Buzz
Bean soup is a dish that requires some time to prepare, but the cooking process is quite simple. It's not only budget-friendly but also flavorful and healthy. You can make this soup on weekends and store leftovers for a few days as it freezes well. The cooking method is flexible, and you can adjust it based on your taste preferences and the ingredients available to you.
Ingredients
Serves approximately 10 portions
- 0.45 kg (2 1/4 cups) dried beans
- 8 cups (1.9 liters) water
- 1 large onion or 2 smaller ones (either white or yellow onions)
- 3 stalks of celery with leaves
- 3 carrots
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil or olive oil
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Optional Ingredients
- Smoked pig's trotters (with bone or boneless)
- 115 g of processed deli meat (not necessary if using smoked pig's trotters)
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped (recommended if not using meat)
- 3-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 green chili
- Herbs like basil, Egyptian dill, cilantro, ginger, mint leaves, rosemary, or bay leaves
Steps
Prepare the Ingredients
Sort and rinse the beans. Since beans are a natural product, they often come with small stones, dirt, and broken shells. Therefore, you need to pick through the beans and remove any impurities. After sorting, place the beans in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse them thoroughly with water to remove any dust or debris.
Soak the beans (optional). Beans cook quickly, so soaking them isn't necessary. However, if you want to speed up the cooking process, you can soak them in water for about 4 hours or overnight.
Chop the vegetables. Dice the carrots, onion, celery, and any other vegetables you prefer. For a thinner soup, chop them smaller, or cut them into 6-12 mm cubes for a thicker soup.
- You can leave half a carrot whole to grate and use as a garnish. However, this step is optional.
Brown the smoked pig's trotters (optional). If you're using bone-in smoked pig's trotters, remove the bones and excess fat. If using boneless trotters, you can leave them as they are. Then, brown the trotters following the steps below:
- Brown the smoked trotters in a pot of water, skimming off any foam. Brown them for about an hour before boiling the beans.
- Alternatively, you can cook the trotters with the beans, which is quicker, but it will slightly diminish the flavor of the meat. Additionally, the meat will need 1-2 hours to soften and separate from the bone, meaning the beans may overcook.
Add flavor to the meatless soup. If you're not using smoked meat, enhance the flavor in other ways. For example, garlic and chili will add spice, while tomatoes create a meaty texture for the soup. Use vegetable broth instead of water and add a splash of wine (either red or white). You can also include herbs like rosemary and bay leaves.
- Acidic ingredients like tomatoes and wine may slow down the softening of the beans. It's best to add them in small amounts or toward the end of cooking.
Cook the Bean Soup
Boil the beans and stir continuously. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil, preferably in a thick-bottomed pot to prevent the beans from burning. Add the beans and continue boiling. Stir constantly to keep the beans from sticking or burning at the bottom of the pot.
- If you've browned smoked meat, add the beans to the meat pot or use the broth from browning the meat instead of water.
- If you haven't browned the meat yet, add it along with the beans to the pot.
Cover and simmer. Occasionally lift the lid and stir to prevent the beans from burning or sticking to the pot.
Sauté the vegetables. Heat oil in a large pan until it shimmers. Add the onions and sauté until they're soft and translucent, but not browned, which should take about 3-5 minutes. Then, add the remaining vegetables, bay leaves, and herbs. Sauté for another 5 minutes. The sautéed vegetables will add extra flavor to the soup.
Add the vegetables to the soup if desired. Fresh beans usually cook in 45-60 minutes, depending on how soft you prefer them. Dried beans may take anywhere from 90 minutes to 2 hours to fully cook. Therefore, it's best to time it right and add the vegetables about 30 minutes before the beans are done. If unsure, add the vegetables after the beans have been cooking for 20 minutes.
- Add the bay leaves and any other herbs along with salt at this stage. If you're making the soup with smoked meat, you don't need to add any extra salt.
- If you prefer your vegetable soup soft, add the vegetables straight into the pot with the beans.
Prepare the smoked meat. Once the beans are slightly tender and will need another 30 minutes of cooking, remove the smoked trotters from the pot. Allow them to cool before separating the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and cut the meat into chunks, then return it to the pot.
- If you plan to blend the soup, set the smoked meat aside and add it after blending.
Blend the soup (optional). If you prefer a smooth soup, you can use a food processor or an immersion blender to puree it. Be sure to remove the bay leaves before blending. Alternatively, if you like a chunkier soup, you can skip this step and leave it as is.
- If using a stand blender, blend in small batches to prevent the lid from popping off due to the hot soup.
Season with salt and pepper. Use regular table salt or coarse sea salt if you prefer a slightly saltier taste, or experiment with different salts according to your taste preferences.
Serve the soup hot. Remove the bay leaves before serving. Enjoy the soup hot with fresh bread, cornbread, or crackers for a cozy winter meal, or as a simple side dish. For added texture, sprinkle grated carrots or croutons on top for a delicious crunch.
Tips
- If the soup has burned, carefully transfer it to a new pot. Avoid stirring the burned parts, as this will spread the burnt flavor throughout the soup.
- To freeze the soup, place a sturdy plastic bag in a bowl, then ladle the soup into the bag. Squeeze out excess air, seal the bag, and freeze. When reheating, add a little water and heat through.
- Bean soup often tastes even better the next day, as the flavors have more time to meld. So, if you have leftovers, don't worry—they can be stored in the fridge for later.
Warnings
- The soup may stick to the bottom of the pot if not stirred regularly. It's best to use a thick-bottomed pot or a cast-iron one and cook over low heat.
- Be cautious while cooking the soup, as steam can cause burns even more severe than boiling water.
- Be careful when handling the hot soup and when removing the bones from the pig's trotters. It's easier to remove the bones using tongs or a similar tool.
