Congressional Bean Soup (Vegan) 🇺🇸 A hearty and delicious bean soup inspired by the famous House Bean Soup and Senate Bean Soup served at the U.S. Capitol since the 1800's - this 21st century all-vegan salute to a classic all-American recipe is a taste of history in the making!
Enjoy a bowl of this cozy vegan Congressional bean soup whenever you want something that is delish, filling, and satisfying. It's also an ideal dish to serve on any national holiday or events such as the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Presidents Day, Election Day, Martin Luther King's Birthday, or Labor Day.
This thick and rich bean soup recipe makes a perfectly unpretentious pairing with Simple Savory Herbed Tofu or can be dressed-up all nice & fancy to serve with our State Dinner style vegan 5 Star Mushroom Seitan Wellington. Best of all, it is so easy to prepare!
★★★★★ This soup is awesome! I took your advice, and soaked my beans for 48 hours before making the soup. They turned out perfect, and took less than an hour and a half! I used Beyond Spicy Italian sausage I got on sale. Wow, this was so good. A really fine vegan soup! Thanks! Barbara
Why we created this vegan recipe
Many moons ago, while serving in the armed forces in Washington D.C., my husband John had the opportunity to have lunch at the House of Representatives Restaurant in the U.S. Capitol. It was there he experienced an unforgettably delicious bean soup that had been on the menu for more than 100 years. It's still on the menu today.
Fortunately, the official "House Bean Soup" recipe isn't a top government secret. Unfortunately, it isn't vegan, since ham hocks are a key ingredient. John decided to re-create the flavors and texture of the House of Representatives Bean Soup he loved so much, using all plant-based ingredients. His vegan version is even tastier (and a lot kinder) than the original.
Whether you call it vegan Senate Bean Soup, House Bean Soup or as we refer to it - Congressional Bean Soup, this is a soup worthy of your vote!
Ingredient Notes
🥕 See the recipe card below for quantities and details.
- Great Northern beans - dried (substitute with other types of white beans)
- Onion - brown, yellow or sweet (we prefer brown)
- Vegan sausage - we prefer Beyond Italian Sausage in this recipe
- Vegetable broth - homemade or packaged
- Vegan butter - your choice
- Olive oil - or cooking oil of your choice
- Baking soda - (helps reduce the gas-causing sugars in beans)
- Salt
Instructions
1. Pour dry beans into a large strainer or colander. Sort through the beans and remove any debris and bits. Rinse thoroughly under cold water.
2. Transfer beans into a bowl and cover with filtered water (at least 1.5 inches over the top of the beans). Stir in a teaspoon of baking soda. Allow to soak 8 hours or overnight at room temperature. During hot weather, it is better to keep the beans refrigerated After soaking, drain and rinse with filtered water.
3. Peel and dice onion.
4. Place butter and oil into a dutch oven or deep pot over med-high heat. Add diced onion and sauté over medium heat until transparent and lightly golden. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
5. Tear sausages into small pieces.
6. Add to onions and cook over medium heat.
🥕Cooking Tip
Let the sausage brown, until it's a bit crispy on the edges. It intensifies the flavor & prevents the sausage from breaking down when the beans and broth are added.
7. Stir the sausage pieces so that they don't stick to the bottom of the pot. You want them to be nicely browned but not burnt.
8. Add soaked and rinsed beans to cooked sausage. Stir to combine.
9. Pour in vegetable broth. Add salt. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil while stirring so nothing sticks to the bottom.
10. Lower heat and simmer until the broth is reduced enough to see the beans start to surface and are very soft and tender - about an hour and a half or longer if needed. Be sure to stir frequently to avoid burning the beans or sausage.
Once beans are thoroughly cooked and the soup is nice and thick, remove from heat and serve!
🥕Serving Suggestions
Top with a sprinkle of chopped scallions, chives, or parsley, and a few crispy croutons. A toasty slice of bread is perfect to sop up the last of the soup in your bowl.
Equipment
These are the few kitchen tools you may need to prepare this soup.
- Large soup pot or dutch oven
- Medium sized bowl
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cup
FAQ's
How did the U.S. House of Representatives Bean Soup recipe originate?
According to the History, Art & Archives of the U.S. House of Representatives: A common item in the U.S. House of Representatives even before the turn of the 20th century, bean soup became a permanent fixture in the institution when Speaker Joe Cannon of Illinois discovered that his favorite meal had not been prepared by the kitchen staff on a hot, summer day in 1904. Dismayed by the omission, the Speaker directed that bean soup be served in the House every day, regardless of the weather.
“Thunderation,” roared Speaker of the House Joe Cannon of Illinois. “I had my mouth set for bean soup! From now on, hot or cold, rain, snow, or shine, I want it on the menu every day.”
More than a century after Speaker Cannon’s decree, bean soup remains on the menu in the House Restaurant, making it one of the more longstanding and famous traditions in the House.
Are Great Northern beans the same as navy beans?
Great Northern beans are a common medium-size white bean, similar to navy beans but a bit larger. They have a firm flesh and nutty flavor, making them ideally suited for soups, stews, bean salads, and dips.
Can I use canned beans in this recipe?
If you are short on time, you could use canned beans in this soup, but if it's your first time making it, I strongly suggest trying it first with soaked dried beans, and here's why. Canned beans are pre-cooked. Soaked dried beans cook in the soup itself, absorbing all the fabulous flavors and aromas of the sausage, onion and broth, while simmering on the stove for about 1-½ hours. You wouldn't cook canned beans that long or they would likely turn to mush.
How to store vegan Congressional Bean Soup?
Leftover soup can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. I love to use these souper cubes for freezing soup portions. They're souper convenient!
If you're a soup fan like I am, you might like to take a look at my recipe for the best dairy-free cream of mushroom soup, this robust and delicious rustic vegetable soup, and this hearty, cozy, and creamy broccoli potato soup, or this quick and easy 1-pot minestrone soup.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for vegan Congressional Bean Soup. Please be sure to rate it in the comments section below! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recipe
Congressional Bean Soup (Vegan)
Equipment
- Large soup pot or dutch oven
- medium bowl
- Chef's knife
Ingredients
- 1 lb Great Northern beans dried
- 1 medium Onion diced (brown, yellow or sweet)
- 4 whole Vegan sausage we prefer Beyond Italian Sausage in this recipe
- 64 oz Vegetable broth homemade or packaged
- 1 tablespoon Vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 2 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Place dry beans into a large strainer or colander.
- Sort through the beans and remove any debris and bits.
- Rinse thoroughly under cold water.
- Place beans in a bowl and cover with filtered water (at least 1.5 inches over the top of the beans). Stir in a teaspoon of baking soda. Allow to soak 8 hours or overnight at room temperature. During hot weather, it is better to keep the beans refrigerated
- After soaking, drain and rinse with filtered water.
- Peel and dice onion.
- Place butter and oil into a dutch oven or deep pot over med-high heat.
- Add diced onion and sauté over medium heat until transparent and lightly golden. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
- Tear sausages into small pieces.Add to onions and cook over medium heat until brown.
- Add soaked and rinsed beans to cooked sausage. Stir to combine.
- Pour in vegetable broth. Add salt. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil while stirring so nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Lower heat and simmer until the broth is reduced enough to see the beans start to surface and are very soft and tender - about an hour and a half or longer if needed. (Be sure to stir frequently to avoid burning the beans or sausage,)
- Once beans are thoroughly cooked and soup is nice and thick, remove from heat and serve!
Notes
🥕Cooking Tip
Let the sausage brown until it's crispy on the edges. It helps intensify the flavor and prevents the sausage from breaking down when the beans & broth are added.🥕Serving Suggestions
Top with chopped scallions, chives, or parsley, and a few crispy croutons. A toasty slice of bread is perfect to sop up the last of the soup in your bowl.🥕Storage
Leftover soup can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. I love to use these souper cubes for freezing individual portions.Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Eve says
Can this be made in the Instant Pot?
Connie says
I have not tried making this soup with an Instant Pot, but I bet you could. If you sauté the onions & sausage in the Instant Pot, let the sausage get a bit crispy and be sure the sausage and onions aren't stuck to the bottom of the pot before adding the rest of your ingredients. As for the cook settings, I would follow the Instant Pot instructions. Love to hear if you give it a try!
Barbara says
This soup is awesome! I took your advice, and soaked my beans for 48 hours before making the soup. They turned out perfect, and took less than an hour and a half! I used Beyond Spicy Italian sausage I got on sale. Wow, this was so good. Finally a really fine vegan soup! Thanks!
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Hi Barbara! Your comments just put a big smile on my face 😊 I'm so happy you enjoyed the soup & will let my husband know you gave his recipe five stars! Thanks a bunch for sharing!🥕
connie🥕 says
My husband has talked about this soup for years. When he created this vegan version, I finally found out why he loved it so much. It’s absolutely delicious & so easy to make!