This is my creation of a Lima/Navy bean soup. After years of practice and trying many variations, I like this one the best. It's a dinner by itself and so good.
I received a honey-sliced ham for a Christmas gift, using the bone for this recipe. I also diced a cup or more of extra ham to add to the soup. This is a terrifically hearty soup, with a wonderfully complex flavor. I thought so many ingredients might be gratuitous, but the flavor was so good, I'd be afraid to leave anything out when I prepare it again. Yes, with so many ingredients, you will be in the kitchen for awhile. And the beans do take a long time to cook. Still, it's all worth it when your family keeps going back for seconds and thirds. As another reviewer mentioned, I found myself adding water as the soup continued to thicken. To retain the flavor, in adding so much water, I also added another teaspoon of chicken bouillon. Adding water did not hurt the flavor. My grocer did not have fresh chives, so I used dried. That's the only substitution I made. Don't think twice about making this one! Just do it!
Read MoreI hate to be the lone dissenter, but I thought this was only okay, and some of the ingredients (which might make the recipe look intimidating to some) were completely unneccesary and actually detracted from the soup's flavor, specifically the sausage and the fresh herbs. In the interest of economy, I recommend using whatever herbs you have on hand that are in the recipe (only less if dried). If I made this again, I would omit the sausage, too, and add either ham flavoring or extra ham because my family likes the flavor.
Read MoreI hate to be the lone dissenter, but I thought this was only okay, and some of the ingredients (which might make the recipe look intimidating to some) were completely unneccesary and actually detracted from the soup's flavor, specifically the sausage and the fresh herbs. In the interest of economy, I recommend using whatever herbs you have on hand that are in the recipe (only less if dried). If I made this again, I would omit the sausage, too, and add either ham flavoring or extra ham because my family likes the flavor.
I received a honey-sliced ham for a Christmas gift, using the bone for this recipe. I also diced a cup or more of extra ham to add to the soup. This is a terrifically hearty soup, with a wonderfully complex flavor. I thought so many ingredients might be gratuitous, but the flavor was so good, I'd be afraid to leave anything out when I prepare it again. Yes, with so many ingredients, you will be in the kitchen for awhile. And the beans do take a long time to cook. Still, it's all worth it when your family keeps going back for seconds and thirds. As another reviewer mentioned, I found myself adding water as the soup continued to thicken. To retain the flavor, in adding so much water, I also added another teaspoon of chicken bouillon. Adding water did not hurt the flavor. My grocer did not have fresh chives, so I used dried. That's the only substitution I made. Don't think twice about making this one! Just do it!
You CANNOT mess up this recipe! First soup from scratch I ever made, and I was snowed in, so I didn't have several of the ingredients. I substituted cooked fresh tomato and extra paste for the canned tomatoes, lentils for the lima beans, extra white onion for the green onions and chives, and all dried spices instead of fresh. Still phenomenal!
This is hands down the best bean soup I've ever had in my life. The flavor and blend of spices is amazing. I didn't use the green onions, just used extra white onions per another user review. I also used dry spices since I didn't have fresh spices on-hand. Phenomenal!! My husband agrees that this is "a keeper"!
Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I prefer the standard navy bean soup to put my ham bone to use. I thought I'd try something different this time... big mistake. This had way too much going on - as well as many unnecessary ingredients (like green onions). The flavors were much too strong.
I don't understand all the praise. I thought that the recipe was needlessly complicated, and all the extra spices didn't add up to a superior soup.
Great spice combination, very flexible. I wanted to use up some left-over ham, and didn't have time to run to the store to get more ingrediants to really follow the recipe, so I really butchered it. Essentially, I used a reasonable amount of the dried versions of the spices with three cans of beans (pinto, black-eyed peas, and kidney) instead of dried navy & lima beans, used sparkling apple cider instead of beer, used extra ham instead of Italian sausage, and left out the Worchestshire sauce, chives, and celery because I didn't have any on hand. I also threw in a green pepper for some color. The spices came out perfect even without measuring, and the cayenne added a great kick - my spice-loving fiance was thrilled! Next time I'll try hard apple cider, and more of it (don't usually have beer on hand). Sticking with the canned beans, too - much faster, the whole meal cooked in about an hour including prep.
This was one of the best I have ever had. I made a double batch, You need a very very large pan to mix the ingredients. I used a cut up picnic ham cubed with the fat removed, instead of ham hocks. I Pulled two gallons out of the mixture and froze them before I started the main cooking process. The remaining mixture had to be cooked in a electric roaster. It was the only thing that was still large enough to cook it all. After the famaly ate all we wanted, I took it to work and 10 men were able to have a bowl full. All I heard all afternoon was that bean soup was really good, (along with all the reporting from the hind end). A few wanted the recipie for deer camps. By the way, I cooked it for several hours in that roaster at 350 degrees, and there was not one burnt spot on the bottom of the pan. I'll try the roaster thing for chilli, and others that tend to burn on the bottom of the pan.
I thought this made a great soup! I did modify it quite a bit though. I didn't want to wait five hours for it to cook! I used 3 cans of great northern beans instead of the dried package, and I used one package of frozen lima beans. This cut cooking time down to about an hour. I also used about a pound of italian sausage since that was the smallest package I could find. I tried some Italian style stewed tomatoes which also added some flavor, and I substituted chicken broth for water and cut down to 1 tablespoon chicken base. It turned out to be excellent! This was my first chance to use my new food processor from Christmas, did that ever make this soup a snap!
This is a terrific hearty soup - especially with a leftover ham bone from a previous evenings dinner. I forgot to add the worcestershire and it still came out great! My 4 yr. old daughter loves it too! The cayenne really gives it bite, so if you are not one to crave spice, cut back to 1/2 tsp or less; the soup still has great flavor.
OMG Whup-Butt Soup...The Perfect Morning After Remedy...I Even left out the Sausage, Tomato Products, Mustard Seed, Worcestershire Sauce, Thyme, and Cayenne Pepper....But I did add more Ham Chunks, and a can of Guinness Draught instead of just Regular Beer...Best Recipe On this Site, I Have Tried Hands-Down...My Compliments to Marilyn G. U Rock Girl.......
I've been lurking Allrecipes for a while, but must come out of the closet to say how much I love this soup! I used dashes of tabasco instead of cayenne, and the kick I got over the complex flavours was fabulous! One suggestion: to control fat and salt, I blanched my meats (cold water to cover, bring to boil and simmer for 5 min) and did not need to skim off fat before serving (I used a hunk of cottage roll instead of ham as that is what I had available). The sausages were firmed up by blanching, and I cut them into round slices without taking the casing to brown. Sausage slices bobbbed up in the broth enticingly. It was like heavenly Cassoulet in a bowl!
I found that when following this recipe it is best to soak both the navy and lima beans as per suggested on the package to soften them prior to adding to soup; otherwise the soup must cook much longer than the recipe calls for to soften the beans adequately.
I made this on a day where I had barely any grocery's in the house. Therefore only used Navy beans (canned), Onions, Ham, Tomato Sauce, Cayenne, Worcestershire. I had a Jiffy Cornbread mix in the pantry and made that in my iron skillet. the bread turned out flat and thin so I used it as a base and put the soup/sauce over it. It was sooo good and sooo easy! I'm definately writing this one down to remember.
Yummy recipe!!! I added a few slices of jamoniberico de bellota also known as iberico ham or patanegra thinly cut. This Spanish ham has a strong and delicious flavor, therefore you do not need much, only 50 grams or 1.8 OZ for four people which I sprinkle once the soup is already served. You can find jamonibericoat BuyJamon.com BuyJamon.com the market place for iberico ham.
My husband and I loved this recipe. I put this in the slower cooker in the morning and it was ready by dinner time that night. I added beef stock to mine approx 4 cups in addition to a cup of water. I also left out the sausage and used 4 ham hocks. I used tomatoe paste and 2 cans of stewed tomatoes, but I think this was a little much. Next time I think I'm going to use 1/2 that. I also don't like things spicey, so I left out anything with some kick, but you can pick and choose what fits your taste.
WONDERFUL SPICE AND HERB FLAVOUR!!!I WENT WITH WHAT I HAD ON HAND, AND IT STILL TURNED OUT GREAT! I BROWNED REGULAR SAUSAGE IN BEANO'S SUB DRESSING & GARLIC, USED CANNELLINI (DRIED) & BLACK BEANS (CANNED AND ADDED IN LAST HOUR OF COOKING), DRIED PEPPER FLAKES INSTEAD OF CAYENNE AND PROGRESSO HEARTY TOMATO SOUP (OUT OF CANNED TOMATOES, AGAIN!). INSTEAD OF CHICKEN BULLION OR BROTH, I USED FROZEN DUCK BROTH,,,NO FAT AND I DIDN'T NEED SALT! I REALLY ENJOYED PICKING ALL THE HERBS FRESH FROM MY HERB GARDENS! I USED THAI BASIL INSTEAD OF REGULAR AND TOSSED IN SOME OREGANO, TOO. BEFORE SERVING, I ADDED CHUNKS OF PEPPERJACK AND COLBY. GOOEY GOODNESS! INSTEAD, I GUESS I SHOULD CALL IT "SPICY SAUSAGE AND WHITE AND BLACK BEAN SOUP", BUT WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, IT'S STILL AWESOME!!!
This soup is wonderful..it's on the top of the list of favorites for my whole family. I only left out the worceshire sauce, and it was still wonderful. I love all the fresh spices in the soup so tasty. I would highly recommend this one!
Excellent soup. Followed directions and made a huge pot of thick, hearty and tasty soup.
This is a fabulous,full bodied, flavorful soup. We served it New Years day to our friends and it was well recieved. We didn't change a thing. We worried about the tomato paste, but it added rich color and flavor.My compliments to Marilyn G. for putting this on line. lal667
Perhaps I shouldn't review this since I didn't use all the ingredients, but I will since my husband's comment was, 'You really outdid yourself with this soup!' I had soaked large lima beans overnight and was looking for a recipe. To the beans I added 28 oz. Italian-style tomatoes, all the vegetables (except green onions), the dried herbs (including dried basil and chives), less than 1/2 t. cayenne, and a little chopped ham (no navy beans, sausage, beer, tomato paste, bouillon, or Worcestershire). Simmered about an hour. Really tasty, easy, and healthy.
Tasted great! Couldn't find any chives so I added a little more green onion.
Very good, I got a little carried away with the flat Italian parsley, but i never measure, just chop and throw it in the pot. Husband really enjoyed this soup, lots of good flavor, will definitely fix again. The recipe doesn't really specify, but some of the less experienced cooks may not know to pre-soak the beans. I used the quick soak method instead of overnite and they turned out great!
Fantastic Soup - did not change a thing. Loved the complexity of flavors and the heartiness of the soup.
Everyone in my family enjoyed this soup. I would suggest making a lot and freezing it to eat later because the prep time takes a while. Worth every minute though.
Put the beans covered in water,bring to boil, boil 10 minutes, leave covered and sit for an hour.Tenderizes your bean and cuts cooking time in half.
Great, nutritious and hearty soup. I use lean turkey Italian sausage and two large cans of fat-free chicken broth instead of the water and bouillion powder. The beans really absorb liquid!
A good, hearty soup. The flavour was fantastic, even though i didn't have the sausage to put in. I used cooked ham left over from Christmas dinner instead of the ham bone, and that worked fine. Next time, for convience's sake, I may use canned beans, but the dried ones worked well too. I gave this to my brother ( a college student) to fatten him up, and he loved it.
Every year my husband begs for bean soup. I have not found a recipe that I like. The search is over! This was THE BEST! Well worth the trip to the store for fresh herbs. It made enough to share at work and the comment was "Tastes like restaraunt". Thanks, I will be making this again and again!
This soup is great. I love the hardiness of it. I made a batch up and froze it in order to take it to Moose Camp. Boy was it wonderful after a day of hunting.
I was really excited to make this recipe, but after 8 hours (!) of cooking, at least 1/3 of the beans were undercooked. Not sure what I did wrong, though, the instructions were unclear about whether the pot should have a lid. I opted to let it cook uncovered, and I found myself adding water regularly. Maybe the beans just didn't have enough water. Also, the recipe was pretty spicy, even with mild/sweet Italian sausage. Very salty, too. (It's if the recipe almost has TOO much flavor.) Fell somewhat flat at our family dinner table. Won't do again.
I love the taste as well as the eye appeal of this fantastic dish. Seeing it reminded me of a time long past but not forgotten. Taste is worth more stars!
This is without a doubt the best recipe! So much flavor! My family of seven loved it and I have a few picky eaters! We had 2 extra kids here who are very picky eaters, they eat boxed food only, and they loved it!! I omitted the stewed tomatoes and tomatoe paste. Did everything else the same and like I said it was the the bomb!! ;) Thank you for sharing your recipe.
The BEST I ever tasted-Can wait to make for company Wonderful winter soup---THANKS
EXCELLENT! I cooked pasta which only some of us added, also had with buttered bread. Flavor explosion! We ALL loved this soup and believe me 2 out of 5 of us are very picky!!
Oh WOW! This was amazing as is but thought it would even better if I added a little diced pumpkin to the pot and 'YUMMERS'. The beer gives this recipe it's wonderful flavour. Great with biscuits :) Thank you... I'm adding this to my faves!!!
FABULOUS I DOUBLED IT AND IT WAS STILL GONE IN TWO DAYS I WANT TO MAKE A HAM JUST TO GET THE SOUP!
I left out the sausage and the worchestershire sauce. Doubled the recipe and used 3 lbs. of boneless smoked ham hocks. Served about 30 people and the majority declared it the best bean soup they ever ate. My husband says it's a keeper and he always said my bean soup was the best!
This is a pretty good recipe--we just used the sausages and omitted the ham. Especially good with a little cheese or sour cream on top.
I really enjoyed this soup and I believe it's the spices that make it all worth it! I modified according to the ingredients I had on hand, but the possibilites are endless with this recipe.... and it was awesome! I will definitely make it again.
This soup was excellent, especially after simmering for 7 hours and letting the flavors meld overnight. I made several changes. I left out the sausage, the tomato paste and the basil, and halved the cayenne pepper. I used cranberry beans instead of dried lima beans and soaked the cranberry and navy beans for more than 24 hours prior to cooking. I put in 12 cups of water and just over 1 cup of tomato juice in at the beginning of the recipe, let the soup simmer partially covered, and did not need to add more liquid to the soup. The chicken soup base was added to taste at the end as I was not sure how much salt the ham hocks would add. A pound of ham cut into bits was added at the end of cooking, as was the meat from the ham hocks. Topped with fresh chives, this soup was hearty and very tasty.
Didn't use sausage, green onions or fresh herbs. Just took a guess at how much dried herbs to add. Used canned northern beans instead of dry beans. Cut the cayenne in half as others suggested (definitely glad I did!). Turned out great, boyfriend said it's a keeper!!
I made it on 1/11/15, per directions except I had no fresh basil and used dried, and used ham hocks that unfortunately had little ham. It was wonderful. This is a keeper! Thank you, Marilyn G!
This was fantastic! I tried to stick to the original recipe, but forgot to buy Worcestershire Sauce and the store was out of green onions so I skipped both of those. I also did not add a beer because I felt like I had added too much water to begin with and didn't want more liquid. I used dry basil instead of fresh, but otherwise I stuck to the recipe. For me, making soup is an all day event. It needs to simmer for hours for all the spices and flavors to develop. And when you cook it for several hours, you do not have the problem of under cooked beans that I read about in other reviews. I used the full teaspoon of the cayenne and it created a wonderful heat but was not too spicy. I used to use the 15 bean soup package with my leftover Christmas ham, but this recipe is far superior to that and has elevated soup to a whole new level! I love that it contains so many fresh spices and ingredients. It was incredibly delicious and has been added to my list of favorites! Thank you for this great recipe!
This is time consuming, but far better than your average bean soup. Best I have had yet! Really never much cared for it until I made this homemade recipe myself!
Being short on time, I also used canned beans, Great Northern and Cannellini, along with the liquid they came in - adds creaminess. Also, best to add the fresh herbs at the end after the heat is turned off, so as to preserve their flavor. Wonderful combination of flavors. I really like this soup!
It turned out very tasty. I loved it. I didn't have a few ingredients, however it was still very hearty and delicious.
Wonderful!!!! I did add a hamhock as well as cubed ham and sausage and I used dried basil and chives. Other than that I followed the recipe word for word. I simmered it for 6 hours adding water as needed. This is the best pork and bean soup I have ever eaten. Some reviewers said it called for too many ingredients. Not so! It was perfect and I wouldn't leave a thing out.UPDATE: I did find that my Lima beans stayed too firm. I researched this and found that cooking Lima beans with tomatoes and other high acid food can prevent them from absorbing water and cause them to stay too firm no matter how long you cook them. I will precook my limas prior to adding them to the soup next time or pair the Navy beans with a different bean. I had presoaked them for 24 hours so I knew that wasn't the problem. I still maintain that the flavor of this soup is out of this world.
Very nice, but I may have used a can of beer that was little larger than what the writer of the recipe had in mind!
Very yummy and hearty soup. Should have paid attention to review about soaking beans to lesson cooking time. Will make again!
Made this yesterday, even though the temperatures in Southwest AZ are in the hundreds! I did not use the sausage but did use a ham bone and some chopped ham left from our Easter ham. I also used dried basil in place of the fresh. I will make this again. Very tasty!
