White-Bean Soup with Bacon and Herbs

I’ve made this soup 4 or 5 times now since first finding it a year ago. I’m so hooked! I have forsaken all other white bean soup recipes. I follow it exactly and am never disappointed. I have not experienced “greasy” soup from adding the bacon grease as one user reported. You cook it for 1.5 hours after you add the grease, by which point the beans have broken down and become a thick base that the bacon grease blends into. I have made it without the grease but still using the bacon toppings and found it just as delicious. I sometimes add tarragon, but the suggested combo of thyme and rosemary and bay is delightful as is. I think I’ve converted my husband into being a fan of bean soups from this recipe alone. I usually serve it with cucumber or ham sandwiches. Great recipe!

Came across this soup recipe while looking for some easy soups with common pantry items, no time too hit the grocery store today and the pantry was low. Whipped up this soup, except I didn’t have any celery. Very good , a bit on the thin side for soups that I usually make, may add something additional to it next time to help bulk it up or cut down on the broth. But very tasty! Served with sandwiches.

Adding 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat into soup didn't work. It made the soup really greasy. Most of the time I refrigerate my homemade broth to set the fat and remove it from the top before using. Adding bacon grease back in seemed counter-intuitive, but I followed the directions. It didn't turn out well and I'll not follow that advice in the future.

A family favorite3 cans of great northern, rinsed and draineddoubled the garlic / bay leaves8 cups of stockdash of red pepper flakesthick cut black peppered baconMrs Dash in lieu of saltall else per recipe

This was really good! I halved it. I used two cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed. Also, I like soups like this pureed. When I make it again, I will decrease the stock from five cups (half of recipe) to four cups so it stays a little thicker.