Lean bean soup can be made any time of the year, regardless of your religious or principled considerations. This dish, rich in valuable vegetable protein, turns out to be tasty, satisfying, but not too high in calories, which in itself is very pleasant. Mushroom broth gives a special, unique flavor to lean bean soup, which we strongly recommend preparing from dried white beans. Pumpkin, on the other hand, gives the dish light sweet notes that complicate the taste and make it more refined.
The night before, before cooking the lean soup, prepare the beans. Pour it into a bowl and pour 1 liter of cold water. Cover with a towel and leave overnight at room temperature (8-12 hours).
In the morning, rinse dried porcini mushrooms with warm water and transfer to a saucepan (lean soup will be cooked in it). Fill with cold drinking water and leave for 2 hours at room temperature.
Throw the beans swollen overnight in a colander and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a small saucepan, cover with fresh water (about 1.5 liters) and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for about 1 hour, then drain in a colander.
Put the pot with mushrooms in water on the fire and bring to a boil. Remove foam. Place one peeled and halved onion. Boil for 1 hour on low heat.
Carefully strain the hot mushroom broth through a sieve lined with doubled gauze. Rinse the mushrooms thoroughly with cold water and chop. Pour the broth for lean soup into a saucepan.
Peel carrots, potatoes and onions for lean bean soup. Cut carrots and potatoes into cubes. Chop the onion. Put in hot broth and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Cut pumpkin into small cubes. Add along with cooked beans and mushrooms to vegetable broth. Salt and pepper. Boil 10 minutes. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.