Soup · Tested at home
White Bean Soup with Bacon and Herbs
Original recipe by Jose Garces · Food & Wine
The Best I’ve Made · Selected by Justin. Ingredients retained; functional instructions independently written.
Great Northern beans simmered in chicken stock with vegetables, thyme, rosemary, and reserved bacon fat, then topped with crisp bacon.
Prep30 minutes active time; soak beans overnight
CookAbout 1 1/2 hours simmering, plus bacon and vegetables
Total2 hours, plus overnight bean soaking
Makes12 servings
Get everything ready
Ingredients
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Turn up the heat
Let’s cook.
- Start with Great Northern beans that have soaked overnight, and drain them. In a large soup pot over moderate heat, cook the bacon for about 7 minutes, stirring until crisp and browned. Drain it, keeping the cooked bacon and rendered fat in separate containers.
- Heat the olive oil in the soup pot over moderate heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Stir occasionally as they soften, about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon rosemary. Cook for about 2 minutes, until aromatic.
- Pour in the chicken stock and add the drained beans along with 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to moderately low heat. Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are tender.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and 1 teaspoon rosemary, then season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle into shallow bowls and scatter the reserved crisp bacon over each serving.
Recipe Notes
Reserve the rendered bacon fat and measure 3 tablespoons into the soup; use the cooked bacon as the serving garnish.
The source lists 30 minutes active time and 2 hours total. Overnight bean soaking is an additional advance preparation step; no separate exact prep/cook split is supplied.
From Justin’s kitchen
Amazing soup!