This bright-and-citrusy Lemon Dill Bean Soup by Reed Dunn of Pesto & Potatoes is a creamy and satisfying meal that eats well as a lunch by itself or with a side salad for a soup and salad dinner. You can easily double this recipe and batch it for grab-and-go lunches or even mini-meals throughout your Plant-Based Whole30.
Easy Ingredient Swaps & Additions:
- If you prefer a different bean, feel free to swap in whatever you like or have on hand. Garbanzo beans work exceptionally well, as do most white beans. Avoid black or red beans, as they don’t match the soup’s bright, herb flavor profile.
- Fresh herbs are your friend. A sprinkle of fresh parsley or thyme will switch up the flavor profile and give you an extra boost of green.
- Swap out the spinach for baby kale. Kale is less delicate than spinach, so just add it when you add the beans to ensure it’s fully wilted.
Vegetable Stock vs. Vegetable Broth:
This Lemon Dill Bean Soup calls for vegetable stock, but vegetable broth will work, too. The main difference with store-bought brands is that stock is generally not seasoned, while broth contains various herbs, spices, and vegetables. As always, check the label to ensure all of the ingredients are compatible and with no added sugars.
A standard carton of stock or broth at the store is 32 ounces (4 cups). If you want, you can use one carton and 2 cups of water for this recipe. Should you have extra stock, you can freeze it in ice cube trays or silicone molds for other soup and stew recipes.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 lemons, juiced about 1/3 cup of juice
- 2 15 oz cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill plus more to garnish, as desired
Instructions
- HEAT a 5-quart (or larger) Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once heated, add yellow onion and carrots, cooking for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft.
- ADD celery and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
- POUR in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add tahini and lemon juice to a small bowl and whisk together until well combined.
- ADD drained and rinsed beans, along with salt and pepper, to the pot and return to a simmer. Cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tahini and lemon juice mixture and remove from the heat.
- STIR in baby spinach and chopped dill. Continue stirring until spinach is wilted. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, as needed.
- SPOON into bowls and garnish with extra fresh dill, as desired. Serve.
