Bean with Bacon Soup

First, if you can remember, and I don’t always remember because I’m an airhead, soak a pound of Great White Northern beans in cold water overnight. Soaking beans obviously causes them to absorb moisture and cuts down the cooking time considerably; it also helps the beans cook evenly and not split and freak out in the pan.

When you’re ready to cook the soup, drain off the water and throw the beans into a pot.

Add chicken broth…

And water. Turn on the stove and bring the soup to a boil.

While it’s heating up cut a package of thick-cut bacon into 1-inch pieces.

Throw them into a skillet over medium-high heat…

And cook them, stirring them around the pan…

Until they’re just barely starting to crisp.

When the soup is a-boilin’, dump 2/3 of the bacon into the pan, and save the other 1/3 for a garnish once the soup is done. Turn the heat down to a simmer and get the other ingredients going.

Grab carrots, celery, and an onion.

Cut the celery into a small dice…

Then peel and dice the carrots, too!

And do the same with zee onion.

Drain the bacon grease from the skillet, but don’t wash the pan! If you do, you will regret it for the rest of your life!

Sorry to be a drama queen, but this stuff is important.

Then add the veggies…

And stir them around the skillet, cooking them for a few minutes until they start to soften. Sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper along the way.

Add some garlic…

And a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste…

And stir them around the pan, cooking the veggies with the paste for a few minutes.

Then—you guessed it—this craziness goes right into the soup!

Ahhh…the flavor. (And it smells so, so good.)

Drop in a couple of bay leaves…

Give everything one last stir, the put the lid on the pot and simmer the soup on low for a good hour and a half.

This is what it looks like. Gorgeous! (By they way, keep an eye on the soup as it cooks. This is about as low as you’d want the liquid level to drop. If you need to, add another cup or so of broth along the way.)

Serve it while it’s piping hot…

With extra bacon…

And a sprinkling of parsley!

Bliss. Absolute bliss. And it tastes exactly—I mean exactly—like the soup I remember eating as a child.

This will become a favorite in your rotation. Promise!

Oh, and here’s a little variation. Chop up a few Roma tomatoes…

And stir them into the finished soup right before serving.

Gives it a nice chunkiness and a little fresh tomato-ness.

“Tomato-ness?”

(I always love making up words on Monday morning.)

Here’s the handy dandy printable!