Smoky Bean Soup

woman's hand holding spoonful of bean soup next to bowl

4.60 from 5 votes

Reminiscent of canned bean with bacon soup — without the bacon or the can! — this Smoky Bean Soup is economical and filling, without much fuss.

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 315kcal

Author: Jessica Fisher

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 carrots finely chopped
2 rib celery finely chopped
salt
black pepper
4 15.5-ounce cans Great Northern beans rinsed and drained
4 cup water
8 oz tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Basic Spice Blend
2 tablespoon fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

In a large stockpot, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions start to go clear.
Add the beans, water, tomato sauce, and spice mix. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
With an immersion blender, blend the soup to your preferred texture. Adjust the seasonings and serve with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.

Notes

Instead of using canned beans, you can use 8 cups cooked great northern beans or other white beans. Head here for instructions on how to cook dried beans.

Serving Suggestions: I like to serve bean and rice soup simply with bread and butter or maybe a cheese plate on the side. It’s so simple and good, you don’t need much else, but sandwiches or salad are also a nice pairing

Shop Your Kitchen: There are so many different subs you can consider based on what you have.

Navy beans or Cannellini beans can be used instead of Great Northern Beans.
Use whatever broth or stock you have on hand. I keep Better than Bouillon in the fridge for easy soup nights.
Add noodles or chopped potatoes instead of the rice.
Stir in cooked meat to make it more.
Use a different seasoning mix like Cajun or Italian to change the flavor profile.
Stir in salsa, pesto, or other favorite sauce to change the flavors.

To Make a Meal Prep: This soup makes for easy lunches during the week. Prep the recipe as directed, allow the steam to blow off. Divide the soup among six containers with lids. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Consume within 4 days.

Freeze Extra for Later: This soup freezes well. Cool it and divide into meal-size portions. Chill until very cold and then store the containers in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. Reheat from frozen in the microwave or pop out into a saucepan to reheat over the stovetop.

Make a Plan for Leftovers: Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven. If you store your leftovers in clear containers, they’re more likely to get eaten.

Nutrition