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Bacon & White Bean Soup

Bacon & White Bean Soup

What’s the difference between soup and stew? Well, essentially, soup is—well, soupy. It has a lot more liquid or broth, allowing your ingredients to swim around in it. A stew, on the other hand, is more like a braise; it requires less liquid and is cooked for a longer period of time. Soup, in contrast, comes together quickly. This recipe is a weeknight favorite—it takes just 30 minutes to perfection, and all you need to do is serve it up with some crusty bread. The key to making a flavorful soup is using a great broth base, which you can create in no time by caramelizing the ingredients at the bottom of your pan. Follow the method in the recipe for the perfect result.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Dinner, Soup
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Large soup pot or Dutch oven
  • Wooden spoon
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Can Opener
  • Ladle
  • Grater (for Parmesan)
  • Soup bowls
  • Strainer (for rinsing beans)

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound lightly smoked bacon
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 ribs celery diced
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 1 delicata squash sliced into half-moons, seeds removed
  • 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 zucchini diced
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • Ham bone optional
  • 2 cans navy beans rinsed and drained
  • Fresh lemon juice for garnish
  • Grated Parmesan for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Place the sliced bacon, rosemary, thyme, and diced onion in a cold pan. Slowly render the bacon over medium heat, allowing it to release most of its fat while retaining some texture. This step will create brown bits at the bottom of the pan, which are key for flavor.
  • Once the bacon has rendered, drain off about half of the fat. Add the diced celery, carrots, delicata squash, garlic, and zucchini to the pan. Stir to combine.
  • Add the chicken broth and, if using, the ham bone to the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, gently scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
  • Continue simmering for up to 2 hours, allowing the flavors to meld. If cooking for longer than 20 minutes, check periodically to ensure it doesn’t over-reduce.
  • In the final 5 minutes of cooking, add the rinsed and drained navy beans to the soup. Stir to incorporate.
  • Before serving, squeeze fresh lemon juice into the soup and top with freshly grated Parmesan.
  • Serve hot with crusty bread on the side.
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