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Bacon and Bean Soup is thick, rich, and smoky, and perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner. It’s easy to make, full of flavor, and always a crowd pleaser!
Folks, you need this creamy bacon and bean soup in your life – this bean soup recipe is pure comfort food! And if you want some more, be sure to check out our other favorite soups, like Tortellini Soup, White Bean Sausage and Kale Soup, and Homemade Chicken Soup.
Why We Love Bacon and Bean Soup
- Bacon. It’s got a ton of bacon in it, and the bacon adds a rich smoky flavor.
- It’s so easy to make. There are simple, everyday ingredients, and it’s ready in about an hour.
- Freezer friendly – Because it’s non-dairy, it freezes beautifully.
Ingredients Needed for Bacon and Bean Soup
- Bacon – About 10-12 ounces. Cook over high heat in a skillet until crispy, then drain on paper towels before dicing into small pieces.
- Vegetables – Yellow onion, celery, carrots, garlic cloves.
- Beans – 2 cans of Great Northern white beans, drained well.
- Chicken broth or chicken stock
- Bay leaf
- Tomato sauce – a small can of tomato sauce that can be substituted with a tablespoon of tomato paste.
How to Make Bacon and Bean Soup
I love how easy and cozy this soup is. It doesn’t take a ton of effort and the flavor results are magical!
I made this recipe using canned beans. If that’s not your thing, grab some dried great Northern beans and cover them with water to soak overnight. Drain the dry beans and then add them to the soup per the recipe. I’m a convenience girl sometimes and the canned beans cut out some serious prep time.
- Start by cooking your bacon until it’s crispy. Here’s a great pro tip for you – when a recipe calls for crumbled bacon, just use kitchen shears to cut the raw bacon right into the hot skillet. No need to cut or crumble after it’s cooked!
- Save a little bit of the bacon grease and add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, sauteing until soft.
- Add 2 cans of drained great northern beans, chicken broth, and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the soup and let it simmer away. Chicken stock works too.
- Simmer the bean soup for about an hour so the beans and veggies get nice and soft.
- Remove the bay leaf and use an immersion blender (or a regular blender) to blend the soup and make it nice and thick. Add some tomato sauce for a little acidic note, then stir in the cooked bacon. Be sure to save some bacon to garnish your servings!
FAQs
There’s also the matter of how much broth to use. I generally like my bean soups on the thick side, that being said I opted to use 3 cups of broth for this recipe. The soup came out runnier than I normally like, but everything was still delicious! If you like your soup thick too, add 2 cups of broth and proceed as directed.
This soup is seriously smoky and salty so you’ll want to add some mild, lighter sides. I usually serve bean soup with a copycat Olive Garden Salad, Wedge Salad, or a Caesar Salad and some crusty bread for dipping. Or if you’re my husband you’ll just add a big handful of crackers.
Variations
- Add a splash of Liquid Smoke for an even smokier taste.
- I always top each bowl of soup with some crumbled bacon, but top with fresh parsley for added color.
- If you don’t have Great Northern beans, you can swap in some Cannellini beans. I always seem to have those on hand and they are interchangeable in your soup.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Your bean soup will last about 4-5 days in the fridge if stored properly in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Let your soup cool, then pour it into a freezer bag or container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and heat on the stovetop.
More Soup Recipes to Try:
- Smoky Vegetable Beef Soup
- Hearty Chicken Soup
- Hamburger Soup
- Easy Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Bacon & Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 2 garlic cloves
- 45 ounces canned Great Northern beans drained
- 32 ounces chicken broth more or less to thin or thicken
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
- Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic to the bacon grease. Cook for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the beans and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Add the bay leaf.
- Increase heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the bay leaf from the soup, Transfer the soup to a blender, food processor, or grab your immersion blender. Carefully pulse the soup until your desired consistency is reached. (I like the beans broken down, but not completely smooth.)
- Return the soup to the pot (unless you used your immersion blender) and add the tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Add ½ of the bacon back into the soup, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Portion soup into serving bowls and garnish with remaining bacon. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Refrigerator: Your bean soup will last about 4-5 days in the fridge if stored properly in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Let your soup cool, then pour it into a freezer bag or container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and heat on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
This was an instant success with my family. I also like that this was a smaller amount, just right for us. Just to note, I let the veggies cook about 10 minutes to release that really golden color of the carrot. I used a mixture of chicken and beef stock ( half and half), and I always use way more bay leaf ( five this time, totally worth it).
Oh my goodness- this soup is so, so delicious! One of my new favorites for sure.
Thank you Dede!
I have not made it yet but it looks really good
I have made this a few times. This is outstanding!! So simple, but the flavors are delicious!! Very hearty.
Awesome feedback Stacy! Thanks for stopping by.
I am always searching for good soup recipes and boy did I hit the jackpot with this one! The texture is amazing. The taste is delicious. Presentation is gorgeous. I will be making this again real soon! Thank you for having this recipe for all to enjoy. I’m going to be searching for more of your soup recipes now! I’m in New York and it’s been getting chilly out. Definitely need hot soup to warm my belly!
You are so welcome Nicole! Thank you for the awesome comment.
Bought an immersion blender for this. Loved the taste and texture.
Thanks for stopping by to share Barbara.
Very easy but very tasty too. I had to do some substitutions though. I could not find the correct beans so used white kidney beans. Only used 5 slices of bacon but added 3/4 teaspoonful of liquid smoke. Great smoky flavour. And in Canada a tetra pack of low sodium chicken broth, no added salt but did use pepper. Also used one table spoon of tomato paste instead of sauce. Excellent!
Love the feedback Sue! Thanks for stopping by.
This soup was AMAZING!! I made it 2 times last week because my husband and sons absolutely loved this recipe. Super easy and Delicious!!
Awesome feedback Stacy! Thanks for stopping by.
Easy to make. So much smoky flavor!!! It also gave me a reason to use my immersion blender. Will definitely make it again! 🥰
Love your feedback Cella! Thanks for stopping by.
I followed this recipe exactly the way it’s written. I’m one of those girls. Hahaha! It was absolutely perfect. Every bite had me ooooo-ing and ahhh-ing. I shared it with a dear friend who absolutely loved it too. Excited to try more of your soups!! If the rest are as good as this one my belly will be VERY happy! Thank you!
You are so welcome Nicole! Thank you so much for sharing the love with others.
I just made this for my husband and I and it was delicious! I have always liked Campbell’s Bean with Bacon soup and this recipe has all those flavors but better because it’s homemade. You are my recipe guru, your recipes never disappoint!
Nice! Thank you for the awesome feedback Toshi!
OMG!! This has absolutely got to be the BEST bean soup ever! Kristen, I have been making this bean soup from your recipe probably since you first posted it and my entire family is addicted to it. I have 3 children and 7 grandchildren who are constantly requesting it! Just taught my oldest granddaughter how to make it. Thanks for a great recipe that is now one of my family’s favorites. We love most of your recipes. Please keep them coming!! Thanks 😊
You are sow welcome Janet! Thanks for the fantastic feedback and for sharing the love.
Hi there, I was just wondering if the tomato sauce needed in this recipe is tomato ketchup or a can of fresh tomato sauce? Thank you!
Hi! The recipe calls for tomato sauce in a can.
Turned out great! Didn’t want to thaw bacon so I used saved refrigerated bacon grease and bacon bits. Ran out of bay leaf and used about 1 Tblsp Costco No salt seasoning and that worked perfectly.
Awesome feedback Robin! Thanks for stopping by.
K.
I am from South Africa. What can I use for the beans. Thank you rencia2808@outlook.com
Hi Rencia, It’s a bean soup, so it’s going to be tough to come up with a good substitute. Chickpeas maybe?
I happen to have dry beans, how much do I use?
a 15-ounce can of beans equals about a half cup of dry beans. So for the two cans you’d use a cup of dry. Keep in mind that you’ll need to soak the beans overnight and the cooking process and need to cook them quite a bit longer.
Delicious! Might add a pinch of cayenne pepper and a little smoked salt.
Awesome feedback Christine! Thanks for stopping by.
My entire family, including my three young kids, love this soup. I am not a very good cook, and it is easy to make. I am making it today for the third time!
Sounds like winner! Thank you for your awesome feedback.
I made the soup and it was good but to salty. I didn’t put any salt at all in it just pepper. Only used 6 slices of low sodium bacon.
Even low sodium bacon can be pretty salty. Also, salt is a personal preference so the flavor can be different for everyone.
I don’t have celery,so can I use celery seed and how much?
You can just leave it out.
Are great northern beans a navy bean?
Yes, they are.
Good quick soup with few ingredients.
Glad I found your recipe. This is the easiest and quickest way to make this soup. Less ingredients also. I’ll be using navy beans and some carrots.
I was going to buy tomato paste. I see you used tomato sauce which I have 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe.
You are so welcome Andrea, thank you so much for taking the time to leave some positive feedback.
Thank you for this fast easy recipe!
I used bacon ends and pieces, so I took about a half a cup and browned them. I added my own saved bacon grease because there wasn’t enough. Then I threw in my mire poix, and added a little more onion. I also threw in 3 minced crimini mushrooms. When everything had browned a little and all the water from onions and mushrooms was gone I stirred in two teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves), bay leaves and stirred until it was fragrant. Added in 1 jar of drained/rinsed cannelini beans, gave it a stir and then added in a jar of chicken bone broth. Gave it a stir and brought it to a boil. Then added in about a cup of homemade refried beans (leftovers) and stirred them in. Gave it a taste and added salt and pepper. I then minced the “bacon” and added it to the pot. Brought it to a boil and put it into my Saratoga Jack Thermal cooker, and in the top I put in some long grain rice to cook.
We are taking this camping and dinner will be ready after camp is set up. Feel free to ask me about the thermal cooker, it is a great way to save energy and take your meals with you.
Please explain or post a photo of the bean you are using.
Here is a link to the beans on Amazon. Hope this helps! https://amzn.to/2PxBuJC
Fabulous quick, easy recipe! We use Morningstar Farms veggie bacon. It was wonderful with it. Freezes beautifully. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re so welcome Andrea! thank you so much for stopping by!
What brand of tomato sauce do you use?
I don’t have a particular brand, I will usually buy what’s on sale or the store brand. I haven’t found that it makes a difference.
Make this soup and you’ll never eat it out of a can again. Great hearty soup for a winter day.
I’m curious if anyone has tried freezing this soup. I’m single, but love to make soup. I typically eat one portion and free the remainder as single servings.
Yes – it freezes beautifully!
I hadn’t gotten groceries in a while and was running out of things to make for dinner. I found this recipe and it worked out great. I used one can pinto beans because I only had one can of white beans and added a few tablespoons of brown sugar as a personal preference for a bit of sweet in everything I eat. I didn’t blend it either, I used a potato masher instead. Not sure how much it affects the consistency. Delicious anyway!
Hi Tiffany, I love that you were able to make it work for you!
My husband and I really like this comfort soup. I only use 5 slices of bacon, and add an extra half carrot and half celery stock and it tastes great! I’ve made it 3 times in the past month. Thank you Kristen!
Hi Julie, So happy that you and your family loved this recipe!
Campbell’s Bean with Bacon has been a favourite of mine since childhood – this was better! I used a bit less bacon (trying to be somewhat health conscious) and it was still very tasty and hearty!
Thank you Jodi! and thank you for sharing your positive feedback!
Do I have to blend it?
You don’t have to, it’s a personal choice.
How much is 12 slices of bacon by weight (approximately)?
Depends on the brand you buy, but 12 slices is roughly 3/4 of a pound.
I rarely leave reviews but this soup was SO yummy. I made it without the Bay leaf and it was still excellent. Thank you for this recipe!
Uh Oh. I am making this soup now (12:41pm) and am not serving it until 5pm. I noticed it says to serve immediately. What is the harm in letting it rest on the stove for a while?
Thanks!
I’m sure it will be ok. Can you keep it warm? Most things are best served immediately but won’t be harmed in waiting.
I am 67 and have bean soup for many years. This is the best I’ve ever made! Thank you!
Thank you Mary! glad you liked it.
This is crazy easy, cheap and so good. And I like that it makes a smaller amount of soup than a lot of recipes, but is easily doubled if you want.
Thank you Jennifer!
Such a simple, flavorful soup! I skipped the blending and doubled the recipe. My family loved it! Definitely going in my go to board. Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you Monique! So happy that you and your family loved this recipe!
This is a fantastic soup. One my whole family can enjoy. Thank you 🙂
Thank You Wendy!
I am from England. What type of beans are these please?
This is an example of the Great Northern Beans – https://amzn.to/2DyuOEo
They are a soft white bean, a little smaller than kidney beans.
You can use navy beans also.
I never post, but after making this soup, I had to. This soup is outstanding. My wife called it the best soup I’ve made, and I make a lot of soups.
Thanks Brad,
So happy that you and your family loved this recipe!
Thank you for stopping by!
How many does this recipe feed
It will feed 4-6 people.