Bean and Bacon Soup
Description
The best way to thicken this soup is to mash half of the beans in the pot before adding the remaining ingredients. If you still want the same amount of whole beans in every spoonful, simply add more navy beans to make up the difference. You could also add a cornstarch slurry to thicken up the soup.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried navy beans
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 celery rib, chopped
- 6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
Directions
- Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans; discard liquid.
- In a large saucepan, combine the broth, beans, parsley, bay leaves and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables and beans are tender. Stir in bacon. Discard the bay leaves before serving.
