Makhlouta-15 Bean Soup

This 15 Bean Soup is a hearty Lebanese dish known as Makhlouta. This vegan healthy soup is made with beans and a handful of basic ingredients. It’s flavorful and filling and perfect for a cold winter dinner!

15 Bean Soup- Makhlouta Soup:

Meet my favorite Lebanese bean soup! Makhlouta or Makhloota translates to “mixed” in Arabic. This recipe uses a mix of “15 beans” but you don’t need to separately buy 15 different kinds of beans; rather, you can pick up a bag of “bean soup mix”, usually found by the dried bean section of your grocery store, the rest of the ingredients are easy staples. I bet you have most of them on hand right now.

Ingredients for Lebanese Makhlouta:

(Scroll down to recipe card, for exact measurements and a printable option.)

15 Bean Soup Mix. Look for anything called “bean soup mix.” Some bean mixes have 13 or 16. I used this bean soup mix. If your bean soup mix comes with a seasoning packet, simply discard it; this soup is already seasoned.

Cumin: Takes this soup over the top.

Onion: You will need two onions, one cut into thin slices and the other one blended in a food processor with the cumin spice.

Bulgur: Coarse bulgur wheat– number 3 or 4 is best. You can skip it, if it’s not available.

Salt: To Taste.

Water: about 6 cups.

How to Make Makhlouta Soup:

You will need to soak the beans overnight. If you forgot to soak them, not a problem. I have a quick soak method for you in the tips section below.

• Rinse beans and drain. Sort any unwanted debris.
• Place beans in a large pot of cool water. Cover and allow to soak at least 8 hours or overnight. After soaking, drain water.

• Add water to cover the drained beans.
• Bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer until the beans begin to break down.
• Stir in thin sliced onions and bulgur. Simmer until bulgur is fully cooked.

• Meanwhile, in your food processor, add onion and cumin and process until well blended.

• Add to the the soup and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
• Adjust seasoning as desired, and serve hot. ENJOY!

Frequently Asked Questions:

What Beans are in 15 Bean Soup?

Different bean bags may contain some variations of this mixture. Here is what the one I used contained:

Northern, pinto, large lima, yelloweye, garbanzo, baby lima, green split, kidney, cranberry, small white, pink, small red, yellow split, lentil, navy, white kidney, and black bean.

What do you Serve with 15 Bean Soup?

• Bread: The best side to serve with 15 bean soup is a loaf of crusty bread. You can try this Gluten Free Bread.
• Salad: This crispy green bean salad, is light and refreshing.
• Flatbread: Like this Labneh Flatbread or Caprese Flatbread.

Tips for Making the Best Makhlouta Recipe:

• Soaking beans before cooking decreases cooking time and can remove some of the complex sugars, making them more digestible. Be sure to discard the soaking liquid and use fresh water for cooking.
• Soaking is optional. If beans are not soaked, add 1 cup extra liquid and cook 45-60 minutes longer (or until beans are tender).

How to Store and Reheat Lebanese Bean Soup:

• To Store. Store leftover bean soup in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• To Reheat. Rewarm soup on the stove over medium-low heat until hot. You can also reheat leftovers in the microwave until heated through.
• To Freeze. Place soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

More Lebanese Soup Recipes:

Lebanese Red Lentil Soup

Lentil Soup with Pasta

Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup

Makhlouta- Makhloota- The Best Bean Soup Recipe