Homemade Bean and Bacon Soup

It's been almost 30 years since my husband and I drove through Winston-Salem on our way to Valle Crucis (in the Blue Ridge Mountains) and I can still remember the delicious bowl of bean and bacon soup that we both enjoyed in a restaurant in Old Salem. I don't remember anything else about that restaurant, but I sure do remember that amazing soup! I've never tried to make my own, but when I came across this recipe on Taste and Tell, I had a feeling I might have found the perfect recipe for this soup. It's pretty darned good!

Homemade Bean and Bacon Soup

(Photo credit - Taste and Tell)

Ingredients

8 oz. bacon
1 cup yellow onions, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
3 cans (15 oz. each) Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
Salt & pepper to taste
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

Fry the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble when cool enough to handle. Set aside.

Transfer 2 tablespoons of bacon grease to a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, carrots and celery and saute until they begin to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute or two. Add the chicken broth and beans; season with salt & pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and reduce heat to low, simmering for 1 hour.

Remove half of the soup to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Return puree to the soup pot and stir to combine with the rest of the soup. Add the tomato sauce, stirring to blend well. Allow the soup to continue simmering until heated through and you are ready to serve. 

Serve each bowl of soup with a serving crumbled bacon.

Yield: 4 servings

My Notes:

The original recipe calls for a specific Cherry Hardwood Smoked bacon. I used our regular Farmland Low Sodium brand. I also didn't dice the bacon before frying, since I prefer to crumble it after it's been cooked. 

After removing a portion of the soup to another pot, I used an immersion blender to puree the soup, rather than a blender or food processor.

The original recipe says to add 3/4 of the reserved bacon to the soup along with the tomato sauce. I prefer to keep the bacon as crisp as possible, so I didn't add it until right before serving.

This soup was a huge hit with my family and one I plan to make for our upcoming Soup Supper. I can't wait to try more recipes from Taste and Tell!

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