Still some bubbles from blending

Healthy Broccoli and Cannellini Bean Soup

What's the healthiest kind of soup you can make?  This recipe is a result of asking that question, looking to add a new regular dish to my roster of regulars.

This recipe focuses on being high in plant-based calcium. Broccoli is high in calcium. White beans have more calcium than other beans. Unhulled tahini is a source of calcium as well.  Lots of other good things in the soup as well.

Note there is no additional oil or salt in this recipe. Unhulled tahini has oil in it, and the stock powder I used has salt in it. That said, if you really need more salt and oil feel free to use them, or on the other side use a salt free stock.

Ingredients

1 can cannellini beans (Any other white bean - butter beans. haricot/navy, great northern)
1⁄2 cup Red lentils (Split peas, other lentils, all fine)
1⁄4 cup pearl barley (If using healthier unhulled barley instead of pearl, soak it overnight)
1 broccoli (Medium sized head, cut into spoon sized florets and dice the stem)
1 Potato (Medium sized, diced)
1 Onion (Diced)
3 cloves Garlic (Chopped into small pieces)
2 tablespoons Tahini
1 1⁄2 liters Boiling water (Add more or less depending on how thick you like your soup)
1 1⁄2 teaspoons Cumin powder
1 teaspoon Thyme
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1⁄4 cup Lemon juice (Or about 1/2 a lemon)
2 tablespoons Nutritional yeast (Optional)
2 teaspoons Vegetable stock (Or a stock cube)

Info

Yield
6 Servings
Preparation time
15 minutes
Cooking time
35 minutes
Total time
50 minutes

Instructions

  1. Start with the onion and potato, cook until the onion starts to soften. If you haven't boiled your water yet, put the kettle on!
  2. Add the garlic and stir through for a minute or so
  3. Add the barley, lentils, stock, herbs and spices, stir once or twice to mix everything together
  4. Add the boiling water, give a good stir to separate anything that is sticking to the bottom of the pan
  5. Partially cover, bring to a boil and then turn heat down to simmer for 15 minutes
  6. Add the beans and broccoli.
  7. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until barley is soft
  8. Add the tahini and lemon juice
  9. Blend very roughly, or just stir it together
  10. Taste and add anything else you think it needs

Notes

I serve this with the healthiest bread I can find, with some avocado and pepper on it.  If you use a bread with flaxseed or chia seeds in it, you will up the Omega 3s. I also like a swirl of srirarcha on the top :)

Ready to eat!
Ready to eat!
Adding the broccoli and beans
Adding the broccoli and beans
Everything washed and ready to go
Everything washed and ready to go