This soup is amazing. When it’s cold outside it will warm you. With all the beans it will fill you up and keep you full for a long time. I used a ham bone from Honey Baked Ham and it had a good bit of ham on it. There was the perfect amount, so I didn’t need to buy extra. This soup is outstanding! This is a collaboration of several recipes. Note: I DID NOT USE THE SEASONING PACKET…
Why didn’t you use the seasoning packet you ask? Well, because there isn’t anything that even remotely resembles “ham” and if there was, how would they get it in that tiny little packet? This is what’s in the seasoning “HAM” packet: Hydrolyzed Soy Protein (omg, click orange link to read what it is!), maltodextrin, salt, artificial flavorings (including artificial smoke flavor), silicon dioxide. Ok, what in that list appeals to you? One rule to becoming healthier… don’t eat stuff you can’t pronounce, don’t know where it comes from or ISN’T REAL! Soy protein for ham flavoring? Creeps. Me. Out. All you have to do is add a few spices and this recipe goes from being CREEPY to being a true delight! AND it only takes a minute to add a few spices. Here’s how I made the soup (click HERE to print recipe only):
15 (or 16 or whatever beans you’ve got!) BEAN SOUP
INGREDIENTS
1 pkg of 15 Bean Soup (dried beans only) – approximately a pound, give or take
1 ham bone – whatever size will fit in your pot (mine came from Honey Baked Ham, they sell their ham bones and they have quite a bit of ham, if you don’t have a ham place near you, you can use 1 pound of ham, ham hocks or smoked sausage).
1 large onion, chopped.
1 14.5 oz petite diced tomatoes
3 quarts water
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 bay leaf
Pepper (I didn’t use salt because of the salt in the ham/bone, it didn’t need a speck!)
DIRECTIONS
Wash the beans and then soak in a large pot of water overnight (or for at least eight hours). Or you can use the Quick Cook Method (which is what I did because I decided to make the soup that day) – to do this rinse the beans then put them in a large pot with 3 quarts of water and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce the heat, cover and continue on a slow boil for 60-70 minutes, and then drain the beans and rinse one last time.
In a large dutch oven, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and celery and saute until translucent. Add minced garlic, saute 1 minute or until fragrant.
Add spices, beans, tomatoes and ham bone.
Cover with about 3 quarts of water, or enough to either cover the bone or fill your pot.
Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer about 1.5 hours.
Remove the ham bone, let cool a few minutes and cut the ham off the bone into small pieces.
Remove the bay leaf and add the diced ham back to the pot.
Serve… I served with an olive baguette from Trader Joe’s that I heated in the oven, then dipped in olive oil.
TOO GOOD, and it makes a large pot, so there is enough to eat, have lunches, and freeze!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
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