Description
A hearty and flavorful Bean with Bacon Soup featuring tender navy beans simmered with crispy bacon, aromatic vegetables, and herbs. This comforting soup is perfect for a cozy meal and offers a creamy texture with the option to blend part of the soup. Garnished with fresh parsley and bacon bits, it’s a delicious and filling dish that warms from the inside out.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans and Broth
- 1 pound dried navy beans, rinsed and picked over
- 6 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 cups water
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Meat and Fats
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound bacon, diced
Seasoning and Garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the Beans: Begin by soaking the navy beans overnight in a large bowl covered with water. Alternatively, for a quick soak, cover the beans with water in a pot, bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the Bacon: Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook until it becomes crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and place it on a paper-towel-lined plate. Discard most of the bacon fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot with the reserved bacon fat, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add Tomato Paste: Stir in the tomato paste until it is fully incorporated with the sautéed vegetables, enhancing the soup’s depth of flavor.
- Add Beans and Liquids: Add the soaked and drained navy beans along with chicken stock, water, bay leaves, and dried thyme to the pot. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer the Soup: Let the soup simmer partially covered for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the beans are tender. Stir occasionally and add more water or broth if necessary to maintain your preferred soup consistency.
- Blend for Creaminess (Optional): Once the beans are tender, remove and discard the bay leaves. For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, or alternatively blend a couple of cups separately and return it to the pot.
- Finish with Bacon and Season: Stir in most of the cooked bacon, reserving some for garnish. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the soup through for another 5 minutes to marry the flavors.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with the reserved bacon bits and chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Soaking beans overnight improves cooking time and digestibility, but the quick soak method works well if short on time.
- Adjust the amount of water or stock during simmering to achieve desired soup thickness.
- The immersion blender step is optional but recommended for a creamier texture that balances whole and pureed beans.
- Use low sodium broth to better control the salt content in the final dish.
- This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.
