Better Than "Bean w'Bacon Soup"

One of my all time favorite soups is Campbell's Bean with Bacon Soup...and since we are trying to eat and live better these days...I have been wanting to find a recipe to make our own version...sans the extra sodium and preservatives.  Then I was really motivated to try making it when I got this recipe for Great Northern Bean Soup in my Swanson Health Products newsletter.  So after adapting the recipe a bit for our taste (we like it creamier and with a little kick ;) here is how I came up with our new favorite soup: Great Northern Bean n'Andouille Sausage Soup

Gather your ingredients:

• 1 cup peeled and chopped organic carrots (or 2 large carrots)
• 1 cup diced yellow onion (or 1 medium onion)
• 2 links all-natural, Andouille Cajun-Style Sausage; diced into small pieces
• 4 cups organic Beef Stock
• 1 Tablespoon organic Roasted Garlic
• 1 teaspoon organic dried Parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon organic Italian Spice Blend
• 1/2-1 teaspoon organic Black Pepper (depending on how much heat your family prefers ;)
• 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 4 cans organic Great Northern Beans (or one bag organic beans soaked overnight and cooked pre-cooked)
• 1 Tablespoon Grapeseed oil

Pour the grapeseed oil into a large stock-pot and bring it up to medium-high heat.  Then add the onions and carrots and reduce the heat to medium and saute the veggies for four to five minutes until the onions are carmelized and the carrots are soft.

While the onions and carrots are cooking, chop up two links of Andouille sausage and add it to the pan and saute for an additional five minutes to release the flavor (a.k.a. fat) from the sausage.

Add in the beef broth, parsley leaves, roasted garlic , Italian seasoning, pepper and salt to the pot and bring it to a boil.  In the meantime...if you are using canned beans...open them up and rinse them really well before adding them to the pot.  Once the pot comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for five minutes.

Now you are ready to blend some of the mixture to make a natural puree that will thicken your soup beautifully!  SImply add a minimum of two cups into a blender or food processor and blend it until smooth.  My blender can handle hot foods with out "exploding"...it helps if hold a towel over the top just to be safe ;}  But to be absolutely sure...simply set aside whatever amount you choose to blend to cool first.  OR keep it really simple...by just blending a fews cans/cups of the beans with some of the beef stock before you add them to the pot...KISS ;}

Since I am on a special diet right now...and I am not suppose to be eating a lot of whole foods and meats...I went ahead and filled my blender with the soup mixture in lieu of the two-cups that the original recipe called for from Swanson Health Products.

Return the pureed mixture to the pot and bring it to a full boil once again and then reduce the heat and cover to simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Oh so yummy...I was amazed at how fast it came together and how flavorful it is...the Andouille Sausage and the black pepper gave it a slight kick...but not so overwhelming that you can't taste the carrots and beans.  This is another classic soup recipe that is going into the family recipe book and I am so happy that I will never have to open up another can of Campbell's...whoo hoo!

Hope you all have a great week and be sure to let me know if you try this recipe...perfect for the cooler weather that is fast approaching ;}

Fondly, Roberta

Comments

[denyse@crazy beautiful life]

Holy Crap...YOU BLOGGED!!! Bean and Bacon is my favorite Campbell's soup as well...Maybe if you cut back on all that spicy food you wouldn't have "issues"...LMAO

[Roberta]

Well actually hot "spicy" foods are good for gallbladder and liver stones so that's why we do a lot of soups as well. I think it is why I've always been drawn to spicy foods and the heat of the South ;}

[Cortney]

Can't wait to try this, heading to the store in a bit and I'll add this to my list!