Hearty Bean Soup is perfect for cold, winter nights when comfort food is on the menu. This delightful soup features eight different kinds of beans and is wonderful to serve a crowd since it makes 20 servings. This recipe is especially good for tailgating parties. Add some cornbread and you have a match made in heaven.
2 large crockpots with lids or one huge stock pot with lid
1 extra large skillet to fry beef (if using crockpots)
1 hamburger chopper
1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
1 can opener
measuring cups
measuring spoons
Ingredients
3lbs.chili beefcrumbled
1largeonionchopped
1orange bell pepperdiced (or use any color)
2cloves garlicminced
215-oz. canspetite diced tomatoes with onion, celery and green pepper
15oz. canblack beansrinsed and drained
15oz. cangarbanzo beansrinsed and drained (chickpeas)
15oz. candark red kidney beansrinsed and drained
15oz. cannavy beansrinsed and drained
15oz. canGreat Northern beansrinsed and drained
15oz. can cannellini beansrinsed and drained
15oz. canchili beans
28oz. canmaple bacon baked beans
4oz. candiced green chilies
1tsp.sea salt
3bay leaves
1tbsp.dried parsley
1/2tsp.ground black pepper
1tbsp.Liquid Smoke
1tbsp.Worcestershire sauce
1tbsp.apple cider vinegar
2quartswateror as needed
Instructions
Brown beef in a skillet or very large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat until no longer pink.
Use a hamburger chopper to cut meat down in small pieces while frying.
Drain any grease.
If cooking beef in skillet, transfer to large stock pot.
Add remaining ingredients and cook over low to medium heat for 30-45 minutes, until flavors mingle.
Remove bay leaves and discard before serving.
Notes
NOTE: If you want to cook this recipe in the crockpot, you will need to divide the ingredients between two large crockpots. Brown the beef and divide between two crockpots. Then add all the remaining ingredients placing half of each ingredient in each crockpot. Cook on low about three hours or on high about 1 hour 30 minutes, or until heated through.