Homestyle White Bean Soup

A hearty soup of white beans in a bone-based broth, cooked until thickened and silky.

Homestyle White Bean Soup

Serves 4 - 6

This soup was inspired by the white bean soups that my mom used to make. Though I did not use the smoked neck bones that my mother would have, I have included the small alterations in the Recipe Tips Section if you would like to. The soup is simple and mostly hands-off in preparation. My mom would serve a soup like this with cornbread but I’ve paired it with my Caramelized Onion Rolls (recipe here) to add a touch of sweetness. The most important part of the soup is the healthy grinding of black pepper on top which adds a floral heat to this rich hearty soup.

“Recipe Tips:

1. To use smoked meat: cover 685g (1.5 lbs) smoked meat with water by 3 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook covered for about 1 hour or until the meat is tender. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside, pulling the meat from the bones when cool and reserving. Use the cooking liquid in the place of the broth made in the written recipe.”

Ingredients

Broth

685g (1.5 lbs) pork ribs, sliced into manageable sections

2,000ml (10 c) water

2 bay leaves

1 T doenjang

1 T gochujang

4 t dashida or other powdered bullion

1.5 t Worcestershire sauce

0.50 t dried thyme

Soup

454g (1 lb) white beans, soaked overnight

600g (2 large) onion, diced

8 garlic cloves, minced

Recipe Know-how

1.      Place the ribs into a large pot.

• Cover bones with water by 2 inches.

This is not the measured water listed in the recipe.

This step called “blanching” the bones, is to help ensure a cleaner flavored final broth.

• Cover and bring the pot to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes.

• Drain completely and rinse the bones and pot.

• Return the bones to the pot along with the remaining broth ingredients.

• Cover and bring to a boil.

• Reduce to a simmer and cook covered for about 1 hour or until the meat is tender.

• Remove the ribs from the broth. Carefully remove the meat from the ribs and reserve.

• Add the bones back into the pot.

• Add the soup ingredients.

• Simmer for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until the beans are tender.

For a brothy soup serve immediately.

For a thicker soup cook for an additional 30 – 45 minutes or until the beans have begun to break down a little and the broth has thickened. This is how I like to serve this soup.

• Remove and discard bay leaves and rib bones.

• Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

• Add the reserved meat to the soup and cook for 5 minutes longer to reheat the meat.

2.      Serve topping with a healthy grinding of black pepper.