This bean soup is a hearty, slow-simmered dish made with a blend of dried beans, smoky sausage, crispy bacon, and fire-roasted tomatoes. As it cooks, the beans become tender and the broth develops deep, savory flavor with just a touch of spice.
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A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Bean Soup
🕒 Ready In: ~2 hours (plus soaking time)
👪 Serves: 6-8 servings
🍽 Calories: ~380 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Mixed dried beans, smoked sausage, bacon, vegetable broth, fire-roasted tomatoes
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free; dairy-free
👌 Difficulty: Easy - slow simmer with simple prep
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Perfect for cold days or make-ahead meals, this soup is filling, comforting, and built to feed a crowd. It's the kind of recipe that gets better as it simmers, making it a great option for weekend cooking and leftovers throughout the week.
If you enjoy slow-simmered comfort foods like this, you may also like our New England Clam Chowder, Ground Turkey Chili, or Beef Vegetable Stew that are perfect for feeding a crowd or stocking the fridge for the week.
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Why You'll Love this Bean Soup:
Hearty and filling: A mix of dried beans, sausage, and bacon makes this soup rich and satisfying.
Slow-simmered flavor: Cooking low and slow allows the beans to become tender and the broth deeply flavorful.
Perfect for leftovers: Tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.
Great for meal prep: Makes a large batch that reheats well throughout the week.
Comforting and cozy: Ideal for cold days or when you want a warm, nourishing meal.
Key Ingredients:
- fire roasted tomatoes. Provide a slightly charred, smoky sweetness that deepens the flavor of the broth. Regular canned diced tomatoes can be used as a substitute.
- smoked sausage. Adds a rich, smoky depth to the soup. Andouille, kielbasa, or any fully cooked smoked sausage works well. For a leaner option, use turkey or chicken sausage.
- dried beans. Be sure to soak them overnight. If using canned beans, reduce the simmering time to about 45 minutes.
- vegetable broth. Serves as the base of the soup, adding richness and enhancing all the flavors. For a heartier taste, chicken or beef broth can be used instead.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Use different beans: Swap in navy beans, great northern beans, or white kidney beans if you don't have the full mix on hand.
- Make it vegetarian: Omit the bacon and sausage and use all vegetable broth; add extra cumin or smoked paprika to maintain depth of flavor.
- Change the protein: Smoked turkey sausage or ham can replace the smoked sausage for a different smoky profile.
- Adjust the spice level: Reduce the cayenne and red pepper flakes for a milder soup, or add more if you prefer extra heat.
- Add vegetables: Carrots, celery, or kale can be stirred in during the last 20-30 minutes for added texture and nutrition.
How to Make Bean Soup:
- Soak the dried beans overnight, then drain and rinse before cooking.
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon bits until crispy. Add the smoked sausage rounds and brown them slightly. Remove both from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, cook the sliced onion until soft and translucent.
- Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, all the beans, black-eyed peas, and split peas. Stir well.
- Stir in the cayenne pepper, dried chili flakes, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Pour in broth to cover everything.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let the soup simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until all the beans are tender. Stir occasionally and add more liquid if needed.
- Return the bacon and smoked sausage to the pot in the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Soak the beans fully: An overnight soak helps the beans cook evenly and reduces overall simmer time.
- Simmer gently: Keep the soup at a low simmer to prevent the beans from breaking apart.
- Add meat back later: Returning the bacon and sausage near the end keeps them from becoming overly soft.
- Stir occasionally: Gentle stirring prevents beans from sticking to the bottom without breaking them down.
- Taste and adjust: Beans absorb seasoning as they cook, so adjust salt and spice levels toward the end.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve this soup with Einkorn Biscuits and Walnut Pear Salad for a full meal.
How to Store:
Refrigerate: Let the soup cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Pour cooled soup into freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving space for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Add extra broth or water if needed.
Thawing: If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. If reheating directly from frozen, add a little broth or water and warm over low heat until thawed and heated through.
Bean Soup FAQs:
Bean soup takes time because dried beans need a long, gentle simmer to fully soften and become creamy inside. Cooking too quickly can cause the beans to split on the outside while staying firm in the center.
Bean soup can be cooked without soaking, but the cooking time will be longer and less predictable. Soaking the beans overnight helps them cook more evenly and improves texture.
Beans in bean soup can remain hard if they are old, not soaked long enough, or cooked in liquid that is too acidic early on. Adding tomatoes after the beans begin to soften helps prevent this issue.
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Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
- 4 bacon strips, diced
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup dried pinto beans
- ½ cup dried red kidney beans
- ½ cup dried black turtle beans
- ½ cup dried black-eyed peas
- ½ cup dried split peas
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Soak the dried beans overnight, then drain and rinse before cooking.
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon bits until crispy. Add the smoked sausage rounds and brown them slightly. Remove both from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, cook the sliced onion until soft and translucent.
- Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, all the beans, black-eyed peas, and split peas. Stir well.
- Stir in the cayenne pepper, dried chili flakes, ground cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour in broth to cover everything.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let the soup simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until all the beans are tender. Stir occasionally and add more liquid if needed.
- Return the bacon and smoked sausage to the pot in the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Nutrition
Notes
- Soak the beans fully: An overnight soak helps the beans cook evenly and reduces overall simmer time.
- Simmer gently: Keep the soup at a low simmer to prevent the beans from breaking apart.
- Add meat back later: Returning the bacon and sausage near the end keeps them from becoming overly soft.
- Stir occasionally: Gentle stirring prevents beans from sticking to the bottom without breaking them down.
- Taste and adjust: Beans absorb seasoning as they cook, so adjust salt and spice levels toward the end.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve this soup with Einkorn Biscuits and Walnut Pear Salad for a full meal.
Yvonne says
Simple and delicious!