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Smoky Red Bean Soup

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Makes 6 to 8 servings 1x

Time 1 1/4 hours, mostly unattended

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups any dried red beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 2 or 3 smoked ham hocks or 1 ham bone
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium to large carrot, chopped
  • 1 medium celery stalk, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or a pinch dried
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the ham, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down so the mixture bubbles gently but steadily.
  2. Cook, stirring once in a while, until the beans are very tender and just starting to break apart and the meat is falling from the bone, 60 to 90 minutes depending on the bean and whether or not you soaked them. Add more water as needed, 1/2 cup at a time, to keep the mixture soupy during cooking.
  3. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper, stir, and turn off the heat. Remove the hocks (or bone) from the pot. For a smoother, creamier texture, press down on the soup in the pot with a potato masher to break up some of the beans.
  4. When the meat is cool enough to handle, pull it from the bone, chop it, and return it to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, stirring frequently and adding a little more water if it seems too thick. (Or refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 days; reheat before continuing.) Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.

—Recipe from How to Cook Everything: The Basics

Recipe variations

Beefy Bean Soup: No smokiness, but even meatier. Instead of the ham, use about 1 1/2 pounds bone-in chuck steak or 1 pound beef stew meat.

Vegetarian Smoky Red Bean Soup: Skip the ham and add 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (pimentón) with the vegetables in Step 1. If you like, add 2 cups chopped peeled or unpeeled potatoes or turnips for the last 20 minutes of cooking.