Vegan Beetroot Soup and White Bean Spread – A Rainy Day Delight

That's it, winter can come now!

Even though I'm a total summer person and nothing brings me more joy than summer fruits and the beach, I'm already really missing tangerines, rain, and cloud-filled skies.

And of course, what is winter without soups?

I am a well-known soup lover, partly because it's a great way to keep the body hydrated and partly because I think it's a fantastic way to eat vegetables. (No, cooking doesn't destroy all the vitamins and minerals, in case you were wondering.)

In this post, I'm hosting a sweet new DIY blogger named Gal from the blog gulidiy.

I love collaborating with new bloggers, especially if they come from worlds outside of cooking.

Gal stopped by my apartment this week and together we made a vegan beetroot soup along with a thick, two-tone white bean spread that paired perfectly with the soup and enriched it.

We couldn't resist and also spread it on thick slices of the spelt bread I baked.

After we stopped snacking and chatting, we cooked the beetroot soup and Gal used the beetroot peels to create stunning cotton table napkins, which you can read about on her beautiful blog here. (You have no idea how beautiful it is... go check it out!)

A bit about the recipe:

This vegan beetroot soup is one of those thick and hearty soups, not like a Kubbeh beetroot soup, for example.

It has a deep, rich color and a light, sweet beetroot flavor.

It doesn't require prepping vegetable stock; the bean cooking water serves as the soup’s stock.

Instead of cream, I decided to add a two-tone bean spread—both because it looks beautiful and to add protein, fiber, and iron to the dish.

I recommend not skipping the white bean spread as it upgrades the dish immensely, but know that the soup is also delicious without it.

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How to eat it?

One serving of soup combined with a slice of whole-grain bread or another carbohydrate source can be a comforting lunch or a great dinner, rich in protein, high-quality carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and vitamins.

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Nutritional values by clinical dietitian and fitness coach Noam Bechar:

One serving of soup (out of 3) contains:

375 kcal

49g carbohydrates

13g protein

11g fat (1.7g saturated fat)

10g dietary fiber

20 mcg folic acid

3 mg iron

90 mg calcium

Print

Vegan Beetroot Soup

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 40 minutes

Total time 45 minutes

Servings 3 portions

Ingredients

For the soup

• 1.5 Beetroots peeled and cubed
• 2 Potatoes small, washed and peeled
• 1 stalk Celery sliced
• 1 Celeriac (celery root) washed and peeled
• 1 tbsp Parsley, chopped
• 1 Onion quartered
• 1 tbsp Sweet Paprika

The Bean Spread

• 1.5 liters Water
• 2.5 cups White beans, soaked in plenty of water for at least 8 hours 300g
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp Nutritional yeast flakes
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tsp Baking soda

Instructions

1. Start with the bean spread.
2. Drain the soaked beans and transfer them to a large pot.
3. Pour in 1.5 liters of water, add the baking soda, and bring to a boil.
4. Simmer for about 30 minutes on low heat until the beans are soft. Keep an eye on the pot to make sure it doesn't boil over.
5. Once the beans are soft, transfer them to a food processor without the cooking liquid (keep the liquid in the pot).
   
6. Add garlic, nutritional yeast flakes, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, and a tablespoon or two of the cooking water to the food processor. Blend until a smooth paste is formed.
   
7. Remove half of the bean spread from the food processor to a bowl and set aside.
8. Add the vegetables, herbs, and paprika to the pot with the remaining bean cooking liquid. Season with a little salt and cook for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
   
9. Take out a small, finger-sized piece of cooked beetroot from the pot.
10. Add it to the food processor with the remaining bean spread and blend until you get a pink spread. If it’s not pink enough, add a little more beetroot.
11. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup thoroughly.
12. Serve the soup in a deep bowl topped with a spoonful of the white bean spread and a spoonful of the pink bean spread.
    

Notes

If you prefer a clear red soup, skip the paprika.