Bean and Bacon (and NO Bacon) Soup

Posted: January 31, 2011 | Author: onewomaninaricefield | Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment »

After returning from our Sedona Study Day on Saturday (in which we hiked around with all our books in our bookbags SAYING we were looking for a good place to study but never actually getting anything done) we were both really ravenous. We’d eaten brunch before leaving that morning and had decided not to eat lunch in Sedona because we wanted to save money and didn’t pack a lunch because we wanted to save time and get there faster. So I started in on making a soup while Jake heated up some of the pizza we’d made the night previously (picture of the pizza posted here, recipe not posted because we’ve already done that). My goal for the soup was a protein boost. My thoughts turned to the Campbell’s Bean & Bacon soup that my dad would often eat for lunch on Saturdays and that I eventually learned to love. But I am a vegetarian. And Jake is not. So I ended up taking 2 small saucepans and making 2 pots of soup. One vegetarian and one not. I give you both recipes below.

Bean and Bacon Soup
1/2 onion
1 carrot
4 strips bacon, diced
a little extra bacon fat (saved from previous fryings)
3 tablespoons flour
1 can pinto beans, 1/2 cup liquid reserved, the rest drained
3 cups water (or however much you want)
1 beef boullion cube
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Fry diced bacon in a medium saucepan for 3 minutes. Add in onion and carrot. And a little extra bacon fat. Saute till tender.
2. Add in flour and stir, 2 minutes.
3. Add in pinto beans and reserved liquid. Cook 4 minutes.
4. Add in water and beef boullion cube. Cook and stir 5-7 minutes.
5. Add in garlic powder, salt and black pepper to taste.
6. Let the soup simmer till the broth has thickened. Serve immediately with a chunk of french bread (Jake’s recommendation).

Bean and NO-Bacon Soup
1/2 onion
1 carrot
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 can pinto beans, 1/2 cup liquid reserved, the rest drained
vegetable boullion
3 cups water (or however much you want)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion and carrot and saute 5-7 minutes or till tender.
2. Add in the flour and stir, 2 minutes.
3. Add in the pinto beans and reserved liquid. Cook 4 minutes.
4. Add in water and vegetable boullion. Cook 5 minutes.
5. Add in garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
6. Let the soup cook till it has thickened to your desired consistency.

**You could also potentially use the fake soy-based bacon in this soup too, though it was delicious without it.**

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