Vegetarian Green Bean Soup (or bacon option is included)
We all have days when we decide what to make based on what’s in the fridge that needs using up, right? That’s how we came to create this delicious green bean soup with caramelized onions and mushrooms.
We have a garden, and love growing green beans. In fact, our green bean plants are always our most prolific crop, so when harvest time comes around, we’re always looking for creative ways to enjoy green beans.
You can use fresh or frozen green beans for this recipe.
This vegetarian green bean soup with mushrooms and caramelized onions is a new favorite and definitely a keeper recipe! You can even add a vegetarian bacon seasoning for an added nuance.
Or, if you’re not a vegetarian, you can go with real bacon if you prefer. However, this recipe is delicious without either of those.
Non-Vegetarian Green Bean Soup With Bacon
For meat eaters and bacon lovers, you can add bacon, or substitute bacon for mushrooms if you prefer to take this soup to the next level.
Beyond that, there are several ingredients that set this green bean soup recipe apart and make it extra special.
Green Bean Soup Ingredients
The first three ingredients listed below are the ones that help to make this green bean soup special and different. The rest simply complement it. Ingredients needed:
- Caramelized onions
- Sour cream
- Apple cider vinegar
- Green beans
- Mushrooms
- Broth or water (we like to use veggie broth)
- Butter
- Onion
- Garlic, minced
- All-purpose flour
- Sour cream and heavy cream
- Fresh parsley (or your favorite fresh herb)
- Salt
Optional Additional Ingredients
- Bacon seasoning (for vegetarian version)
- Bacon (for meat version)
How to Caramelize Onions and Mushrooms
If you’re new to caramelizing, or, you’re short on time, we’ve got you covered with how to caramelize onion and mushrooms fast.
Caramelize Extra
Whenever you caramelize onions and/or mushrooms, you may also want to cook more than you need and use them for other dishes. There are many uses for caramelized onions and mushrooms.
We almost always double the amount called for so as to have extra on hand is a good “planned over” strategy. You can use caramelized toppings for burgers and omelettes, and for other soups like this daikon noodle soup with caramelized onions and portobello mushrooms.
Just keep in mind that the raw veggies will cook down to only about 25% of their original measurement through the caramelization process, so plan accordingly.
You can see and read more about this here in this article on how to caramelize onions and mushrooms.
Green Bean Soup With Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh green beans string if needed, then chop into bite size
- 8 cups broth or water we like to use veggie broth
- 3 Tablespoons butter start with 3 Tbsp; add more if needed or desired; (or olive oil);
- 2 medium onions julienned (~3 cups sliced thin)
- 2 clove garlic minced
- 12 oz sliced mushrooms or ~3 cups cups sliced
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sour cream (1-2 cups to taste); (We use 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup heavy cream)
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley or your favorite fresh herb
- 1/2 tablespoon salt or to taste
Instructions
Vegetarian Version
- CARAMELIZE Onions and mushrooms, (then remove from pan but reserve pan). (You may need to do onions first and then mushrooms, if your pan is too full).
- STRING beans if they have strings that need removing.
- CHOP beans into 1-2" pieces
- ADD cut beans to a large pot and cover with broth, (or sub with water if preferred).
- COOK: Bring beans to boil in a large pot, then reduce to simmer until tender, (about 10 minutes). Do not overcook to mushy, (unless you prefer your beans that way).
- CARAMELIZE onions & mushroom in pan, add 3 Tbsp. butter or oil and saute minced garlic until golden..
- ADD 1/2 cup of broth from the green beans and turn heat to medium heat.
- WHISK flour into sauté pan broth stirring constantly, while reducing heating to simmer until it sauce thickens some. (For thicker sauce you can add a Tbsp. of cornstarch or arrowroot powder and/or more flour).
- COMBINE sauce, caramelized onions, mushrooms, vinegar and salt, and simmer together on low heat for 5-10 minutes.
- STIR & TOP: stir in dairy (sour cream, heavy cream and/or milk). Simmer for another minute or two. Remove from heat and TOP with fresh parsley or other garden fresh herbs.
For Meat Version:
- Add 4 slices of bacon
- Cook bacon in frying pan until cooked but not crispy; remove bacon when done and place on cutting board to chop later.
- Begin cooking the soup in soup pot according to instructions above.
- Add bacon grease in steps 7 & 8 when adding flour for thickening.
Nutrition
You may also enjoy this green bean casserole with fresh green beans and crispy onions.