Bean & Bacon Bit Soup

An old fashioned soup that’s sure to please.

• 2 – 15 oz cans small white beans, undrained OR 1 cup of dry beans, cooked tender (about
• 3 cups of cooked beans)
• 4 cups beef or vegetarian-ham broth
• 1/4 cup catsup
• 1/2 an onion, chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry parsley
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons soy based bacon bits (TVP) or a dash of liquid smoke
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

You need a nice large soup pot to make this recipe. First empty the canned beans into the pot. If you prefer, you can use 3 cups of cooked beans. This would be much cheaper. To get three cups of cooked beans, start off with a full cup of dry navy or great northern beans. Soak them overnight in plenty of water, and then cook them until they are tender. Either way, get your beans into the pot.

Now add the beef or vegetarian-ham broth. This will be the base of the soup. Add the catsup and stir until it dissolves. Chop your onion, celery, carrots and add them to the pot. Measure in the pepper, dry parsley, vegetable oil, and imitation bacon bits. The bacon bits give the traditional smoky flavor to this soup. If you don’t have any, you can leave them out, or replace them with a splash of liquid smoke.

Place a lid on the soup, and simmer it for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are all tender. Now, in a small jar with a good lid, measure the cold water and flour. Screw on the lid tightly. Shake the water and flour together until they are smooth. If your lid is loose, drops of floury water will splash out as you shake. If this is a possibility, then shake the jar over the sink. When the flour is dissolved into the water, pour the mixture into the boiling soup and stir well. The soup will thicken up nicely. Simmer the soup for another 10 minutes, so that all of the flavors are married and the textures are mingled pleasantly. Serve with sprout and cream cheese sandwiches for lunch or a light supper. Makes about 4 servings, maybe 6 if you have moderate appetites.

Here’s another yummy bean recipe you may want to to try – Red Beans and Rice. I’ve made this Louisiana favorite both as a main dish and a side.