Bean and Bacon Soup
Recipe: https://recipestripper.com/recipes/6c52c8d9-1558-4aa7-ba39-e08f14b55d8d
Original source: https://www.plainchicken.com/bean-and-bacon-soup/
Recipe image: https://www.plainchicken.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/bean-and-bacon-soup-2.jpg

Homemade Bean and Bacon Soup Recipe  - a homemade version of a childhood favorite soup! Super simple to make with pantry staples! Packed with hearty beans, savory bacon, and aromatic spices, this soup is a delicious and satisfying meal for any occasion. Serve it with crusty bread or a side salad for a complete and cozy dinner that's sure to please the whole family.
Yield: 8
Prep time: PT10M
Cook time: PT30M
Total time: PT40M

Ingredients
- 4 (15.8-oz) cans Great Northern Beans, (drained and rinsed)
- 4 cups unsalted chicken broth
- 1 -lb bacon
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 2 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes
- 2  bay leaves
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups water

Instructions
1. Cook bacon until crisp in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon from the pot and drain on a paper towel. Reserve one to two tablespoons of bacon grease.
2. Add chopped celery and carrots to the pot and cook until they are tender. Add chicken stock, 3 cans of beans, onion flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, bay leaves, tomato paste, and water to the pot. Stir well. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
3. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
4. Remove half of the soup from the pot. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup remaining in the Dutch oven.
5. Add the other half of the soup back to the pot. Stir in cooked bacon and one can of white beans. Cook until warm. Garnish with parsley and crumbled bacon.