White Bean Soup

You've seen bread bowls at restaurants and other places and wondered how can I do that. Well its really quite simple and it is impressive to serve this Herbed White Bean Soup in a bread bowl. Best of all kids love bread bowls and you'll find them eating more when you serve your soups , dips and etc from bread bowls.

You can usually find small round loaves of sourdough bread at grocery stores and you can make the perfect bread bowls from this type of bread.

Use a serrated knife to cut the tops off of your bread bowls and then hallow the bowl out leaving your walls at least 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Brush your bread bowls inside and out with melted margarine and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown on the inside. Remove from heat and set aside.

When you get ready to serve your Herbed White Bean Soup serve a bread bowl for each person setting on a plate. Fill your bread bowls 2/3 of the way full with the bean soup and watch the expression on your guests faces when they see this soup served in bread bowls It is so delicious this way.

Other Ways To Jazz Up Your Herbed White Bean Soup

Some people like to fry Kielbasa Sausage in a skillet and add a few slices in the bottom of each bread bowl before you add the bean soup to the bread bowls. You want to slice your Kielbasa Sausage in thin slices and fry in a skillet until brown on both sides. 

You can add a can of crushed tomatoes to the soup in the last 30 minutes of cooking time for what is called School House Beans. The tomatoes give the beans a wonderful flavor that is oh so good.

A lot of people think of white beans as being boring but not me. I try my best to kick the plain recipes up a notch or two to make them into delicious tasty treats that anyone will love. And I guarantee you that this recipe for Herbed White Bean Soup produces a white bean soup that is nothing short of addictive.

And we have kicked this herbed white bean soup up with a delicious concoction of spices that will have you wanting more white bean soup in your future and you may even find your kids asking for more of this delicious Herbed White Bean Soup.

Your Stock Pot For Cooking Beans

If your going to be making and cooking a lot of beans and soups your going to want a heavy duty stock pot with a lid. If at all possible you want to purchase one that is stick resistant and before cooking beans or soup in your stock pot you will want to spray your stock pot well with non stick vegetable spray. This will help to prevent your beans or soup from sticking and will also make cleaning up your pots much easier.

For Your Herbed White Bean Soup You Will Need

1. 1 Pound of Navy Beans

2. 4 Cups of Chicken Stock

3. 4 Cups of Water

4. 1 Cup Of Country Ham diced fine. Be sure to wash the ham very well before dicing.

5. 1/2 Cup Of Fine Chopped Carrots

6. 1/2 Cup Fine Chopped Purple Onion

7. 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Garlic

8. 1 Teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper

9. 3 Tablespoons Dried Parsley

10. 2 Teaspoons Ground Sage

11. 1 Teaspoon Salt

12. 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

13. 1 Teaspoon Ground or Crushed Rosemary

14. 1 Teaspoon Sweet Basil

15. 2 Small Potatoes Peeled And Diced Fine

Before you make these delicious white beans your going to want to soak your white beans covered with water overnight. This will make your beans so much easier to cook and will improve the flavor.

After soaking your white beans overnight spray your stock pot very well with a good vegetable cooking spray and then drain your white beans of the water they have been soaking in and add them and all your ingredients to the stock pot except the potatoes.

You will want to cook your beans about three hours or until you know your beans are done. Now you want to cook your potatoes in enough water to cover them and as soon as they are done mash them very well. In the last 30 minutes of cooking time add your mashed potatoes to your beans and stir up well. You won't believe how much flavor and texture the potatoes give to the white bean soup.

This White Bean Soup freezes well. Save it in quart freezer cartons and you will have a quick meal you can thaw out and have ready in a hurry.

If you really want to impress family and friends serve this white bean soup in a bread bowl. Kids will eat this soup out of bread bowls and beg for more. See the instructions for making bread bowls above right.

Comments

Let us hear your comments , tips , and suggestions about this delicious Herbed Bean Soup. Please let us hear from you.