Recipe Knockoff: Campbell's Bean with Bacon Soup

by Katie

When I was a kid, my absolute favorite soup was Campbell's Bean with Bacon. God, I loved that stuff. A bowl of that reconstituted goodness next to a grilled cheese sandwich on Brownberry wheat bread was my go-to meal if I needed comforting.  (Please do not tell me that Bean with Bacon soup is gross, because you are wrong, and I don't want to have to argue.)

Recently, I've been craving some of the comfort foods of my childhood, including that soup. But I thought that maybe I didn't need to resort to the condensed soup from a can, anymore. Frankly, the sodium alone is alarming. So I decided to try making my own.

And it WORKED. And it was SO DELICIOUS. It had just the flavor I remembered. Also: cheap! And relatively healthy, if you don't think too much about the bacon part! Am soup GENIUS.

Bean with Bacon Soup 

Just like Campbell's used to make, except not from a can.

• 3 cans white beans, rinsed and drained (I used cannelini because it's what I had on hand; navy beans would be even better)
• 4 slices bacon (I used a nice thick cut- if you're using thinner bacon, maybe try 6 slices)
• 1-2 carrots, minced
• 1-2 stalks celery, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1/2 of a small can (approx 2 tbsp) tomato paste
• salt and pepper to taste.

1. In the pan you plan to cook the soup in, fry the bacon on both sides until most of the fat is rendered, but not crispy.

2. Remove the bacon from the pot, leaving the rendered grease behind.  Add the carrots, celery, and onion.  Cook over medium heat, stirring to get up all the bacon-y goodness, until the vegetables are softened, 5-7 minutes.

3. Add the beans, broth, water, and bay leaves.  Partially cover and cook over low heat for a good long while.  (I let it go for a couple of hours- this is a great thing to do on a rainy sunday, because it makes your kitchen smell fantastic.  But I think 30 minutes would do in a pinch.)

4. Chop the bacon in to tiny pieces.  Add chopped bacon and tomato paste to the soup.  Cover again and cook another 20 minutes or so.

5. Just before serving, use an immersion blender to half-puree the soup, leaving some whole beans and chunks intact.  (If you don't have an immersion blender, remove about 2 cups of the soup, puree in a blender, and stir back into the pot.)  Season with salt and pepper to taste (it shouldn't need much; the bacon is salty, so start with a light hand) and serve. 

 

Comments

[Dawn K.]

Whoa. Where can I send you fan mail to? I've known this since childhood as well, and always keep a few cans on hand. As I've tried to move our family toward less processed food, I always felt guilty busting it out. This is absolutely on my weekend meal plan!!!

[amy]

GENIUS. I grew up on this, too. Haven't thought about it in years but now that you've jogged my memory I'll definitely be making this!

[natalie]

Did you read my mind? I just bought a can of Bean & Bacon soup on Monday!

[april]

Yum - I haven't had had that in years!

[Kelly P]

Bean with Bacon soup is not gross, it's AWESOME! I love to have it with a side of Michigan brand small curd cottage cheese. Is that weird? I will definitely be giving this recipe a go. Thanks!

[Jimbeaux]

I searched for this because , like you , I loved this stuff growing up. Problem now is , and maybe even then but didn't know it ,is that they add MSG to it. I'm glad I found your recipe. Thanks for putting this out there !

[Jay Tan]

I really didn't expect my attempt at following this recipe to come so close to the original as your seemed to do. I ended up making a few modifications, like using turkey bacon and tomato sauce instead of tomato paste, as well as throwing in some fakin' bacon bits, as I didnt trust the turkey bacon to have the same smokey flavor, but it really did taste surprisingly close to the Campbells version. And far more guilt free!

Kudos to you for this recipe!! I've already passed it on to a few friends.

Great tip - For those of you with access to Trader Joes markets, get their Mirapoix (chopped onions, carrots, celery) instead of having to dice those veggies yourself! Saves a bunch of time & hassle.

[Samantha Andersen]

This recipe made my hubby the happiest guy at the dinner table. I linked your recipe onto my web page. Thanks for the inspiration!

Here is a link to my post.
http://www.samanthaandersenphotography.com/2012/07/menu-plan-mondaymid-july-slump.html

[Mary Turner]

Just ate a whole can of Bean With Bacon by myself (I am a little 4'11" lady) It's been
a my favoite, but haven't had in in awhile. As I was enjoying it, I thought "Why couldn't I make this from scrath myself". Alread have the incrediants on hand a plan to fix it tomorrow for my hubby. Thanks for sharing.

[RJB]

And dont forget.......want some soup to go with those crackers????? Love the mush package

[Brenda]

I love this soup but can no longer eat the canned version because of the MSG and wheat flour (the small cans have wheat) added to it. I made your recipe today today and let it simmer in the crockpot. I am one happy girl!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Doug]

what size cans of beans ?

[Katie]

Hi Doug-

14.5 ounce cans. Enjoy!

[Doug]

Thanks for posting the recipe - this soup was a childhood favourite !

[Bill Wais]

Thank you for the recipe. I will now be able to enjoy the soup without the sodium.

[Jack]

I LOVE YOU!!!! This is a GREAT recipe. (Followed it exactly the first time, but I've since cut the water down to 1 cup. I also used less than a full can when I did the Campbell's soup.) Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Drena Sheppard]

Yummy! This will be my dinner on Saturday with a side of cornbread wedges made in one of those fancy cast iron skillets. Thanks for the recipe!

[Snow Plow Chef]

I made this recipe making only 1 change... replace the chicken stock with ham stock, which i made from holiday ham bones. Excellent!