! Thanks!
Hi Maggie. Not sure what the confusion is. A can or jar of red beans (kidney beans) that have been cooked – when you open the can/jar, you can eat them right a way for example. Not the ones that need to be soaked first and cooked for a long time. Hope this helps.
This was really good! I was trying to find a red bean recipe and I have always been a huge caraway fan. I cooked the red beans in my multi cooker so it wasn’t to long. It came out great! Very tasty!
Thanks so much for your feedback, K! Hope you find here more recipes you like.
I love this! I was indeed thinking of the sweet Asian red bean stuff when I first saw this recipe title, but I see that it’s totally different. Also, super jealous of your crockery here :)
:) The crockery was actually my last year’s Christmas present – something I chose myself specifically for photos :)
Hi Julia! You have a beautiful site and such lovely photos!!!! This soup sounds delicious and I too wish I had a nice blender. Maybe someday right?!
Thank you, Malinda! The soup is very tasty, I hope you’ll try to make it one day. Haha yes, we have to be patient and one day we might be lucky enough to get it! :)