A hearty soup of navy beans with a mirepoix of veggies and plenty of bacon flavor.
Bean with Bacon Soup
I've had this Bean with Bacon soup on my mind for awhile now since the canned version of Campbells is one of The Cajun's favorite. Since the dry beans had been hanging around the pantry waiting for me to write this soup recipe, I decided to go ahead and make it this weekend.Now, fair warning. This is a bean with bacon soup, so seeing as bacon is a primary ingredient, well... I used a full package of bacon for a pound of beans. I wanted PUH-lenty of bacon flavor, so don't go scoffing at me okay? Use what you want - even 4 slices would probably still make a nice flavorful soup - but I say go for it.
While I'm on this thought, isn't it super aggravating how some manufacturers have changed the familiar one pound package of bacon to 12-ounces so that it still looks like we are buying a pound of bacon? We're actually paying what we used to pay for a full pound and getting less and guess what? It's happening with a lot of the products we buy and it infuriates me. Do they seriously think we consumers don't notice this? {tucking away the soapbox now}
Here's how to make my Bean with Bacon soup! As always, the full recipe text with measurements and instructions, as well as a printable document, are a little bit further down the page. Just swipe or scroll down, past the step-by-step pictures below.
You really need a good base for this soup in order to get the full pork flavor, so I recommend using a good ham bone or several ham hocks and taking the time to make a flavorful stock, which can be made ahead. It will really make a huge difference. This time I happened to have 4 cups of frozen pork broth that was leftover from the last time I made the cheater pulled pork (the boiled version, not the crockpot one) that I used in place of the stock here. Though not as full flavored as the ham bone stock, it really did boost the pork flavor for this soup. Another good reason to do a cheater pulled pork that way!
For the prep, the night before, place the beans into a pot or large bowl, cover with water and let soak overnight. For the stock, place ham bone or pork hocks in a large stockpot and cover with water. Add the remaining stock ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain, reserving the bone and stock; discard vegetables. Once cooled, pick off any meat from the bone, reserving the meat and discarding the bone. When ready to prepare soup, drain the beans and set aside.
For the soup, use kitchen shears to cut the bacon into pieces into a soup pot or Dutch oven; cook over medium high heat until softened but not crisp. Remove about 1/3 of the bacon to a paper towel to reserve for garnish.
Add the onion, carrots and celery to the remaining bacon.
Cook and stir until softened about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and the tomato paste. Cook and stir until the tomato paste begins to slightly brown.
Add the drained beans.
Stir.
Add in the salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf.
Stir in the chicken base and the reserved ham stock. For the rest of the liquid, use plain water or even a combination of water and a vegetable, pork or chicken broth. You can certainly make this with only water or a combination of water and commercial broths, however you will not have the full pork flavor that will make it like the canned version we all love so much. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours or until the beans are tender.
The last 10 minutes of cooking, remove 2 cups of the soup and whirl it in a blender until creamy.
Add back to the soup pot.
Add the Liquid Smoke and pepper flakes or Cajun seasoning, if desired. Garnish with reserved bacon.
Add a sandwich or a nice mixed garden salad with a slice of cornbread. Pass hot sauce at the table.
I have to say, while this soup may not be a perfect match to the red and white can, it sure turned out delicious and pretty darned close in flavor. The Cajun loved it, and even said it had more bacon flavor than the canned. If you ask me, there ain't a thing bad about that!
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Bean with Bacon Soup
Yield: About 6 to 8 servings
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 15 M
A hearty soup of navy beans with a mirepoix of veggies and plenty of bacon flavor.
Ingredients
For the Stock:
- 1 large meaty hambone or 3 pork hocks
- 2 quarts water
- 2 whole celery ribs with leaves, rinsed and cut into large chunks
- 2 large carrots, unpeeled, rinsed and cut into large chunks
- 1 large onion, unpeeled and quartered
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
For the Soup:
- 1 pound bag dried navy beans (Camellia brand recommended)
- 1 pound bacon, divided
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 of a 6-ounce can of tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon chicken base (like Better Than Bouillon)
- 4 cups chicken, pork or vegetable stock or broth, water, or any combination (Kitchen Basics recommended)
- 1/4 teaspoon of Liquid Smoke (like Colgin), optional
- Couple dashes of red pepper flakes, or Creole or Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), optional
- Hot sauce, for the table
Instructions
- The night before, place the beans into a pot or large bowl, cover with water and let soak overnight.
- For the stock, place ham bone or pork hocks in a large stockpot and cover with water. Add the remaining stock ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
- Strain, reserving the bone and stock; discard vegetables. Once cooled, pick off any meat from the bone, reserving the meat and discarding the bone.
- When ready to prepare soup, drain the beans and set aside.
- Use kitchen shears to cut the bacon into pieces into a soup pot or Dutch oven; cook over medium high heat until softened but not crisp. Remove about 1/3 of the bacon to a paper towel to reserve for garnish.
- Add the onion, carrots and celery to the remaining bacon; cook and stir until softened about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the tomato paste. Cook and stir until the tomato paste begins to slightly brown.
- Add the drained beans; stir. Add in the salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf; stir in the chicken base, reserved ham stock along with 4 additional cups of either water, stock or broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours or until the beans are tender.
- The last 10 minutes of cooking, remove 2 cups of the soup and whirl it in a blender until creamy. Add back to the soup pot. Add the Liquid Smoke and pepper flakes or Cajun seasoning, if desired. Garnish with reserved bacon.
- Add a sandwich or a nice mixed garden salad with a slice of cornbread. Pass hot sauce at the table.
Notes:
I use Camellia brand navy beans; may also use northern beans. The stock may be made ahead and refrigerated, or shortcut the process by using a ham concentrate or base, such as Better Than Bouillon.
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