Navy Bean Soup (Vegan)

Two moves set this vegan soup apart from every other navy bean recipe: caramelizing the onions in balsamic vinegar instead of oil, and stirring in miso paste during the final simmer.

The balsamic method takes patience on low heat, but it pulls a rich, slightly sweet depth out of the onions without adding any fat. That sauteed mixture joins the beans along with tomato sauce, ground cloves, dry mustard, chili powder, thyme, and a dash of hot sauce. After two hours of slow simmering, the miso goes in, adding a quiet umami backbone that makes the broth taste like it’s been cooking all week.

Then it simmers for another one to two hours until the beans reach exactly the texture you want. Serve with hard bread and a salad, as the recipe suggests, and you won’t need anything else.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t rush the onion caramelization. Low and slow in the balsamic gives you a much deeper result than high heat ever would.
• Barley miso is milder and slightly sweet, a good match here. Stir it in off the boil to preserve the live cultures.
• The soup thickens considerably as it sits. Add water when reheating leftovers.