Yummy 15 Bean Soup For A Cold Fall Day
November 6, 2013Try A Little Hot Soup To Soothe Your Soul
On a cold and breezy fall day... a delicious, hearty hot soup seems to be just what the doctor ordered. So as the temperatures continue to drop, I have been thinking of what soups to make during these fall and winter months. One of my favorites is a 15 Bean Soup recipe that I put my own spin on. This protein-packed dish really hits the spot and has ingredients that help to soothe the soul.
I buy the Hurst's HamBeens Brand 15 Bean Soup package. They include a recipe on the back that you can follow but I like to "do it my way" and change things up a bit. The package includes the following beans: Northern, Pinto, Large Lima, Baby Lima, Kidney, Garbanzo, Yelloweye, Green Split Pea, Cranberry Bean, Small White Bean, Pink Bean, Red and Yellow Split Pea, Lentil, Black Bean, and Navy Bean.
You can read the original recipe here.
Here is my version:
15 Bean Soup
Serves 14-16
Cook time: 3 hours
Ingredients
1 package of Hurst's® 15 Bean Soup
1 pound of diced ham or smoked sausage
1 cup of diced onion
2 tablespoons of garlic
8 cups of chicken broth
1 14.5 ounce can of diced fire roasted tomatoes
2 16 ounce bottles of roasted garlic salsa (I use Newman's Own)
Juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
Shredded cheese of choice (I use Mexican 4 cheese or taco cheese)
Scallions
As for the salsa, I use the Medium spice but if you want it a little spicier, you can use the hotter version or sprinkle in some chili flakes. I also occasionally add some other vegetables or rice in. (A little kale and zucchini or summer squash goes good with this dish.) This soup freezes well so you can take half of your batch and freeze it for a quick meal on another cold day.
Cooking Instructions
First, wash the beans and sort through them to make sure no other non-food items are in them. (Sometimes you will find a small rock or two.) Place the beans in a large pot and cover them with 2 quarts of water. Soak them for about 8 hours.
1. After soaking the beans, drain and cover with the chicken broth (You can use water or vegetable or beef broth instead if you prefer.)
2. Add in the diced ham or smoked sausage.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2 1/2 hours.
5. While soup is simmering, sauteed onions and garlic.
6. Add onions and garlic to soup when done.
7. After simmering is done, add in the tomatoes, salsa, lemon juice, garlic powder, and onion powder and let simmer for another 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
8. About 2 minutes before cooking is completed, add the ham packet flavoring that comes in the bean packet and stir.
9. Serve and top each serving with the cheese and scallions to taste.
Since I added my own flair to this recipe and I don't have all the ingredients in front of me, I don't have the nutritional breakdown but I know that this soup is high in fiber and protein! Click here to read the nutritional value of the original recipe.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! HamBeen's does sell a cajun 15 Bean Soup packet too and a little shrimp instead of ham goes great with that! I usually serve cornbread with this dish.
What are some of your favorite soup recipes? I would love some new Soups to try!