This homemade Bean and Bacon Soup is made entirely from scratch and yet just as easy! Navy beans are simmered with bacon, sautéed onions, carrots and celery in a light tomato broth. A one pot soup I know you’ll love! Yields 8 (1½ cup) servings.
One of my all time favorite soup was (is still?) bean and bacon soup.
I always had my fingers crossed for more than one piece of bacon in my bowl.
I decided to make a homemade bean and bacon soup because I was craving it. It had been so long since I had it that all I could think about was grilled cheese and that soup. In fact this homemade bean and bacon soup inspired me to make another throwback recipe. If you saw, the other day I went all nostalgic and posted a childhood throwback to my favorite double decker grilled cheese sandwich. Which went perfectly with this soup might I add.
This soup has the perfect bean to bacon ratio. The Applewood smoky flavor is there and not over powering, just as I remember it to be. This lunch or (dinner!) soup and sandwich combo took me back to that time as a kid, sitting at my parents table, looking out at the back yard and inhaling my soup.
Only this time, I had way more than a couple pieces of bacon in my bowl.
TO Make This Homemade Bean and Bacon Soup You will Need:
- center cut applewood smoked bacon
- yellow onion
- carrot
- celery
- garlic
- thyme
- tomato paste
- navy beans
- bay leaf
- parmesan rind
- low-sodium chicken broth
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Add 12 ounces of diced center cut bacon to a cold 6-quart dutch oven.
Cook over medium to medium-low heat until crispy.
Once crispy use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon, leaving the fat in the pan, and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Set off to the side.
While the bacon is cooking, prep the veggies. Dice up 1 medium yellow onion, 1 cup celery and 1 cup diced carrot.
To the fat in the pan, add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of kosher salt.
Stir the vegetables, coating them in the bacon fat. Cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until softened, stirring often.
Next, add in the 3 cloves of minced fresh garlic and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme. Cook for 1 minute.
Next, add in 2 tablespoons tomato paste.
Stir and cook 2 minutes.
Then add in 3 (15 ounce) cans of navy beans, half of the crispy bacon, 1 bay leaf and the parmesan cheese rind.
Pour in 8 cups (2 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth.
Then give it all a stir.
Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. With the the lid askew, simmer the soup stirring only occasionally for 45 minutes.
Once the soup has simmered, remove the parmesan cheese rind and bay leaf.
Lastly, season the soup with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. For me it was about 2 teaspoons kosher salt and lots of black pepper.
Lastly, ladle the hot soup into bowls,
Serve topped with some of the crispy bacon and minced fresh parsley.
Enjoy! And if you give this Homemade Bean and Bacon Soup recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Homemade Bean and Bacon Soup
Ingredients
- 12 ounces center cut applewood smoked bacon
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 4 short stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 45 ounces navy beans
- 1 parmesan cheese rind
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, more or less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more or less to taste
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Add diced bacon to a cold 6-quart dutch oven. Cook over medium to medium-low heat until crispy. Once crispy use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon, leaving the fat in the pan, and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Set off to the side.
- To the fat in the pan, add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of kosher salt. Stir the vegetables, coating them in the bacon fat. Cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until softened, stirring often.
- Next, add in the 3 cloves of minced fresh garlic and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme. Cook for 1 minute. Then, add in 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Stir and cook 2 minutes.
- Then add in 3 (15 ounce) cans of navy beans, half of the crispy bacon, 1 bay leaf and the parmesan cheese rind. Pour in 8 cups (2 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth. Then give it all a stir. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. With the the lid askew, simmer the soup stirring only occasionally for 45 minutes.
- Once the soup has simmered, remove the parmesan cheese rind and bay leaf.
- Add in half of the chopped bacon, taste and season with 1-1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more or less to taste. Lastly, season the soup with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. For me it was about 2 teaspoons kosher salt and lots of black pepper.
- Lastly, ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve topped with some of the reserved crispy bacon and minced fresh parsley.
Notes
Buy the Cookbook: Simply Scratch : 120 Wholesome Homemade Recipes Made Easy Now available on Amazon »
THANK YOU in advance for your support!
I’m thinkin’ this would be great in the crockpot so dinner could be done when I get home from work! YUMMMMMMMMm
Hi Nora! If you try this recipe in the slow cooker, I’d love to hear how it worked out for you. 🙂
This looks just fantastic, Laurie! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you Jane! 🙂
I just wanted to tell you i cannot wait to make this because Bean with Bacon Soup was my ALL TIME FAVORITE growing up!!! I just bought 2 cans at the store a few weeks ago just because i had not had it in FOREVER!!! I cannot wait to make this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m so happy to hear it! It was my favorite too! <3
Hi I am writing from Scotland and wonder if you know what navy beans are called here. As far as I know we don`t have navy beans here and wonder could I use canellini beans
Thanks
Kirsten
Hi Kirsten! Canellini beans are slightly different than navy beans. But if you’re having difficulties finding them, then go ahead and try it with cannellini. Let me know how it works for you! <3 🙂