My latest easy meal is this Vegan Zero Point Crockpot Bean Soup. It's seriously amazingly flavorful, healthy, and a great comfort food recipe. Bonus points for the fact that it is vegan, and is also a zero point meal on the latest update of Weight Watchers. Cooking in the slow cooker makes it even better for busy families!
Vegan Zero Point Crockpot Bean Soup
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Recently, Weight Watchers made some updates to their program. Included in those updates, is the addition of beans as a zero point food. This is totally revamping the way I create meals. We love beans, and while they aren't high points regularly, knowing I can use them as a base for meals without being penalized on Weight Watchers is huge. Note: The plan updates are being rolled out during November and December of 2017. It is already happening in some countries already, but not all, so wait for your country and program to update.
This recipe is made in the Crockpot since I prefer cooking beans from scratch versus using canned. Directions for a stovetop version are at the bottom of the post if you prefer. We use the classic 7-quart Oval Crockpot for this, but you can use any larger slow cooker or stockpot on your stovetop.
Note: Scroll to bottom to print a copy of the recipe for your files! Make sure to pin on Pinterest or bookmark for future use!
Ingredients for Crockpot Bean Soup:
1 ½ cup dry great northern beans
1 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups vegetable broth
½-1 teaspoons ground cumin (I prefer the Raw Spice Bar Cumin since it has a stronger flavor so I can use less)
1 teaspoon black pepper (some find it too peppery, so you may want to add this after cooking and start with smaller amounts)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
Directions for Crockpot Bean Soup:
Place all ingredients in the slow cooker and mix well.
Set on high heat for 4 hours.
Stir well and check for bean tenderness. If not tender, continue cooking for an additional hour. Serve.
Directions for Stovetop Bean Soup:
Place dry beans into a large stockpot with 5 cups water.
Heat to boiling, then reduce to simmer and cover.
Cook for 1 hour on simmer stirring regularly to prevent sticking. You may need to add more water as it evaporates.
Once beans are tender (usually 1 to 1 ½ hours), add all remaining ingredients and stir well.
Cook additional half hour, then serve.
Directions for Instant Pot Bean Soup:
Place all ingredients into Instant Pot liner and stir well.
Set lid to seal, and choose soup setting. Set timer for 1 hour.
Allow to NPR (natural pressure release) for 5 minutes. Finish pressure release, and serve.
- 1½ cup dry great northern beans
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- ½-1 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- Directions for Crockpot Bean Soup:
- Place all ingredients in the slow cooker and mix well.
- Set on high heat for 4 hours.
- Stir well and check for bean tenderness. If not tender, continue cooking for an additional hour. Serve.
- Directions for Stovetop Bean Soup:
- Place dry beans into a large stockpot with 5 cups water.
- Heat to boiling, then reduce to simmer and cover.
- Cook for 1 hour on simmer stirring regularly to prevent sticking. You may need to add more water as it evaporates.
- Once beans are tender (usually 1 to 1½ hours), add all remaining ingredients and stir well.
- Cook additional half hour, then serve.
- Directions for Instant Pot Bean Soup:
- Place all ingredients into Instant Pot liner and stir well.
- Set lid to seal, and choose soup setting. Set timer for 1 hour.
- Allow to NPR (natural pressure release) for 5 minutes. Finish pressure release, and serve.
Makes 8 Servings at 1 ¾ cups each
- 4 Points Plus
- 4 SmartPoints on Beyond the Scale
- Zero SmartPoints on Flex Plan, FreeStyle Plan, or Your Way Plan
Alternative Cooking Methods for Crockpot Bean Soup:
While this is easiest if made in the Crockpot, you can use the above-mentioned directions to make on your stovetop, or in the Instant Pot. I have only made this one time so far, and we absolutely loved it. However, I can easily see adding in things like carrot slices or even potato chunks for an even more filling recipe. Just remember that if you are using this on Weight Watchers, any additional ingredients will need to be adding in the recipe builder to update the potential points.
I hope you enjoy this delicious Zero Point Crockpot Bean Soup just as much as our family has!
>>> Soup is great but what about actual food? Check out our delicious WW freestyle: www.youbrewmytea.com/75-delicious-weight-watchers-freestyle-recipes/ and breakfast recipes: www.youbrewmytea.com/75-freestyle-weight-watchers-recipes-for-breakfast/! <<<
More Great Soup Recipes:
- Simple Vegan Potato Soup Recipes
- Weight Watchers Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Weight Watchers Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
- Easy Beef Vegetable Noodle Soup
- Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Soup
- Weight Watchers Soup: Mexican Chicken Soup
- Ground Turkey & Vegetable Soup
- Chicken Taco Soup Recipe
- Chicken and Bean Instant Pot Soup
- 35 Weight Watchers Soup Recipes
- Vegan Vegetable Soup Recipe
TC Rieman
So yummy! The first bean soup I liked without meat. Next time I will use a little less salt.
Jenice
Just made this in my crockpot and it is delicious! The cumin really adds a nice flavor. I added carrots with an hour to cook and this does not add any points for WW. Thanks for such an easy, delicious recipe to start 2018!
Janice
I'm planning to make this recipe, but when I add it to my tracker, it comes up as 1 point on the WW Freestyle system. Has anyone else had this happen? If so, can you provide any insight? Many thanks!
Katie
Hi! It can be different depending on the broth you use. The broth I used was zero point, but I have seen some broths come up with points 🙂
Shelley
Toss in a can of Ro-Tel tomatoes and 1 tsp. of any Cajun Seasoning and the flavor is amazing!
Mary
This is 4 Freestyle Points per svg for us WW. Which is still good...and a good, healthy, hardy meal. Thanks ~ plans to cook it soon.
Katie
This is zero point son FreeStyle! 🙂 Not 4. 4 SmartPoints on Beyond the Scale which is the older plan.
Katie
I am sure it is fine, but want to confirm if I can cook this on low in the crock pot? Has anyone felt it needed any meat, such as shredded chicken?
Katie
It would be fine to cook on low, just takes longer for the beans to become tender. It is great as it is, but I have had some members of our Facebook group say it is also great with ground turkey or shredded chicken into it 🙂
Tara
Does this freeze well? Cooking for one! 😊
Katie
Yes, it does freeze very well!
Tara
Thank you!!!
Jill Nuremberg
Katie, I made this soup tonight but found the black pepper a little overpowering for my taste. In order to cut back on the spicy factor, what would you suggest I add to the soup? I’d add potatoes but don’t want to add points. I changed the recipe a bit by presoaking the Great Northern Beans and sautéing the vegetables in 1 Tbsp. of oil in the Instant Pot first, then adding all the rest of the ingredients. I figured that a bowl of soup would be 1 sp. because of the oil. Thank you for your feedback!
Katie
You can just lower the black pepper to a smaller amount. It should still be good 🙂 You can also add in celery, carrots, or any vegetables you wish.
Liz Bron
It sounds great...just one thing that stopped me in my tracks....Great Northern bean? never heard of it, but if its code for disguising a Lima bean, I'm out!! No way, no how!! this is a food blog, not a psychology article so I'll skip the history only to say childhood trauma......could I use maybe pinto or canneloni beans instead?
Katie
Great Northern beans are also known as cannellini beans. It depends on the region you are in. Also, it is not a food blog 🙂 We just happen to share recipes.
Dorene
Do you soak the beans overnight?
Katie
I never soak beans overnight. You can, and it may provide you with a shorter cook time.
Kayla
Just made this. Omg it is so delicious!
Judy Kern
Why so much celery? Three stalks seems like a lit!
Katie
Our family enjoys the added celery. It's a personal preference. Use what you prefer!
Angela
This was super easy and very delicious! The ONLY change was that I used less garlic. I made it in the Instant Pot. The beans were so creamy It’s a keeper
Courtney
Found your recipe on Pinterest and it was AMAZING! Just enough kick to make it spicier. Absolutely delicious!
Machel Morton
Only 0 point of you use chicken broth. Vegetable broth has points on the blue plan.
Katie
When calculated with the Blue Plan it still shows as zero with vegetable broth. This could depend upon the brand used. Definitely verify with the brand you are using.
Nora
Just started this in the WW app as a recipe and see that beans are now points. Thanks for sharing, still plan to make but of course will account for the points. 1/4 cup dry beans are 4 points on green plan.