This white bean soup, with smoky thick-cut bacon and hearty vegetables, is so comforting when a bowl of coziness is what's craved.
White Beans Make the Creamiest White Bean soup
A thick, rich bowl of soup is one of the most comforting meals. The best part is that every bit of it is easily sopped up with thick slices of crusty bread—yum!
White beans have always been an amazing kind of bean in my book, because their texture is naturally rich and creamy, which makes them a perfect contender when it comes to use in soups.
These tiny and almost pearl-like beans deliciously absorb any surrounding flavors that they're paired and simmered with—especially those savory, smoky flavors that you find in crispy bacon, and garlic and herbs.
White beans tend to break down fairly quickly, and when gently mashed or stirred frequently with a spoon during the cooking process, they release their own natural creamy starchiness, giving a soup its body while adding lots of nutritious fiber and protein.
This white bean soup with thick-cut bacon and vegetables is a healthy, quick-cooking one pot meal that's ready to serve in about an hour—it'll satisfy hungry bellies craving something cozy and warm, rich and creamy.
Tips & Tidbits for White Bean Soup
- Can-do for this soup: Good quality canned (organic) white beans are a great pick for this recipe, and make it super quick to prepare. Make sure to choose navy beans, if possible, which are smaller and creamier than cannellini beans.
- Stir and mash: Stir the soup occasionally to help the beans break down a little bit, or even mash them towards the end of the cooking process to help them release their natural thickener.
- Do ahead: This soup can easily be prepared ahead of time, even a couple of days—the flavor will deepen.
- Too thick? If by chance the soup thickens up a bit too much, you can always add a touch of water or even half and half.
- Don't be chicken to add chicken: You can even add some shredded rotisserie chicken to this soup to make it even heartier and more filling.
- Go vegetarian: You can leave out the bacon and substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock for a vegetarian version.
Feast your eyes on these, or just jump to the recipe:
Recipe
White Bean Soup
by Ingrid Beer
Category: Soup
Cuisine: American
Yield: Serves 8
Nutrition Info: 488 calories
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Ingredients:
• 12 ounces apple smoked bacon, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, small dice
• 2 carrots, small dice
• 2 celery stalks, small dice
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Pinch or two sea salt
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 6 (15 ounce) cans small white beans (or navy beans), drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chicken stock, hot
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Preparation:
-Place a large Dutch oven, or heavy bottom pot, over medium-high heat;
-Once the pot is hot, add in a small drizzle of olive oil, and the chopped bacon; crisp the bacon completely until nice and brown, then remove with a slotted spoon, drain it on some paper towel, and set it aside for a moment; reserve about 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat, and set that aside for a moment, as well; wipe out the pot, and return it to medium-high heat.
-Next, add back into the pot the bacon fat, along with the olive oil and the butter, and allow them to melt together;
-Once butter is melted and sizzling, add in the diced onion, carrots and celery, and allow them to soften and saute for about 5 minutes;
-Next, add in the garlic, and once it becomes aromatic, add in about ⅔ of the reserved, crisped bacon, as well as the Italian seasoning, the sea salt and the pepper, along with the white beans, and stir to combine;
-Now add in the hot chicken stock, stir, and allow the soup to gently simmer for about 40-45 minutes, partially covered with lid;
-About half way through the cooking process, mash the beans a little bit with the back of your spoon, or with a potato masher, to break up the beans a little bit and release their natural starch to thicken the soup;
-After about 40 minutes, turn the heat off and finish the soup by adding in the chopped parsley, the lemon zest and the lemon juice;
-Serve the soup with some nice, crusty bread to dip, and garnish with some of the remaining crisped bacon.
Try these cozy soups too: “Philly Cheesesteak soup” and “Zesty Mexican Chicken soup”
Hermann-Josef Ammel
This looks delicious! I have to cook! Thanks for the recipe!
Greetings from Germany
Hermann
The Cozy Apron
Hi Hermann-Josef, I do hope you give this comforting stew a try; and thank you for the greetings from Germany - glad to have you stop by!
Linda Betz
Excellent, lovey. Good taste. Easy instructions. What's not to love! Thanks for sharing this. Hope all is well on your side of the country. We are starting Fall, hence the soup. Love to you. XO
The Cozy Apron
Hi Linda, glad this was another cozy recipe for you to enjoy! Appreciate your feedback on ease of preparation. So happy that fall is here so we can enjoy all those warming soups! 🙂 xoxo
Cheri Bush
Good morning...:) looks amazing and wondering if you could do this in the crockpot? Maybe with uncooked beans or even the canned? Thank you for sharing!!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Cheri, thanks for your question. Yes, you can certainly prepare this stew in your crockpot, even using the canned beans for convenience. You do actually want the beans to "break down" slightly, as this creates the creaminess; just keep in mind your setting as it will depend on how long you plan on cooking it. (This stew only takes about 40 minutes using the regular cooking method.)
Cheri Bush
awww thank you so much for answering..:) I have the beans soaking now....and am going to do the rest the way you have done it and then toss it in the crock pot to cook all day...it's only going to be 30 today so perfect day to make this!! 🙂 and our lives are so busy that I love to use my crockpot when I can...:) we are also working on trying to save money and make our lives more economically sound, including our grocery bill....lol...and this is perfect for that!!! I love to cook but there has to be a way to cut back on costs and help us in these times!! Thank you so much!! 🙂 I have saved your blog to my favorites and am going to look at more of your great stuff today...Hope your Sunday is sweet!
The Cozy Apron
Cheri, thank you so much for sharing all of that with me. My goal is to create recipes that are not only healthy to put into the body, and comforting, but that will be economically sound, and will stretch in portions and fill the belly. I do hope that you indeed come back to check out more recipes, and that you continue to find some options that you'd like to prepare for yourself and your family. Have a beautiful week!
Maria H
Hi Cheri, Can you tell me how many dried beans you used? I would like to use them as well. Thank you!
June B
This is from "Serious Eats", posted in April of 2014. I have found the ratios to be fairly close. "So for a recipe that calls for one 15-ounce can of beans, you can cook 3/4 cup (4.5 ounces) of the dried version and be in the ballpark. Conversely, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of dried beans, you'll need to buy two 15-ounce cans to have the 2+ cups worth of cooked beans the recipe will eventually yield."
The Cozy Apron
Thanks June!
Mary Porter
Your recipe sounds delicious and your writing just as beautiful.
The Cozy Apron
Mary, thank you so very much for that!
Maria H
I agree Mary!!! Great find for me today, it's chilly this week in Northern California--it even frosted last night. 😉
The Cozy Apron
Enjoy, Maria!
Shaun
Just had the perfect opportunity to try this one. For some reason it cooled down a bit today, here in Southern Cal, giving me the opportunity to make one more 'winter' dish.
It is now finishing up on the stove and it smells wonderful.
Thanks for the recipe idea!
The Cozy Apron
Shaun, I agree - today was the perfect day here in SoCal to have a stew like this! (I'm glad it's still a bit on the cool side here - not ready for the heat to start!) Thanks for sharing your comments; enjoy the recipe!
Linda
This looks AWESOME. Can't wait to make it!! Thanks for posting and sharing. I know my belly will be thanking you soon.
The Cozy Apron
Linda, my pleasure! I truly hope you give this a try, and that your belly enjoys! 😉
Wendy J Alley
This was awesome. I will be making this a lot.
Good Green Witch
Um.....
YUM!!!!!
KRISTIN
I made this for dinner, and even my husband who says he doesn't like soup ate a huge bowl of it. It's so yummy! I added a dash of hot sauce to give it a kick. 🙂 Great recipe!
The Cozy Apron
Kristin, the hot sauce addition sounds perfect! Isn't it great when even the hubby who says "he doesn't like soup" is a happy camper with a full belly? Thanks for stopping by to share!
Nadine
6 (15oz) cans of beans?? and it only serves 6 people. Is this a typo? That would be a whole can of beans in one serving. Looks delicious , just confused by that amount of beans. Thanks.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Nadine! I know that the 6 (15 oz) cans may sound like a lot of beans, but this stew does cook down to a nice, thick & hearty consistency, so what is written in the recipe is correct; and it serves about 6 people a full bowl serving, as a main meal (this is not an appetizer portion/serving). I hope you give this recipe a try and have a chance to taste it! 🙂
Nadine
Thanks so much for getting back to me. I have read other comments and seems like a success. I am planning on making this for a family Thanksgiving dinner, (Canadian), so that is coming up soon. Wow, 6 cans ! ........I'll go with it. Thank you.
The Cozy Apron
Well have a wonderful Canadian Thanksgiving Day!! I truly hope that you and your family enjoy this cozy stew!
Janet
Ingrid, your writing is beautiful! I found myself actually looking forward to a grey winter day so I can imagine that it's a soft angora sweater surrounding me!! Inspired! I look forward to reading all of your recipes!
ps....oh, and the soup looks delicious too!! 😉
The Cozy Apron
Janet, thank you so very much for such lovely comments! I do hope you get the chance to peruse more recipes and posts - thank you for your readership!
Leah
Second meal of yours I've made this week. So delicious! Very hearty,flavorful and comforting. Sitting on the couched stuffed as a Thanksgiving turkey and playing Go Fish with my 3 year old. Watching my 18 month old carrying around his bowl and eating it while walking around ... While my dog follows him close by.
The Cozy Apron
Leah, I live for comments like yours! Oh do I love that...very funny, and heart-warming; and the biggest bonus is when the little ones enjoy the recipes, too, isn't it? I'm imagining a very cozy scenario with you spending time with your family; how beautiful! (And by the way, did the dog ever succeed in getting a little drop of the soup?) 😉
Leah
Well my son didn't share a drop of soup. But I couldn't resist in sharing so I mixed a couple spoonfuls into my dogs dish, needless to say he cleaned his bowl. Eating leftovers with salad for lunch today. Just as yummy!
The Cozy Apron
Leah, my husband and I do exactly the same thing with our dog; apart from chocolate and other no-no's for dogs, she pretty much has to sample everything we're having, as she's a foodie, too! So glad you enjoyed your leftovers today - what a healthy lunch!
Meredith Jane
Have this on my stove simmering! Smells yummy!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Meredith! I can't wait for you to try it - I really hope you enjoy this hearty stew as much as we do! Thanks for sharing...
Stephanie
Just made this stew for the Bears game! I added some rotisserie chicken & it is absolutely delicious 🙂 thanks for the awesome recipe! It was enjoyed by many people!
The Cozy Apron
Stephanie, the addition of the rotisserie chicken is just perfect; it's the other great alternative to the bacon, or even an addition, of course. It makes me so happy to read that a bunch of you filled your bellies with some of this warm goodness while enjoying watching a game!
Winnie
We used to eat something similar to this when we were in Turkey, except it had lamb - not the bacon. I'm going to try your recipe using lamb... I hope it tastes as good as I remember!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Winnie, I'd love to know how it turns out for you if you give it try with the lamb! Thanks for stopping by!
Erika
This was fantastic! I made it on Sunday morning, put it in the fridge and then put it in my crock pot all day on Monday. It was delicious!! Perfect fall food!
The Cozy Apron
Erika, that sounds like a great way to prep this! So nice to have something hot and cozy for when you get home on a chilly, fall Monday night, isn't it? Thank you for commenting!
Elizabeth
I just made this for dinner! De-Lish! I used cilantro, because I adore it, and I always sprinkle everything with whole flax seeds. It was perfect! Thanks for your beautiful post~Lizzie
The Cozy Apron
Hi Lizzie! Can I tell you that you're a gal after my own heart? I, too, absolutely adore cilantro, and have also added it to this stew (and pretty much all of my other soups, stews, etc.) many times before! Glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Noella
Had this soup for lunch at my sisters this week. DELICIOUS and so comforting:) I will definitely make this soup. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
The Cozy Apron
Noella, that's great! Thanks for coming by and letting me know - so glad you'll be giving this a try yourself!
Melissa
This is a go to recipe for my family. Everyone loves it, and there are rarely leftovers. The only thing I alter is we leave out the lemon stuff. I love several of your recipes but this may be my favorite!
The Cozy Apron
Melissa, thanks so much for sharing this with me! I love reading that a recipe has become a family favorite, it really warms my heart. I hope you find many more to try out and add to your rotation, besides the one's you all enjoy already. 😉
Happy cooking, Melissa!
Greg
I'm planning on making this soup but wanted to use dried beans. What size bag of beans would you recommend? I have a 16oz bag of beans and am guessing I should use all of it. Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Greg, great question! I did a little research and found that 1 pound of dried beans will yield about 5 (15 ounce) cans; so since my recipe calls for 6 cans, I would go ahead and use the whole bag, plus perhaps even another 3 ounces. However, if you only want to use the pound that's on hand for you, then you may need to adjust the stock amount slightly as you want this to be nice and thick. Hope you enjoy!
Greg
I made this using a 16oz bag of dried beans that soaked over night, and it came out great. It was nice and thick and perfect for a fall evening. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing Cozy Apron!
The Cozy Apron
Oh, that's great Greg! And thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know how it turned out with the pound of dried beans - I was hoping it would be hearty and soul-warming! Super. 🙂
Linda from NJ
This has got to be one of the best soups/stews I've ever made or ever eaten!!! Ever since happening upon this recipe I have been wanting to make it and with the cool Autumn weather finally here it was the perfect time. I have a feeling I will be making this a lot. I can't thank you enough for sharing the recipe! It is FaNtAbUlOuS and perfect as written!
The Cozy Apron
Linda, that is music to my ears! I'm so happy that you enjoyed this stew so much, and I thank you for your comments!
Linda from NJ
I'm looking forward to going thru the rest of your recipe box and seeing what other delicious treasures are calling to me to be made. 🙂
Ann
Made this last night for dinner - absolutely delicious!!! It will be perfect for the cold Swedish nights that are quickly approaching!
adrienne
This was excellent! Thanks for the recipe. I am so glad that I found you and hope to try some of your other stews.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Adrienne, I'm so glad you found our site, too! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with the recipe, I really appreciate it. So glad you enjoyed!
Melissa
I have this simmering right now and it smells amazing!!! Can't wait to dig in! We're expecting a snow storm tonight here in NYC so this will keep us warm and cozy!
Thanks!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Melissa, you make a scary NYC snowstorm sound cozy! 🙂 Please stay safe, and enjoy this comforting and hearty stew. So glad you stopped by to share with me! Stay warm...
Anya
Wow Ingrid! Eating some right now, and it's fantastic! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes 🙂
The Cozy Apron
Hi Anya! That is wonderful—so glad you're cooking, and that you're enjoying some of these recipes! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing with me.
Anita
Made this just in time for a rainy evening in LA the other day and it was so delicious! Toddler approved as well so this recipe is definitely a keeper. Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Anita! Yes—we finally had some rain here, right? (Sadly, not enough!) I was happy to read that you enjoyed this creamy stew, and that is was also "toddler approved"; isn't that the best? 🙂 Thank you so much for taking a few moments to share your outcome with this recipe!
Jenn
I made this for my husband's work crew—I make them all soup once a month for lunch. I added 2 c of chicken broth, and stretched it out to 8 servings, just under 2 cups each. For those who are doubling the amount of beans, it's dead-on accurate as written for 6 servings! Gosh, it smelled so good! There wasn't any left over for me, though, so I'll have to give it another try one night and double it, and freeze the leftovers! Thanks for the yumminess!
The Cozy Apron
Hi there Jenn! I really appreciate your comment; not only because I found it incredibly touching that you prepare soup once a month for your husbands work crew, and chose my recipe as one you would share with them, but also for the fact that you verified the amount of beans as being necessary. I know that it sounds like an overkill, but in order to get that thick, creamy consistency, that quantity is needed, so thanks for sharing that! I really do hope that you'll also be able to enjoy this stew yourself, soon—and with the cold weather, sooner may be better than later! Thanks so much for sharing!
Robbie
Made this today and we absolutely loved it!! We grilled chicken breasts and added chunks of chicken to the soup. We also added few shakes of red pepper flakes for a little kick. This is a keeper recipe! I am new to your site and will now be checking out your other recipes. Thanks so much.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Robbie, so excited to read that! The chicken and the red pepper flakes sound absolutely delicious, and make the stew an even more hearty meal—perfect! And I'm so happy to have you as a newer visitor—hope you enjoy MORE recipes!
Linda
Made this and it was FABULOUS!!! Outstanding and delicious. Looking thru your recipes I can't wait to make other dishes you created. You are an amazing talented chef and I'm very thankful you share your recipes because I could never come up with these on my own.
The Cozy Apron
Linda, how sweet are you!? 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind comments; I'm really glad that you enjoyed this stew! It's my pleasure to share my recipes, and I truly do hope that you go on to find some more that inspire you to play in your kitchen. Happy cooking to you, and happy eating, as well!
Jo smith
Looking forward to trying your white bean stew
Dana Richards
Dobry vecer a dobru chut! Recept vyzera super, was about to start cooking it for our dinner tonight when I noticed your Slovak origin! 🙂 I look forward to tasting it! Perfect for our rainy autumn day in London. S pozdravom Dana
The Cozy Apron
Oh my goodness, Dana—dobru chut! Dakujem for your fun words; so excited to have Slovak speaker leave a comment! Hope all is well in London; I have some Slovak family living there currently, too! Small world… Majte sa dobre!! 🙂 (My spelling's not that stellar…)
Dana Richards
😀 Very true indeed! Especially with today's social networks, the world is getting definitely smaller! I'm probably neighbours with your family in London lol!!
Going back to your stew though....It was a total hit and made it's way onto the list of our most favorite dishes! Hubby was seriously impressed! It will be cooked from now on very regular basis ( you see, here in London we get those grey skyes definitely more often than in LA! haha) I'll be visiting my sister in Winnipeg soon, so I'll be sure to make the stew over there too, and I'll be off to Slovakia for Xmas so I might even impress everyone back home! 😉 Keep up the good work with your blog, I'm signing up right now!
Mandy
Good morning!
Do you think smoked sausage could be incorporated into the soup? My husband likes meat and I am worried the bacon bits won't be enough! I will be trying this recipe tomorrow and I can't wait to see how it turns out 🙂
The Cozy Apron
HI Mandy, you certainly can! And here's what I would do: dice up the sausage and brown it alongside the bacon (I wouldn't even add any fat, as there should be plenty from the bacon and now the sausage), and just follow the recipe from there. Just cook it as if it were extra bacon, I'd say. I'm so excited you're making this recipe tomorrow; I'm sure it will not disappoint! 🙂 (I'd love to find out how it goes!)
Linda Kaye
Ingrid, I found this recipe on Pinterest and made it tonight for our supper. Oh my soul! It is absolutely delicious and a perfect end to a long, cold day. Thank you for sharing! I will definitely be making this again!
Linda Kaye
The Cozy Apron
Linda, that just warms my heart! I'm so glad you decided to give this a try, and that it'll be a contender in the future for another cold day! Thanks so much for sharing.
Jen
Just made, my house smells wonderful!! Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jen, that's wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing that with me! 🙂
DameJudith
I have all the ingredients and I'm going to make this for dinner today. I don't have canned beans so will give the dried ones the quick soak method. From reading the comments it looks like one pound will work. Just what we need for a snowy day in Leavenworth and Seahawks game tonight
The Cozy Apron
I truly hope you are comforted by this stew on this snowy day for you, and that you enjoy your game tonight! Happy cooking, Dame Judith! 🙂
DameJudith
Your stew was delicious....one pound of dry beans was just right. My husband liked the crispy bacon addition. Seahawks won! I'm going to make your Orange Honey Glazed Turkey Breast on Christmas Day. Thanks for the wonderful recipes. Happy Christmas
MsCatsMeow
I made this for dinner last night along with a loaf of freshly baked beer bread. It was quite good AND there was enough leftover to make several individual containers to freeze for later.
Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
So glad you enjoyed this! (And your beer bread sounds so tasty, too!) Thank you for your comments.
erica
On the stove now! Smells amazing! I do not have a lemon, will this change the taste drastically or can I omit it? Thanks!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Erica, the lemon does add a little tiny bit of brightness, but you certainly will be just fine without it. I hope you enjoyed this!
Juliette
I made this today and it was exceptional. Threw in some diced cooked chicken breast I had made the day before that was covered in pesto sauce for an extra treat.
The Cozy Apron
Juliette, the thought of that pesto-covered chicken swimming around in that white bean stew is making my mouth water!! Yum! So glad you enjoyed it, and even kicked it up a bit! Thanks so much for your comments.
Jean
Just finished eating the stew for lunch along with some garlic bread. It is hard to believe something that good came from a can. I didn't have any carrots but did have a fresh jalapeno. We like spicy. Thank you for a quick hearty recipe.
The Cozy Apron
Jean, that combo of garlic bread and this stew sounds like a dream! Great choice. So glad you enjoyed the recipe, and thank you for taking a moment to share your experience with me. 🙂
Stephanie Wermuth
This is absolutely delicious!! Made 5 servings for me (I eat large portions apparently :P) and I'm planning on freezing some. I am new to freezer meals but trying to make them a staple in my life. This may be a silly question, but do you recommend defrosting the stew before microwaving? Thank you!!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Stephanie, yes- I would allow the stew to defrost or thaw in the fridge the night before you'd like to serve it. So glad you enjoyed it!
Emily
The recipe calls for mashing the bean, should I mash half of the beans in the recipe or 1/4 of the beans. I am making it now...
The Cozy Apron
Hi Emily, I'm not quite sure what you mean—you would mash them while they're in the soup, about half-way through the cooking process. Giving them a good "mash" is just meant to help release their natural starches as the soup cooks, and thicken it up a little more. Hope that explains it! 🙂
Angela
What a fabulous soup recipe! I was a little worried about adding the lemon zest and lemon juice at the end but I followed the recipe exactly and it was great! The lemon actually adds a little something special to depth of flavor. Thank you for a great recipe I'll use forever.
The Cozy Apron
Thank you, Angela! So glad you enjoyed! I know—the lemon may seem a little odd to add in, but with slightly creamy soups or sauces, it truly gives it that little depth and something special that'd be missing if it wasn't there. Glad you trusted me, lol!
😉 Thank you for your comments.
Valerie
I love this recipe. I've made it a few times and have it on the stove right now. If I have the time, I cook my own beans and use that broth instead of chicken stock. Totally perfect either way!
The Cozy Apron
Valerie, thanks so much for commenting on this recipe—glad you've been enjoying it!
Heather
This recipe makes a delicious dinner! I made it last week and soon gobbled it all up; and I'm about to make it again, so that I can enjoy it some more! It goes particularly well with homemade rosemary focaccia. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
The Cozy Apron
Man, oh man, Heather—homemade rosemary focaccia sound like the perfect thing to serve with this! Must be delish! 🙂 I'm so happy that you've made this on a couple of occasions now, and that you're enjoying it so much. Thank you for your comments!
Clifford Smith
Would adding a little corn to this a bad idea?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Clifford, it'd be great! Kind of a cross between bean stew and corn chowder—I think it'd be delicious! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
mary fletcher
Made this last night and my WHOLE family went crazy over it. My son was playing on xbox and kept telling everyone it was the best thing he had ever eaten. I cook a lot(having four kids) but have never gotten the response this soup gave me. can't thank you enough and will be trying out a lot more of your recipes!!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Mary, that's great! And I'm thrilled about your son raving so much about it, lol— we know those youngsters can be picky! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your experience with me, and happy cooking to you!
Kim
It's just now getting a little cooler in SoCal and as luck would have it I stumbled upon your site on Pinterest, so I bought the ingredients for this soup and crock potted it for about eight hours with dried beans. I used my blender stick to mash the beans and let me just say it was fabulous and the DH loved it. I have since bookmarked a handful more of your recipes and I just wanted you to know I've found it so refreshing to read your posts and to come to know that you're not afraid to talk about God. I love that. Thanks for the great recipes and for being real. That's a rare trait around our parts.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Kim, I love hearing from fellow SoCal folks! Let me just say that your comments meant a lot; first, I'm so very glad that you enjoyed the recipe itself (and that we've finally had the weather for it here, lol!); and second, that my posts are resonating with you, as well. I try to write from a place of where I "stand", so to speak, write as a reminder to myself of how I would like to be or how I'd ideally like to see/experience things. Our Creator is at the center of all that my hubby and I do, and if I can uplift others (at least just a little) when they come to visit with us here, then I am grateful. Thank you for coming by, and for your readership. Blessings to you!
Janet McLain
You put dried beans in crockpot? Did you cook on high or low?
Andi
Tried this recipe last night. I had a great deal of trepidation with so much lemon juice and zest. aaaannd... I was right. I really didn't enjoy how much lemon came through in the end of this stew. I tried it again for lunch today, hoping that the flavors would meld together and balance out, and it's still so powerful. I wish I had reduced the lemon to 1/4th, if at all. I will try this again without the lemon, as it was really, really good before I added it in! Really don't know what I was thinking with the lemon. X(
Melissa
Hello! I am in cold and snowy New York and would like to make this warm soup in my Instant Pot. Have you created a version for an electric Pressure cooker?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Melissa, I haven’t yet gotten into the whole phenomenon that is Instant Pot, so I don’t have specific variations for the recipe. I still hope you give it a try, however!
Bev Vardal
Omg..thank you for this recipe. I made it today and it was absolutely delicious!
I cooked 1lb beans (soaked overnight) in the instant pot for 25 mins instead of the canned beans then cooked as your recipe on the stove top. It was so thick and creamy.
I didn't add the bacon as my husband doesn't eat pork and I used cilantro instead of parsley as that's what I had on hand. My new favourite recipe I will be making this often!
The Cozy Apron
Bev, how awesome is that?!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe so much, and let me tell you, I often use cilantro (I love the stuff!) in this soup as a substitution myself.
Perfect use of the instant pot too!
Thanks so much for sharing.
Karen
I had reservation of using Italian seasoning. This soup was so delicious. Comfort food to accompany these cold nights. Thanks again for sharing your wonderful recipes!
The Cozy Apron
Karen, the pleasure is all mine! Thank you for sharing your experience.
So very happy you enjoyed this warm & comforting soup!
Roseanne
Hi, Darling Ingrid! Sorry to have been out-of-touch. In addition to Holiday prep, our kitchen and dining room are being painted! #whatweretheythinking!!!!
Just popping in to say that I made a bacon-less version as our daughter was joining us. My grandmother and mother always made this and so I always feel their presence when I make this. Elena walked in the door and immediately inhaled 2 bowls 🙂 Our painter enjoyed it as well 😉
I want to write a longer note but it will wait until after the Holidays. Please know I send my loving wishes for a beautiful and happy Christmas. xo
The Cozy Apron
Hi sweet Roseanne!
Wow, I'll be sending wishes for a speedy finishing up of your big house project—no time like the holidays for that stuff, right?! Sounds like it'll be beautiful!
You warmed my heart so, sharing with me about this soup...what lovely memories you have of mom and grandma preparing it. And I love that Elena "inhaled" two bowls, not to the mention the painter also enjoyed it—he'd better do a good job since you're apparently feeding him well! 😉
Please know I'm thinking of you and your loved ones during the holidays, sending my best wishes for love, merriment, joy and light!
Much love to you, my dear...xoxo
Debta
I made this in my crockpot over night. It was marvelous. I added ham at the end. The recipe is exactly the same but just cooked it over night. No lemon on mine but that’s up to each chef.
The Cozy Apron
Debta, so glad you enjoyed this! Great way to prepare it, and I thank you for sharing here so that others may have the info if they'd like to go the crockpot route.
Darlene
Oh wow! So delicious! I just made this and it is super yummy. It’s Arizona wintery today and this soup just hits the spot. Thank you for another great recipe!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Darlene, that is awesome! So happy you've found success with more recipes here, as well as some belly-warming comfort and coziness. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Jessica
This looks amazing, but am I reading the 833 calories correct? That's per serving?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jessica, yes, that's correct. I know it seems like a lot, but this soup is very thick and hearty, and is meant to be a complete meal in and of itself.
Beans are a little higher in calories, and, of course, there's some bacon in there too. 🙂 But it will leave you feeling very full and satisfied for quite a while, for sure.
Katherine
Hi, this looks delicious! I’m wondering if it freezes well? Have you tried it?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Katherine, I have not tried freezing it, but I don't see why that wouldn't work. Simply allow the soup to thaw in the fridge for a couple of days before you plan to serve it, and I think it should taste just fine once reheated. Hope you enjoy!
Erin
I don't eat bacon, how much butter should I add to make up for bacon fat?
When you say hot chicken stock, you mean heat it before adding, right?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Erin, you'd add 1 tablespoon of butter (or even olive oil) instead of the bacon fat.
And yes—I do mean "heated" chicken stock. 😉
Hope you enjoy!
Wendy K
This is best the day after, personally. The addition of lemon juice and zest really makes this delicious. However, I had to add a lot more spices to make this not so bland but it was a good base recipe.
Diane
I made this last night, and oh my, it was absolutely delicious!!! It makes a lot, but that’s okay because I’m enjoying the leftovers. I was only able to find 3 cans of navy beans, so I also used cannellini beans and it was wonderful. Halfway through the cooking time I took some of the beans out, mashed them, and added them back. It made the soup so creamy! I’ll be making this again!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Diane, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Super cozy and comforting, isn't it? 😉
Happy to read that this is a keeper, one for the recipe tin, so to speak!
Daisy Ramirez
Just made this and it’s delicious!
So good and easy to make. I love it! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Cheryl
Hello. I dont eat pork. Can I use turkey bacon?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Cheryl, absolutely! Use the turkey bacon, or any other smoky-flavored addition you'd like. Hope you enjoy!
Sandra
I would love to tell you my husband and I really love this soup. I use ham hocks . I cut up my boneless hocks and fried them like bacon. I made half of your recipe because it was only to two of us. Thank you we really enjoyed it!!
The Cozy Apron
Sandra, sounds delicious—yum!
Thanks for sharing your method, as perhaps others will get an idea to try that out if they have a ham hock. So very happy that you both enjoyed it!
Becky
I thought I commented on this before but apparently not... This is my second time making it, and we use Polish Kielbasa Sausage instead of Bacon... Amazing! Added some Ham also tonight. Very satisfying and filling!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Becky, your substitution sounds delicious!
So happy you've been enjoying this cozy and warming soup, and hope you continue to find lots of comfort in it!
Stephenie
This recipe has become a family favorite. It is so hearty and satisfying.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Stephenie, so very happy to read that! May you all find lots of coziness and comfort in this soup for a long time to come!
Catherine
Was starving, pantry was low on staples, and I had white beans and bacon on hand. Found your recipe and, wow, it’s delicious!
The Cozy Apron
Catherine, thanks so much for sharing that! I just love hearing that one of my recipes came together easily and deliciously with the ingredients someone already has on hand 🙂
Glad you found some comfy-coziness in this soup, and thank you for commenting!