Go Back

Cozy Bean With Bacon Soup Comfort Crockpot Meals

Cold days ask for a warm bowl, and this one never lets me down. I call it my cozy backup plan. Beans simmer low and slow with smoky bacon and sweet onion. The broth turns rich and silky. Each spoonful feels like a blanket and a hug. Comfort Crockpot Meals belongs here. I lean on this when the week looks messy. It fits batch cooking. It fits picky eaters. You dump, you stir, you walk away. It comes back as dinner that tastes like time. It plays nice with bread, a crisp salad, or a simple apple. It checks the box for an easy crockpot soup recipe without stress. You asked me for a bean soup recipe that just works. Here it is. I use great northern beans recipe crockpot as my base note and add soft carrots and celery. Friends who want Bean Meals love it. Meat lovers reach for beef vegetable soup recipe crockpot on other days, and we still keep a pot of Broccoli Soup Crockpot for greens. This one sits in the middle and keeps the peace.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 20 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keywords: bacon and bean soup, Bean Meals, bean soup recipe, beef vegetable soup recipe crockpot, Broccoli Soup Crockpot, Comfort Crockpot Meals, easy crockpot soup recipes, great northern beans recipe crockpot, slow cooker soup
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Linda

Ingredients

For the Soup

  • 8 ounces thick cut bacon chopped
  • 1 pound dry great northern beans rinsed and picked over
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 2 celery ribs chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 6 cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil optional if bacon is very lean

For Serving

  • Fresh parsley chopped
  • Lemon wedges
  • Crusty bread

Instructions

Prep

  1. Soak beans overnight in cool water to cover by two inches then drain. Quick soak works too if needed.
  2. Pat bacon dry and chop. Chop onion carrots and celery. Mince garlic.

Cook

  1. Set a skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon until crisp. Spoon off extra fat if needed.
  2. Move bacon to the slow cooker. Add beans onion carrots celery garlic broth bay leaf thyme salt and pepper.
  3. Cover and cook on low for six to eight hours until beans are tender.
  4. Fish out the bay leaf. Taste and add salt and pepper.

Finish

  1. For a creamier bowl mash a cup of beans against the pot wall then stir.
  2. Ladle into bowls. Top with parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with bread.

Notes

No soak method works. Add one extra cup of broth and cook on low eight to ten hours. Use smoked turkey in place of bacon if you like. Stir in a splash of apple cider vinegar at the end to brighten the flavor. Leftovers keep in the fridge for four days. The soup freezes well for two months.