Bean with bacon soup

Bean with bacon soup is a classic canned soup that you can make easily at home. This simple soup is perfect for a cold winter or fall evening. 

One of my favorite soups from childhood is canned bean with bacon soup. That, and split pea, were always my favorites. Now I like to make them using my own recipes. This bean with bacon soup is frugal, delicious, and hearty.

Bean with bacon soup is easy to make and doesn't require a lot of ingredients. I've made this soup with both thick cut bacon and regular cut bacon. Both will work well, but I use two strips more of regular bacon. 

I've made with soup with water and vegetable broth. It's flavorful enough to use the water, but the vegetable broth does add an extra boost of flavor. I like to use that when I have it on hand. Chicken broth would also work well if you prefer.

For the beans in the bean with bacon soup, you can use your preferred canned white beans. Navy beans are what are used in the original canned recipe and they are what I use here. But, you can use cannellini beans or great northern beans. I've made this with different white beans and it turns out delicious.

If you want to thicken the soup up a bit, you can mash up some of the beans with a fork before adding to the soup. Mash up about a third of a cup or so before stirring them into the soup.

I add vegetables to this soup - carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. It makes it more hearty and gives it a lot of flavor. Plus, I just like to have vegetables in my soup like this.

Serve this soup with a loaf of crusty bread or your favorite dinner rolls, grilled cheese sandwiches, and/or a side salad for a complete meal. 

If you have leftovers of this soup, it makes for a delicious lunch. It's perfect for a cold day and easy to reheat on the stove or in a microwave. As with many soups, the flavors improve the next day. A big pot of soup is such a lovely thing to have around for the cold days of autumn and winter.

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Yield: 4-6 servings

Author: Amy (Savory Moments)

Bean with Bacon Soup

Bean with bacon soup is a classic canned soup that you can make easily at home. This simple soup is perfect for a cold winter or fall evening.

Ingredients

• 4 slices of thick-cut bacon (or 6 slices regular)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 4 cups vegetable broth (or water)
• 3 cans (15.5 oz. each), white beans such as navy or cannellini
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.
2. Stir in the onion, celery, and carrot along with a good pinch of salt and a couple grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, and bay leaf, and smoked paprika. Stir constantly to prevent burning and cook for another minute.
4. Add the vegetable broth (or water) and stir well to de-glaze the bottom of the pot. Stir in the beans and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
5. Simmer the soup for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables and beans are soft.
6. Remove the bay leaf. Chop the bacon and stir it into the soup. Check for seasoning. Serve hot.

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This post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated in 2022 with a recipe card, new text, and more to improve reader experience.

Check out these other soup recipes: 

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(Un)Stuffed Banana Pepper Soup 

Roasted Garlic Soup w/ Potatoes, Kale, & Bacon

Slow Cooker Sausage Pasta e Fagioli Soup