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    Home » Recipes » Soups and Stews

    Easy to make Brown Bean Soup

    Published: Aug 18, 2021 · Modified: Aug 30, 2019 by Bowl Me Over · 13 Comments

    This Bean Soup is an easy recipe to make! It is simmered on the stove until the beans are tender and delicious. Filled with big hearty flavor and packed full of vegetables, it serves up a big pot of soup for just pennies per serving! 
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    The BEST Brown Bean Soup Recipe is easy to make and simmers on the stove serving up slow-cooked hearty flavors. Filled with vegetables and seasoned with a ham hock, it makes a big, delicious pot of soup for just pennies per serving!

    Next time try this recipe for Navy Bean Soup.

    Two bowls of the BEST Bean soup in white bowls with spoon.
    Easy Bean Soup Recipe full of vegetables and simmered until the beans are tender and delicious!
    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • FAQ's
    • Tips
    • Serving suggestions
    • Related recipes
    • Brown Bean Soup Recipe

    Why you'll love this recipe

    How has your summer been? Can you believe it's the end August already?!! That's just crazy. The summer zips by more quickly every year!

    This is how the last three weeks have gone. First, our anniversary and the next day my folks came to visit. We've spent one day a week swimming up at Bass Lake just to get out and unplug.

    Life's too short to have your nose to the grind-stone all the time, right?!!

    And even though it's been super hot, I've been making soup. Bean Soups are one of my favorites!

    Soup Making Pro Tip! As soon as this soup is done, ladle a quart out, seal and put in the freezer. For those days you don't want to cook? Dinner will be done!

    Deb Clark

    I thought this would be a great time to share my recipe for the BEST Bean Soup Recipe!

    This recipe for bean soup has a ton of vegetables - onions, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes and celery mixed with brown beans that are simmered on the stove with a ham hock to give it a great flavor.

    I love to have a pot of beans simmering on the stove. It makes the whole house smell good! (Though you could also make this in the slow cooker.)

    Bean Soup in white bowl with spoon
    Quick and easy to make bean soup is a hearty and satisfying meal!

    Ingredients

    • brown or pinto beans - you can also use kidney beans, cannellini beans, black beans or great northern beans.
    • yellow onion
    • cabbage 
    • carrots
    • celery
    • red or yellow bell peppers
    • canned mushrooms
    • fire roasted tomatoes
    • ham hock
    • beef broth
    • lemon & parsley optional

    Instructions

    1. Pick thru the beans and rinse them well.
    2. Soak the beans in cold water in a large pot. Soak the beans overnight, or using the quick soak directions.
    3. Rinse the beans again discarding the water used for soaking.
    4. In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
    5. Chop the vegetables and add them to the pot, season with the red pepper flakes.
    6. Add the bay leaf & ham hock.
    7. Sauté until tender, 5-7 minutes..
    8. Next add the canned mushrooms, fire roasted tomatoes and beans to the pot.
    9. Add the beef broth and enough water to cover the beans about an inch.
    10. Simmer covered for 1 to 1 ½ - 2 hours, stirring occasionally until the beans are tender. Keep an eye on it and add additional water as needed.
    11. When the beans are tender, taste and adjust seasoning.
    12. Remove the ham hock and bay leaf.

    FAQ's

    How do you prepare dry beans?

    Start by sorting the beans. Pick thru the beans and remove any beans that are shriveled. Also remove any small rocks, sticks or dirt clods.
    Rinse the beans well to remove any dust.
    Cover with water and soak overnight or use the quick cooking method.

    How do you thicken ham and beans?

    You can certainly thicken them with flour or cornstarch, but I bet you'll find this soup is the perfect consistency. If you'd prefer the soup more thick, remove a couple cups and blend until creamy. Add it back to the soup pot.

    Tips

    This savory soup is rich and meaty, but sweet too. The carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers give it a slightly sweet flavor and you'll definitely be going back for a second bowl.

    If you prefer a creamy soup, use a stick blender to blend the beans.

    Never salt beans when they are cooking because it makes them tough. Wait until they are tender to season with salt.

    Deb Clark

    Bowl Me Over

    If you want all of my tips and tricks to make the BEST homemade soup, be sure and click here!!!

    Two bowls of soup in white bowls with spoons.
    Easy and affordable brown bean soup is one of my go-to meals!

    Serving suggestions

    Enjoy this meal with skillet cornbread, it's perfect for sopping up the sauce! These easy dinner rolls would be yummy as well!

    A lovely garden salad would be super tasty too!

    I've tried making this soup with canned beans, but it's just not the same. You can't replicate the superior taste of a pot of beans slowly simmered on the stove!

    Related recipes

    Tomato Bisque Soup Recipe - it's the BEST comfort food! It's easy to make as well and leftovers are even better on day two!

    If you don't have all day to make soup, then be sure to try this recipe for Bean with Bacon Soup - all the flavor in less than half the time!

    15 Bean Soup is another lovely meal, filled with ham, vegetables and rich savory flavor!

    Brown Bean Soup in bowl with spoon.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 5 votes

    Brown Bean Soup Recipe

    This Bean Soup is an easy recipe to make! It is simmered on the stove until the beans are tender and delicious. Filled with big hearty flavor and packed full of vegetables, it serves up a big pot of soup for just pennies per serving! 
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time2 hrs
    Total Time2 hrs 15 mins
    Course: Soups and Stews
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 212kcal
    Author: Deb Clark
    Cost: $10
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb dried brown or pinto beans
    • 1 yellow onion chopped
    • ¼ head cabbage chopped
    • 2 carrots diced
    • 2 celery stalks diced
    • 1 cup red or yellow bell peppers - about two small diced
    • 1 can mushrooms
    • 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
    • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 ham hock
    • 2 teaspoons salt or more to taste
    • 4 cups beef broth
    • Additional water as needed
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juiced & of chopped parsley

    Instructions

    • Pick thru the beans, checking for small rocks, blemished beans, etc and remove. Prepare the beans by following product directions by either soaking the beans overnight, or using the quick soak directions. Rinse well, set aside.
    • In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. After chopping add the, onions cabbage, carrots, celery & bell peppers to the pot, season with the red pepper flakes. Add the bay leaf & ham hock. Sauté until tender, 5-7 minutes.
    • Next add the canned mushrooms (juice & all), fire roasted tomatoes and beans to the pot. Add the beef broth and top with enough water to cover the beans about an inch. Simmer covered for 1 to 1 ½ - 2 hours, stirring occasionally until the beans are tender. Keep an eye on it and add additional water as needed.
    • When the beans are tender, taste for seasoning & add the salt. Remove the hambone and pick the meat off it and add it back to the soup (if desired or just discard - it's done it's job adding all that flavor!).
    • Remove the bay leaf and discard. When you turn off the heat add in the lemon juice & parsley, mix well and serve!

    Notes

    ***This meal can be made in the slow cooker - takes about 10 hours on low. Just make sure you soak the beans and saute the vegetables first before adding them to the slow cooker.***

    Nutrition

    Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 1179mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2875IU | Vitamin C: 48.9mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2.3mg
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    About Bowl Me Over

    Welcome to Bowl Me Over! My name is Debra and I send warm greetings from sunny California. I am a serious foodie – I’ve been known as the go-to girl in our family for years, catering weddings and anniversary parties. In the summer I help cook mountains of food for our family reunions. Often times things I create end up in a bowl, hence the name Bowl Me Over! Let's stay connected, you can email me at [email protected] and find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

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