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Bean and Bacon Soup (canned or dry beans!)

4.69
/5
50 mins
41 Comments
Jump to Recipe Video
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 03/15/2021Updated: 10/04/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Soup in a white two-handled bowl, text overlay reads "homemade bean and bacon soup, rachelcooks.com"
Soup in a white two-handled bowl, text overlay reads "homemade bean and bacon soup, rachelcooks.com"
Soup in a white two-handled bowl, text overlay reads "homemade bean and bacon soup, rachelcooks.com"
Soup in a white two-handled bowl, text overlay reads "homemade bean and bacon soup, rachelcooks.com"

Smoky bacon and creamy white beans are combined in this familiar homestyle bean and bacon soup. So flavorful and easy to make.

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: It’s such a satisfying and delicious soup that reheats well.

How long it takes: 50 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: soup pan, stove, sharp knife, immersion blender
Servings: 6

Bean soup, garnished with bacon, with a wooden handled spoon. Ritz crackers also visible.
Table of Contents
open
  • 1 Recipe Overview
  • 2 About this Bean soup
  • 3 What you need
  • 4 How To Make This Soup
  • 5 FAQs
  • 6 How to make this recipe your own
  • 7 About Dried Kidney Beans
  • 8 Make-Ahead Ideas
  • 9 Storage & Reheating Tips
  • 10 Cooking Tip
  • 11 More soup recipes
  • 12 Get the Recipe: Bean and Bacon Soup (canned or dry beans!)

If you’re a fan of the red and white can of Campbell’s Bean with Bacon soup, you’re gonna love this soup. It tastes similar but so much better!

My mom used to heat up the canned version often for a quick lunch or dinner. It truly was a family favorite. She got the extra large sized can because we ate a lot. She’d say that there’s no reason to pick up expensive fast food when you had a can of bean with bacon soup in the pantry. My sister and I probably would have preferred McDonald’s once in awhile but we really did love that soup. 

Well, let me tell you, homemade bean and bacon soup is very much like the canned but yes, it’s so much better. (Oh, did I say that already?) More bacon flavor, more beans, lots of good veggies, less watery, and just much better tasting. No surprise there, right? 

And bean with bacon soup is easy to make. It freezes well, too, so you can enjoy homemade soup whenever you want it.

If you love bean soup, you might want to try these recipes: 15 Bean Soup, White Bean Soup with Kale and Pancetta, Ground Turkey Soup with Beans & Spinach which is ready in just 20 minutes, or Frijoles Borrachos (Drunken Beans).  Another really popular “bean” soup is this Creamy Queso Chili. I guess chili isn’t really bean soup but the queso chili is loaded with beans and lots of cheesy goodness. It’s super good!

About this Bean soup

The recipe card will show you two different methods for making this soup: quick with canned beans or slower with dry beans. Dry beans are more economical and have a slightly better texture but canned beans are quicker. It’s up to you which one you prefer. The end result is pretty much the same.

I’ll run through the recipe here to get you started, with lots of extra tips.

As always, you’ll find the printable recipe card at the end of the post with complete instructions and nutrition information.

What you need

  • Bacon: We love a thick, center-cut bacon for the most amount of meat with the least amount of fat. Ham will also work, and you won’t need to brown it first.
  • Great Northern Beans: Cooking time will increase if you use dry beans (1 hour and 15 minutes), and you’ll have to plan ahead and soak them overnight. We love the texture and flavor that comes with dried beans, but canned beans also make a great soup and turn this recipe into a perfect weeknight meal, ready in 40 minutes.
  • Vegetables: Onion, celery, carrots, and some tomato paste give this soup so much flavor and provide added nutritional value.
  • Flavor: Flavor is added to this soup with fresh garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. It tastes so similar to the store-bought version! (But better!)
  • Chicken Broth: We always recommend using a salt-free or low-salt chicken broth so that you can control the salt in your final recipe. Bonus points for making homemade chicken broth. You could also use a bone broth.

How To Make This Soup

Begin this easy soup by browning thick cut bacon slices until crisp. Remove the bacon and most of the grease and in the same pan sauté carrots, onions, and celery until they soften a bit. Add garlic and a couple tablespoons of tomato paste, and cook, stirring a minute more.

Add broth, beans, bay leaves, and thyme and simmer the soup. Put half of the bacon back in, too. Reserve some bacon for garnishing the soup, or just put it all in, totally up to you. 

When the beans are tender and the soup is done, remove about half of it and puree it with a stick blender. Stir the pureed soup back into the pan. This step is optional but it does add a nice creamy texture to the soup. Truthfully, you’ll love it either way! If you don’t want to blend the soup, just mash some of it against the side of the pan with a large spoon. Mission accomplished.

Serve bean and bacon soup in a soup bowl or mug, steaming hot, with crackers or bread. It’s pure comfort food, especially on a cold day.

Bean soup on a tray with crackers and fresh thyme.

FAQs

How do you thicken bean soup?

Pureeing half of the beans will make the bean soup thick and creamy. You could also make a cornstarch slurry of cornstarch and broth or water and add a little at a time until the thickness is how you want it.

Will soup thicken as it simmers?

Yes! If you simmer soup without a lid, it will thicken as it cooks.

Bean soup topped with bacon in a white bowl with handles.
Close up view of bean and bacon soup with ritz crackers on a tray.

How to make this recipe your own

  • Make it in your slow cooker with dry great Northern beans. Rinse the beans well, and brown the bacon, then add everything to your crockpot. Cook on low 8 to 9 hours, or on high four to five hours, or until beans are tender. 
  • Use a different type of bean. Red beans, white beans, pinto beans, or black beans all work well. 
  • Replace the bacon with diced ham. You won’t need to brown it.
  • Vegetarian? Omit the bacon and sauté the veggies in olive oil instead. Add a teaspoon or two of smoked paprika, if desired.

About Dried Kidney Beans

Dried kidney beans (and cannellini beans are in the same family) have a toxin called lectin that is normally removed by boiling. Sometimes slow cooking may not achieve the high temperature needed to remove the toxins. According to the USDA, it is recommended that dry kidney beans be boiled at least 30 minutes. Canned beans are fine.

Soup in a white bowl on a wooden tray with crackers and fresh thyme.

Make-Ahead Ideas

To get a start on the soup the night before, soak the beans, and cut up the veggies, storing them in a plastic bag or bowl in the fridge.

Make a big batch of soup and freeze it in individual sized containers for a handy lunch.  

Storage & Reheating Tips

Bean with bacon soup will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to six months.

If the soup is frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge for best results. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.

Cooking Tip

If the soup seems too thick, add a bit of water.

Overhead view of orange colored bean soup topped with crumbled bacon.

More soup recipes

There’s nothing quite like a bowl of delicious and nutritious soup for dinner or lunch. I have tons of soup recipes for you to try. Here’s just a sampling:

  • Instant Pot Tomato Soup — creamy & easy to make!
  • Kabocha Squash Soup
  • Chile Relleno Soup with Chicken
  • Lentil Soup Recipe with Pasta
  • Easy Split Pea Soup Recipe
  • Homemade Vegetable Soup
  • Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
  • Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
  • Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
  • Thai Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles by Once Upon a Chef

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Bean soup topped with bacon in a small white bowl.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Bean and Bacon Soup (canned or dry beans!)

4.69 from 35 votes
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
8 servings
Print Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Smoky bacon and creamy white beans are combined in this familiar homestyle bean and bacon soup. So flavorful and easy to make.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces thick cut bacon, diced
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
  • 1 cup diced carrots (about 2 carrots)
  • 3/4 cup diced celery (about 2 ribs of celery)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups chicken broth, unsalted
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 (15 oz) cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 lb. dry beans, see note)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Instructions

  • In a large heavy bottomed pan, cook the bacon over medium heat. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.
  • Add vegetables to pan and cook until onions are translucent and carrots and celery are beginning to soften, 4-5 minutes.
  • Add garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another minute or until fragrant.
  • Add chicken broth, water, beans, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, and half of bacon. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
  • Remove about half of the soup, and puree the remaining soup using either a hand-held immersion blender or a traditional blender. Stir blended and unblended soup together and add remaining bacon, reserving some to garnish, if desired.

Notes

  • Slow Cooker Directions: Use dry great Northern beans. Rinse the beans well, and brown the bacon, then add everything to your crockpot. Cook on low 8 to 9 hours, or on high four to five hours, or until beans are tender. 
  • Try a different type of bean. Red beans, white beans, pinto beans, or black beans all work well. 
  • Replace the bacon with diced ham. You won’t need to brown it.
  • Vegetarian? Omit the bacon and sauté the veggies in olive oil instead. Add a teaspoon or two of smoked paprika, if desired.
  • For dried beans, soak overnight as directed on package, and increase cook time to 60-75 minutes or until beans are tender.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 158kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 569mg, Potassium: 309mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 2801IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk
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  1. Patricia Oneal says

    February 3, 2023 at 2:12 pm

    5 stars
    Looks so good, I love great northern beans. The canned one has gotten expensive, so I don’t buy it often. I always wondered if there wasn’t a recipe out there for something similar, now I found you! Thanks for this, I’ve just got to buy some dry beans and I’ll have a go.

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      February 5, 2023 at 10:08 pm

      So happy to hear it! We love this recipe.

      Reply
  2. Terri B says

    January 25, 2023 at 10:39 pm

    5 stars
    I also grew up loving CBnB soup! As I started being aware and reading lables I won’t eat/buy processed soup anymore. Had a craving for BnB soup for a long time. I came across your receipe. I never thought I could make this. First time I made it I was very surprised how good it was! Better yet, I froze the soup in silicone soup trays. Let it defrost in fridge and wow just like you said NOT WATERY freezes and tasted great! Awesome receipe THANK YOU Rachel!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      January 26, 2023 at 9:05 pm

      So happy you liked it! Your comment made my day!

      Reply
  3. Nancy says

    January 25, 2023 at 8:31 pm

    5 stars
    This turned out really well! Yum yum! I cooked it on the stovetop old school, and used canned beans. I just read someone else’s comment about liquid smoke. Maybe I’ll add a touch of that for extra goodness?

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      January 26, 2023 at 9:04 pm

      I think that would be delicious!

      Reply
    • Laurie says

      February 3, 2023 at 8:31 pm

      I tried using liquid smoke and ruined my whole pot of soup! If you want to try it…. Put very little, like just a drop or two

      Reply
  4. Nancy says

    January 5, 2023 at 7:17 pm

    5 stars
    This soup is outstanding! I made it with leftover ham instead of bacon and it was so good-even better the second night! Great flavor!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      January 11, 2023 at 8:38 am

      Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it – this is one of my favorites, too.

      Reply
  5. Linda Esquivel says

    December 11, 2022 at 7:01 pm

    5 stars
    The soup is great and super easy

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      December 12, 2022 at 7:58 am

      So glad you like it!

      Reply
  6. Elaine Santangelo says

    November 6, 2022 at 7:36 pm

    5 stars
    Will make this week! Sounds delicious. Thank you so much.

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      November 7, 2022 at 12:32 pm

      I hope you love it!

      Reply
    • Marylou says

      December 2, 2022 at 10:38 am

      5 stars
      Made the soup before absolutely delicious making it today to serve to friends

      Reply
      • Rachel Gurk says

        December 5, 2022 at 7:03 am

        So glad to hear it! Thank you for leaving a review!

        Reply
  7. Helen says

    October 22, 2022 at 5:39 pm

    5 stars
    This is a really great basic bean and bacon recipe, that can be tweaked to your liking. I cook the vegetables low and slow – for 20-30 minutes – to get maximum flavor. I also add half a fresh jalapeno, because we had a million in the garden this year. It adds a certain flavor quotient without a lot of heat.

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      October 26, 2022 at 10:44 am

      So glad you enjoyed it! Love the jalapeño addition!

      Reply
  8. TJ says

    October 21, 2022 at 7:15 pm

    3 stars
    Thanks for the recipe! Soaked the beans then used the slow cooker (it’s easier for me to manage as a wheelchair user) to make ½ a batch. 1st bowl out of the pot was unimpressive. 2nd bowl MUCH BETTER thanks to the overnight magic of the fridge! Does not taste quite like the original but that’s probably on me because of my choice of bacon. The texture, however, is spot on! Still, it seems to be missing something but I haven’t figured out what yet. When I make it again I’ll update my rating and comment.
    (If you have any suggestions for what I may have done wrong, PLEASE let me know.)
    Thanks again

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      October 26, 2022 at 10:42 am

      Hmm, honestly it might just be salt! Canned soup is very salty and we try to keep our recipes slightly more healthy. Try adding a little more salt and seeing how that tastes. :)

      Reply
    • Jodine says

      February 26, 2023 at 3:23 pm

      The missing ingredient is smoked paprika! Elevates the flavours so much!

      Reply
      • Rachel Gurk says

        March 2, 2023 at 8:01 am

        That would be definitely be a yummy addition!

        Reply
  9. Cassie says

    October 4, 2022 at 12:39 pm

    4 stars
    This soup is really tasty! It was easy to prepare and cook. I used dry beans, and it definitely took longer than 60-75 minutes. My only complaint is that it definitely doesn’t taste like Campbells’s Bean with Bacon soup. I even added some liquid smoke. I think using ham stock/broth would probably make it taste more like campbells.

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      October 10, 2022 at 4:45 pm

      I’m glad you liked it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. :)

      Reply
    • Peggy says

      January 26, 2023 at 4:40 pm

      Using more carrots makes it taste like campbellls bean with bacon soup

      Reply
  10. Jan says

    August 19, 2022 at 2:49 pm

    5 stars
    A childhood favorite meal. This is so good, made a double batch and put in freezer for this winter.
    Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      August 23, 2022 at 9:15 am

      So glad you enjoyed it! It’s so nostalgic for me too.

      Reply
  11. Sheree says

    March 1, 2022 at 8:41 am

    5 stars
    Excellent, first try & we loved it! I cooked everything in my InstantPot though. For the simmering time I placed my IP on Bean/Chile w/ lid ajar for steam escape to my acquired thickness. Excellent ingredients and instructions. Thank you 2/28/22

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      March 6, 2022 at 9:39 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for leaving a review, it really means a lot to me!

      Reply
  12. Courtney Clark says

    February 22, 2022 at 11:27 am

    So if I’m using a crockpot and dried beans I don’t need to soak the beans first ?

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      February 28, 2022 at 8:17 am

      Correct!

      Reply
  13. Carolyn Rinker says

    August 1, 2021 at 8:40 pm

    Is this recipe cannable?

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      August 2, 2021 at 9:04 pm

      Probably, but I’m not an expert on canning, so I wouldn’t be able to provide insight on how to go about doing it. Sorry!

      Reply
    • Sally Sargent says

      November 9, 2021 at 3:16 pm

      Did the canning work?

      Reply
  14. denise says

    March 16, 2021 at 11:45 pm

    I haven’t had this in a long time, and your recipe sounds delicious!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      March 20, 2021 at 8:13 pm

      We loved creating this one!

      Reply
  15. Leela says

    March 16, 2021 at 5:47 pm

    This is such a tasty recipe. My kids love it, especially with parmesan cheese.

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      March 20, 2021 at 8:13 pm

      So glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!

      Reply
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