White Bean Soup, My Version

I crave soup when it’s cold out. The body and spirit cries out for nourishment and warmth and this soup always delivers, my grown-up version of Campbell’s Bean With Bacon soup. That soup was my hands-down favorite as a child, probably a takeoff of the famous Senate Bean Soup, with its navy beans, onions, and ham hocks. I created this to capture that taste memory but enhanced with extra goodness. Enjoy this convenient version with fresh veggies, prepared chicken stock, and both ham and bacon in a tomato base. The best thing is you start with canned beans, making prep simple.

 

Recipe:

 

3 cans (10 ounces each) white beans, drained

½ cup diced smoked ham

4 strips bacon, diced

1 large white onion, diced

2 tbsp. olive oil

6 stalks celery, diced

6 small carrots, diced

1 can (11 ounces) diced plum tomatoes in puree

1 carton chicken stock, or 2-3 cups

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp. pepper

garlic salt to taste

2 bay leaves

 

In large Dutch oven, sauté bacon in oil, when lightly crisp, add onion. Add diced celery and carrots, continue to cook until tender and fragrant, 5-10 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, broth, ham, and seasonings. Cover, bring to boil, reduce to simmer, stir occasionally and keep at simmer for 1 ½- 2 hours. Remove bay leaves and serve with assorted crackers, bread, and cheese.