Hearty Mushroom and Navy Bean Soup
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A thick, satisfying soup that builds richness through vegetables, mushrooms, and natural thickening techniques—no vegan milk needed.

Ingredients
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**Beans**

- 400g dried navy beans
- Water for soaking and cooking

**Mushrooms & Aromatics**

- 800g mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, portobello), sliced
- 200g onions (1 large), diced
- 300g leeks (2 medium), white and light green parts, sliced
- 20g garlic (4 cloves), minced
- 30g olive oil (2 tablespoons)

**Hearty Vegetables**

- 300g carrots (3 medium), diced
- 115g yukon gold potatoes (1 small), diced small (0.5cm cubes)

**Base & Thickening**

- 1.5L no-salt vegetable stock
- 20g cornstarch
- 120ml cold water (for slurry)
- 15ml balsamic vinegar (1 tablespoon)

**Seasonings**

- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 15g nutritional yeast (1 tablespoon)
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- Optional: 5g salt (divided among servings)

Method
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1. **Prepare Beans** (Start Day Before)

   - Soak beans in cold water for 24 hours
   - Cook 1-1.5 hours until very tender
   - Drain beans
   - Mash about 1/3 of the beans with a fork for thickening

2. **Prepare Vegetables**

   - Clean leeks thoroughly
   - Dice carrots and potatoes to similar sizes

3. **Make Cornstarch Slurry**

   - Whisk cornstarch with cold water until smooth

4. **Build Mushroom Base**

   - Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat
   - Cook mushrooms until golden (8-10 minutes)
   - Remove and set aside

5. **Cook Aromatics**

   - In same pot, cook onions and leeks until soft (8-10 minutes)
   - Add garlic, cook 1 minute

6. **Add Vegetables**

   - Add carrots and diced potatoes
   - Cook 5-7 minutes

7. **Build Soup**

   - Return mushrooms to pot
   - Add balsamic vinegar
   - Add cooked beans (whole and mashed)
   - Add vegetable stock and oregano
   - Simmer 25-30 minutes

8. **Thicken and Finish**

   - Stir in cornstarch slurry
   - Cook 3-4 minutes until thickened
   - Stir in nutritional yeast
   - Season with black pepper

Notes
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- Makes 8-10 servings (approximately 2.5L total)
- Store in refrigerator for up to 4 days
- Can be frozen for up to 3 months