I prepared this bean soup with smoked meat over a weekend, at the insistence of my family. It's not something I often made at home, nor did I see it at my parents', but I decided to try it out of curiosity. In the end, it turned out well, and the process is quite simple if you take the time for the whole boiling beans phase. It's the kind of soup that you can leave on low heat without any hassle while you attend to other chores around the house.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2.5 hours
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Actual cooking time: 2-2.5 hours (depending on how quickly the beans boil)
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: traditional meat soup, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
500 g beans
2 onions
1 carrot
1 small celery
1 bell pepper
1 jar of tomatoes in sauce
1 tablespoon of pepper paste
300 g smoked meat (smoked sausages, bacon, or whatever you have on hand)
4 tablespoons of oil
1 liter of sauerkraut juice
Salt
1 sprig of dried thyme
Lovage (preferably fresh, if you have it)
Preparation method
1. Clean the beans, wash them well, and boil them in cold water for 30-40 minutes.
2. After it comes to a boil, drain the water, rinse the beans under cold running water, and put them back to boil in hot water. Cover the pot and let it simmer.
3. While the beans are boiling, prepare the vegetables: peel the onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper, then chop them finely. The root vegetables can also be grated if you prefer.
4. When the beans start boiling again, add the prepared vegetables. Let everything simmer with the lid on until the beans are almost done.
5. Cut the smoked meat into suitable pieces. Lightly fry it in oil in a pan. Keep the oil, as you will add it along with the meat to the soup.
6. When the beans are cooked, add the tomatoes in sauce, the pepper paste, and the fried smoked meat along with the oil to the pot.
7. Let it boil together for another 5-10 minutes.
8. Sour the soup with the sauerkraut juice to taste.
9. Adjust the salt at the end, if needed, because the sauerkraut juice and smoked meat are already salty.
10. Finally, add a sprig of thyme and chopped lovage. Turn off the heat.
11. It can be served hot or cold, as you prefer.
Why I make this recipe often
It's a hearty and filling soup, especially good when you have smoked meat to use. It keeps well in the fridge and tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld. There are no complicated steps, and the ingredients are easy to procure.
Tips and Variations
Tips
The beans cook faster if soaked overnight, but this recipe doesn't mention that, so I skipped that part. If you have a pressure cooker, you can speed up the cooking of the beans.
If you use fattier smoked meat, you can reduce the amount of oil for frying.
Substitutions
Fresh vegetables can be replaced with jarred vegetables if you don't feel like peeling and chopping. You can also use canned tomatoes if you don't have a jar of tomatoes in sauce.
The smoked meat can be whatever you have on hand: bacon, sausage, smoked ham; the important thing is that it is already cooked/smoked, not raw.
Variations
If you don't want sauerkraut juice, you can use sour borscht, but the taste will be different.
It can also be made without smoked meat if you need a vegetarian version, but then the flavor profile will be different.
Lovage makes a difference at the end, but you can also use fresh parsley if that's what you have at home.
Serving Ideas
I prefer it warm, but it's also good cold, especially in summer. It can be served with red onion on the side. If you like, add some hot pepper.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use another type of bean?
Yes, any type of beans works. The large white ones are most commonly used, but there are no strict rules.
2. If I don't have sauerkraut juice, what can I use to sour it?
You can use homemade borscht or even a bit of lemon juice at the end, but the final taste will be different.
3. Is it necessary to fry the smoked meat?
It's not mandatory, but frying it in oil enhances the flavor and adds a nice taste to the soup.
4. Can I put jarred vegetables instead of fresh ones?
Yes, it's a quick solution, especially in winter.
5. How long should I boil the beans?
It depends on the variety, but generally, in a regular pot, it takes between 1 and 1.5 hours. It's done when it easily breaks apart between your fingers.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, per average serving:
Calories: 350-400 kcal
Proteins: 15-20 g
Carbohydrates: 40-50 g
Fats: 15-20 g
Values vary depending on the type of smoked meat and the amount of oil used. The sauerkraut juice does not add calories but is salty, so be careful with the seasoning.
Storage and Reheating
The soup keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat it on the stove over low heat. If left too long, the beans tend to disintegrate, but the taste remains good. I do not recommend freezing it, as the texture of the beans suffers.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2.5 hours
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Actual cooking time: 2-2.5 hours (depending on how quickly the beans boil)
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: traditional meat soup, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
500 g beans
2 onions
1 carrot
1 small celery
1 bell pepper
1 jar of tomatoes in sauce
1 tablespoon of pepper paste
300 g smoked meat (smoked sausages, bacon, or whatever you have on hand)
4 tablespoons of oil
1 liter of sauerkraut juice
Salt
1 sprig of dried thyme
Lovage (preferably fresh, if you have it)
Preparation method
1. Clean the beans, wash them well, and boil them in cold water for 30-40 minutes.
2. After it comes to a boil, drain the water, rinse the beans under cold running water, and put them back to boil in hot water. Cover the pot and let it simmer.
3. While the beans are boiling, prepare the vegetables: peel the onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper, then chop them finely. The root vegetables can also be grated if you prefer.
4. When the beans start boiling again, add the prepared vegetables. Let everything simmer with the lid on until the beans are almost done.
5. Cut the smoked meat into suitable pieces. Lightly fry it in oil in a pan. Keep the oil, as you will add it along with the meat to the soup.
6. When the beans are cooked, add the tomatoes in sauce, the pepper paste, and the fried smoked meat along with the oil to the pot.
7. Let it boil together for another 5-10 minutes.
8. Sour the soup with the sauerkraut juice to taste.
9. Adjust the salt at the end, if needed, because the sauerkraut juice and smoked meat are already salty.
10. Finally, add a sprig of thyme and chopped lovage. Turn off the heat.
11. It can be served hot or cold, as you prefer.
Why I make this recipe often
It's a hearty and filling soup, especially good when you have smoked meat to use. It keeps well in the fridge and tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld. There are no complicated steps, and the ingredients are easy to procure.
Tips and Variations
Tips
The beans cook faster if soaked overnight, but this recipe doesn't mention that, so I skipped that part. If you have a pressure cooker, you can speed up the cooking of the beans.
If you use fattier smoked meat, you can reduce the amount of oil for frying.
Substitutions
Fresh vegetables can be replaced with jarred vegetables if you don't feel like peeling and chopping. You can also use canned tomatoes if you don't have a jar of tomatoes in sauce.
The smoked meat can be whatever you have on hand: bacon, sausage, smoked ham; the important thing is that it is already cooked/smoked, not raw.
Variations
If you don't want sauerkraut juice, you can use sour borscht, but the taste will be different.
It can also be made without smoked meat if you need a vegetarian version, but then the flavor profile will be different.
Lovage makes a difference at the end, but you can also use fresh parsley if that's what you have at home.
Serving Ideas
I prefer it warm, but it's also good cold, especially in summer. It can be served with red onion on the side. If you like, add some hot pepper.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use another type of bean?
Yes, any type of beans works. The large white ones are most commonly used, but there are no strict rules.
2. If I don't have sauerkraut juice, what can I use to sour it?
You can use homemade borscht or even a bit of lemon juice at the end, but the final taste will be different.
3. Is it necessary to fry the smoked meat?
It's not mandatory, but frying it in oil enhances the flavor and adds a nice taste to the soup.
4. Can I put jarred vegetables instead of fresh ones?
Yes, it's a quick solution, especially in winter.
5. How long should I boil the beans?
It depends on the variety, but generally, in a regular pot, it takes between 1 and 1.5 hours. It's done when it easily breaks apart between your fingers.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, per average serving:
Calories: 350-400 kcal
Proteins: 15-20 g
Carbohydrates: 40-50 g
Fats: 15-20 g
Values vary depending on the type of smoked meat and the amount of oil used. The sauerkraut juice does not add calories but is salty, so be careful with the seasoning.
Storage and Reheating
The soup keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat it on the stove over low heat. If left too long, the beans tend to disintegrate, but the taste remains good. I do not recommend freezing it, as the texture of the beans suffers.