15 Bean Soup
intro
A fiber-rich, cozy slow-simmered soup loaded with mixed legumes, smoky ham, and aromatic vegetables, ideal for cold winter family meals.
Ingredients
Steps
Quick-soak the dried beans
Place sorted, rinsed 450g 15 bean mix in a large 8-quart stockpot, cover with 2.4L (10 cups) cold water, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and let beans soak for 60 minutes. Drain and rinse soaked beans thoroughly under cool running water, then set aside.
Sauté aromatic vegetables
Heat 15ml (1 tablespoon) extra-virgin olive oil in the same stockpot over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Add diced onion, carrots, and celery, cooking for 7-8 minutes while stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and turn pale and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Build the soup base
Return the drained, soaked beans to the stockpot with the sautéed vegetables. Add the 340g smoked ham hock, 400g undrained diced tomatoes, 1.9L (8 cups) low-sodium chicken broth, dried thyme, smoked paprika, whole bay leaf, and ground black pepper. Stir all ingredients together with a long-handled spoon until fully combined.
Simmer until beans soften
Bring the soup mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately reduce heat to low (95°C/200°F) to maintain a gentle, steady simmer. Partially cover the pot with a lid, leaving a 2.5cm (1-inch) gap to prevent boil-overs, and cook for 75 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes to prevent beans from sticking to the pot bottom, until beans are nearly tender but still have a slight firm bite.
Shred the cooked ham
Use metal tongs to carefully lift the ham hock from the simmering soup to a wooden cutting board, and let it cool for 5 minutes until safe to handle. Peel off and discard the tough outer skin and central bone, then shred the tender smoked ham into 1cm (½-inch) pieces using two forks. Return all shredded ham to the soup pot.
Season and finish cooking
Stir the shredded ham into the soup, then add 1.5 teaspoons (9g) kosher salt, mixing well to combine. Continue simmering the soup uncovered over low heat for 15 additional minutes, until beans are fully tender and the broth has thickened to a light, creamy consistency. Fish out and discard the whole bay leaf, then taste and add extra salt or pepper if desired.
Garnish and serve hot
Ladle 350ml (1.5 cups) portions of hot soup into individual ceramic bowls, topping each serving with 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley. Serve immediately, paired with crusty sourdough bread for dipping if desired.
Tips
2.Wait to add salt until after beans are nearly tender, as adding salt to unsoftened beans can toughen their outer skins and prevent them from cooking through fully.
3.This soup stores beautifully: refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months for quick, cozy weeknight meals.
OMG this 15 bean soup is a total game changer! I made it for our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were begging for the recipe, so I knew I had to make a big batch for weeknight meal prep. I threw it together Sunday afternoon, portioned it out for lunches all week and my husband kept raving how it tastes even better the second day. So hearty, not too salty, perfect for these cold Texas evenings. I added a little extra smoked sausage because my family loves meat, and it was chef’s kiss. SO good, even my picky 7 year old asked for seconds.
Super easy recipe even for someone who burns toast half the time! Took a little over 2 and a half hours total, most of it was just letting it simmer on the stove so I didn’t have to hover. Perfect post-hike warm up meal after a long morning on the trails.
Great base recipe! I swapped the ham for turkey sausage to cut down on red meat, added a can of diced tomatoes and a pinch of cayenne for a little kick. My kids loved it, will absolutely be making this again all winter long.
Quick question before I start cooking! Do I have to soak the beans overnight for this recipe? I totally forgot to prep last night and really want this for dinner tonight, lol.
I’ve been making bean soup for 40 years and this recipe is right up there with my own! Loved the blend of spices, it didn’t overpower the bean flavor at all. My grandkids ate two bowls each when they came over for Sunday dinner last weekend.
Total win for my grocery budget! A bag of 15 bean mix is like $2, add a little leftover ham bone from last week’s dinner, some carrots and celery from the crisper drawer, and I’ve got 8 servings for under $10. Obsessed.
Pretty good base! I added a whole jalapeño, a tablespoon of hot sauce, and a sprinkle of cajun seasoning to give it more heat, and it was exactly what I wanted. Next time I might throw in some kale for extra veggies.
Pro tip: serve this with a side of honey butter cornbread to dip in it. Game. Changer. The sweet cornbread cuts through the savoriness of the soup so well, my whole family lost their minds over this combo.
Help! I let my soup simmer too long and it got super thick, almost like bean paste. Did I ruin it? Is there a way to fix this? 😭
Made this fully vegan by using vegetable broth, skipping the ham, and adding smoked paprika and liquid smoke to get that smoky flavor. It was so hearty I didn’t even miss the meat! Will be a staple in my house this winter.
Does this freeze well? I want to make a big batch to stash in my deep freeze for busy nights when I don’t feel like cooking.
Has anyone tried making this in a slow cooker? I work 9 hour days so I love being able to throw everything in before I leave and come home to dinner ready.
Made this for my football watch party last Sunday instead of chili and it was a smash hit! Set up a little topping bar with sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, and crumbled bacon so people could customize their bowls. Will be making this for every game day from now on.
Made this in my tiny dorm kitchen with just a big stock pot and it came out amazing! So cheap, so filling, way better than the dining hall food. My roommates all begged for a bowl when they smelled it cooking down the hall.