Hearty White Bean Soup Recipe for Gatherings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of dry great Northern beans
• 6 tablespoons of olive oil
• 3 medium onions, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 pound of cooked ham, finely diced
• 6 medium tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• ¾ cup of freshly chopped parsley
• 4 teaspoons of freshly chopped thyme
• 1 teaspoon of celery salt
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper according to your taste

Step 1

Prepare the beans by sorting and washing them as per the instructions on the package. Place the beans in a slow cooker that holds at least 3 1/2 quarts of water. Fill the slow cooker to the brim with water and let the beans soak for 8 hours or overnight without activating the cooker.

Step 2

After soaking, drain the excess water from the cooker and refill it with fresh water. Set the cooker to Low heat and allow the beans to cook until they are tender, which usually takes about 8 hours.

Step 3

In a large soup pot, warm some oil over medium-low heat. Toss in the onions and carrots, and sauté them until the onions are translucent and the carrots start to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Introduce the ham, tomatoes, and garlic into the pot, letting the mixture simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Step 4

Blend around 2/3 of the cooked beans in the bean broth using a blender or food processor. Adjust the consistency by adding more water if necessary. Combine the pureed mixture with the whole beans in the soup pot. Add water to achieve your preferred soup thickness. Season with parsley, thyme, celery salt, salt, and pepper. Let the soup simmer gently, stirring at intervals, until it is heated through and all the vegetables are tender, usually around 20 minutes.