This Adzuki Bean Soup is cozy, comforting, and nutritious. It is packed with nourishing veggies and tender adzuki red beans. This easy soup is perfect for meal prep or a quick weeknight dinner.
You guys know my love for hearty, healthy soups, such as my minestrone soup and lentil soup. I love that they are an easy, wholesome meal with veggies and beans.
Adzuki beans are small red beans that are widely used in Asian cuisine. They are known for their slightly sweet, nutty flavor. They are packed with protein, fiber, and essential nutrients, making them a fantastic addition to a healthy diet. While often used in sweet dishes like red bean paste, adzuki beans work wonderfully in savory recipes too.
This hearty Adzuki Bean Soup is a delicious, nutrient-rich meal that is perfect for cold winter days.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You will love this easy soup made with adzuki beans and lots of veggies. Here are some reasons to love this soup:
- Protein-Packed & Nutritious – Adzuki beans are an excellent plant-based protein source with fiber and essential minerals.
- Easy to Make – Simple ingredients and minimal effort required.
- Great for Meal Prep – This soup stores well and can be frozen.
- Versatile and customizable—You can use the veggies and greens you have on hand or make it spicy!
Ingredients
- Adzuki beans: Soak them for a few hours or overnight for quicker cooking.
- Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is best for a rich flavor.
- Onion: I use yellow onions, which provide a deep, savory base to the soup.
- Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic if possible.
- Diced tomatoes: I used canned diced tomatoes. You can also use fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
- Veggies: I used chopped celery, carrots, and sweet potatoes. You can vary with the veggies you have on hand. Some other vegetables that would work well in this soup are – pumpkin or butternut squash, mushroom, or zucchini.
- Vegetable broth: A flavorful base for the soup. You can use homemade or store-bought broth. I use Better Than Bouillon to make the broth.
- Spinach: Adds extra nutrients and color. You can also switch with kale or collard greens.
- Seasoning: You’ll need Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper and paprika.
- Lemon juice: Brightens up the flavors and adds a fresh touch.
- Parmesan cheese (optional): Adds a rich umami taste. Use nutritional yeast for a vegan alternative.
- Fresh parsley: Chopped and used as a garnish to add freshness and color.
How to Make Adzuki Bean Soup?
This soup is very easy to make with just a few steps. I have included step-by-step photos as a visual guide as you make this soup.
Cook the Adzuki Beans
We start with rinsed and soaked adzuki beans. I like to soak them overnight or at least for 4 hours if cooking them on the stovetop. However, if you are cooking them in the instant pot, it is okay if you want to skip soaking. Here is my detailed guide to cooking adzuki beans from scratch.
Drain the water from the soaked adzuki beans. Add them to a medium pot with enough water to cover them. I use about 4 cups of water for every 1 cup of beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Sauté the Aromatics
In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and sauté until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
Cook the Vegetables
Add diced tomatoes, chopped celery, carrots, and sweet potato. Stir in the Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Sauté to release flavors.
Simmer the Soup
Add cooked adzuki beans and any remaining cooking liquid to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and let cook until the vegetables are tender.
Finish with Greens
Stir in the chopped spinach and the lemon juice. Simmer for a few more minutes until the greens are wilted and tender.
Serve
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. If desired, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy warm!
Instant Pot Adzuki Bean Soup
You can also make this soup in the instant pot as an easy one-pot recipe.
- Heat the instant pot on saute mode and add olive oil to it.
- Add diced onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add minced garlic. Stir and saute for another minute.
- Add diced tomatoes, chopped celery, carrots, and sweet potato. Add in the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the adzuki beans and broth to the pot. Stir it all up. Press Cancel and close the lid with the vent in the sealing position.
- Set the instant pot to pressure cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, release the pressure naturally.
- Stir in the chopped spinach and lemon juice, and simmer for another 5 minutes on saute mode until the spinach is wilted.
- Garnish with parmesan cheese (optional), and adzuki bean soup is ready to serve.
Meeta’s Tips
Beans: I used adzuki beans, but black-eyed peas would work just as well in this soup. You could also cook the beans in the instant pot. Pressure cook for 7 minutes on high pressure. Then, use them in this recipe.
Canned beans: You can use canned beans if you prefer. Drain and rinse them before adding directly to the soup, skipping the initial boiling step.
Texture Variations: If you like a smoother texture, blend 1 cup of the soup until creamy and add it back to the pot.
Vegan Variation: Skip the Parmesan cheese at the end.
Meal Prep & Storing
Freezer: Let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave before serving.
Variations & Substitutions
I love to switch things up based on what I have on hand and try different flavors in this soup.
- Make it Spicy – Add red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Add Grains – Add quinoa, barley, or rice for extra texture.
- Vegan & Dairy-Free – Skip the Parmesan cheese.
- Vary the veggies – You can use whatever you have in the fridge, such as butternut squash, mushroom, or zucchini.
- Vary the beans – Switch things up and make this soup with black beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, or green lentils.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
Adzuki Bean Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Adzuki Beans, soaked for 4 hours or overnight
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 cup Onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
- 1 cup Diced Tomatoes, Canned
- 2 Celery Stalks , chopped, about 1/2 cup
- 2 Carrot, chopped, about 3/4 cup
- 1 cup Sweet Potato , cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 32 ounces Vegetable Broth
- 2 cups Spinach (Palak), or kale, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Lemon juice
- Parmesan cheese , optional, for topping
- Parsley, chopped, to garnish
Seasoning
- 2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Salt, adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, crushed, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon Paprika , adjust to taste
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add adzuki beans and 3 cups of water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. You can also cook the adzuki beans in the pressure cooker for 8 minutes until they are tender.
- Heat a Dutch oven or medium pot on medium-high heat. Add olive oil to it.
- Add diced onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add minced garlic. Stir and Saute for antoher minute.
- Add diced tomatoes, chopped celery, carrots, and sweet potato. Add in the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir and saute for 2 minutes.
- If it's been 30 minutes, transfer the adzuki beans with the remaining water to the soup pot. Adjust heat to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped spinach and lemon juice, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Garnish with parmesan cheese (optional), and adzuki bean soup is ready to serve.
Instant Pot Method
- Heat the instant pot on saute mode and add olive oil to it. Add diced onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add minced garlic. Stir and saute for another minute.
- Add diced tomatoes, chopped celery, carrots, and sweet potato. Add in the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the adzuki beans and broth to the pot. Stir it all up. Press Cancel and close the lid with the vent in the sealing position. Set the instant pot to pressure cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, release the pressure naturally.
- Stir in the chopped spinach and lemon juice, and simmer for another 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Garnish with parmesan cheese (optional), and adzuki bean soup is ready to serve.
