One, two, three… oh, hi there! We were just counting all the different kinds of beans we can see in our bowl of 15 Bean Soup. Come join us! With every sip, you’ll find a new tender bean in the Cajun-flavored, homey broth. Along the way, you’ll also taste the saltiness and heartiness of the ham, and a fresh bite from all of the veggies. It’s so good, we’re kind of obsessed. Count along with us, there’s so much tastiness to explore in 15 Bean Soup!
Ingredients
- 1 (20-ounce) package Hurst’s® HamBeens® Cajun 15 Bean Soup® with seasoning packet
- cold water, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock or chicken broth
- 1 1/2-2 cups leftover ham, chopped
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Directions
Step 1 –Transfer the seasoning packet from the beans and set it aside.
Step 2 –In a large bowl, add the beans and enough of the cold water to cover them. Let the beans soak for at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
Step 3 –Drain the water and set the beans aside.
Step 4 –In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil.
Step 5 –Add the onions, the carrots, and the celery to the heated oil and sautĂ© until they begin to soften, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 6 –Add the garlic to the veggies and cook for 1 minute.
Step 7 –Add the chicken stock, the ham, the black pepper, the drained beans, the thyme, the bay leaves, the soy sauce, the reserved seasoning packet, and the tomatoes and their juices to the veggie mixture and stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
Step 8 –Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the soup, covered, until the beans are soft, about 1 hour 30 minutes. If a thicker soup is preferred, uncover the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Step 9 –Remove and discard the bay leaves and serve.
