Ingredients
- 1 package of Hurst’s® 15 Bean Soup
- 1 pound of diced ham or smoked sausage
- 1 cup of diced onion
- 2 tablespoons of garlic
- 8 cups of chicken broth
- 1 14.5 ounce can of diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 16 ounce bottles of roasted garlic salsa (I use Newman’s Own)
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- Shredded cheese of choice (I use Mexican 4 cheese or taco cheese)
- Scallions
Preparation
Step 1
Other vegetables or rice can be added. A little kale and zucchini or summer squash goes good with this dish. This soup freezes well so you can take half of your batch and freeze it for a quick meal on another cold day.
First, wash the beans and sort through them to make sure no other non-food items are in them. Place the beans in a large pot and cover them with 2 quarts of water. Soak them for about 8 hours.
1. After soaking the beans, drain and cover with the chicken broth. You can use water, vegetable or beef broth instead if you prefer.
2. Add in the diced ham or smoked sausage.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2 1/2 hours.
5. While soup is simmering, sauteed onions and garlic.
6. Add onions and garlic to soup when done.
7. After simmering is done, add in the tomatoes, salsa, lemon juice, garlic powder, and onion powder and let simmer for another 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
8. About 2 minutes before cooking is completed, add the ham packet flavoring that comes in the bean packet and stir.
9. Serve and top each serving with the cheese and scallions to taste.