Spicy Kimchi White Bean Soup (Printable Version)

Tangy kimchi meets creamy white beans in this bold, comforting fusion soup ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, sliced
05 - 1 celery stalk, sliced
06 - 1 cup napa cabbage, shredded

→ Kimchi & Flavor Base

07 - 1 cup kimchi, chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons kimchi juice
09 - 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
10 - 1 tablespoon gochujang
11 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
12 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

→ Beans & Broth

13 - 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, drained and rinsed
14 - 4 cups vegetable broth
15 - 1 cup water

→ Garnishes

16 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
17 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
18 - Fresh cilantro or parsley

# How To Make:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, sliced carrot, and celery. Cook for 3 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Add chopped kimchi and cook for 2 minutes, allowing flavors to meld with the vegetables.
04 - Sprinkle in gochugaru and gochujang. Stir thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly with the spice mixture.
05 - Pour in vegetable broth, water, kimchi juice, soy sauce, and napa cabbage. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.
06 - Add white beans and reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until flavors develop and soup thickens slightly.
07 - Stir in toasted sesame oil. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce or chili flakes as needed.
08 - Ladle hot soup into bowls. Top with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of tangy fermented kimchi and creamy white beans creates this incredible contrast that somehow tastes like its been simmering for hours instead of just thirty minutes
  • Its one of those rare soups that actually tastes better the next day so you can make a big batch on Sunday and eat like royalty all week
  • The spice level is completely adjustable so you can make it gentle enough for sensitive palates or turn up the heat until your forehead glistens
02 -
  • Some kimchi contains fish sauce or shrimp paste so if you need this to be strictly vegan, check your label or buy a specifically vegan brand
  • The soup will continue to thicken as it sits because the beans release more starch, so don't panic if it looks thinner than you want when you first turn off the heat
03 -
  • If your kimchi is very sour, add a pinch of sugar to balance the flavors
  • The soup freezes beautifully for up to three months if you want to batch cook

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