Bean and Bacon Soup

Homemade Bean and Bacon Soup has a classic, vintage appeal. It’s warm, tasty, and hardy (what more could you want out of soup)? You may not need anything else to feel full, but if you want ideas for sandwiches, here are a few:

Chicken Panini

Egg salad

Fried bologna

Grilled cheese

Open-faced turkey

Tomato tea sandwiches

If you like toppings on your soup, try freshly made tortilla slices, sour cream, shredded cheese, croutons, or fresh chopped chives.

The prep time on this dish is about 15-20 minutes, with an hour on the stove simmering. This recipe serves 4 people (one bowl each).

Ingredients

½ lb smoked bacon
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, fresh minced.
4 cups chicken bone broth
3 - 15 oz. cans Great Northern Beans **
½ cup diced tomatoes in liquid
Salt and pepper to taste
** If you cannot find Great Northern Beans, you can use Cannelli beans, pinto beans, or navy beans. If you’re a fan of all things “bean,” try a 15-bean soup mix.

Instructions

Fry your bacon in a soup pot until it’s crisp
Remove the bacon from the oil and drain on paper towels
Retain 2 tbsp bacon grease in the pot
Use the grease to saute the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic (5 minutes)
Stir in the beans and chicken broth.
Bring to a low, rolling boil.
Reduce the temperature to medium and simmer for an hour.
Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender
Process it until it becomes a puree
Return this to the soup, adding ¾ of the bacon and diced tomatoes.
Add salt and pepper
Simmer again for 10 minutes
Sprinkle bacon on top of each bowl and any other toppings you’ve chosen.