It is a hearty, filling bean soup, but quick and extremely easy!
- Carbohydrate 4.22193 g
- Cholesterol 17.534 mg
- Fat 5.73073 g
- Fiber 1.45360000872612 g
- Protein 3.9113225 g
- Saturated Fat 3.2674045 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (45g)
- Sodium 218.5935 mg
- Sugar 2.76832999127388 g
- Trans Fat 0.420132999999999 g
- Calories 83 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the can of navy beans and the can of great northern beans in a medium to large pot.
- Add 1 cup of water and blend well.
- Now, take a potato masher (or fork or spoon) and mash the bean and water mixture until it is mushy.
- Place it over low heat on the stove top.
- Next melt 1/2 stick of butter in a small to medium skillet.
- Add 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1 chopped carrot to the melted margarine.
- Place the skillet on the stove top and saute until the onion is clear.
- Combine the sauteed onion and carrot with the bean mixture.
- Add a 5 oz. can of tender chunk ham.
- Cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Serve with Southern Cornbread Sticks or Cornbread.
- This is great on a cold day--very warm and filling!
While traditional French cassoulet requires hours of slow baking and meticulous layering, this rustic variation relies on rapid stovetop assembly and mechanical thickening. Mashing a portion of the navy and Great Northern legumes directly with water releases their internal starches into the liquid, creating a thick base without needing flour or heavy cream. Sautéing the chopped onions and carrots in butter softens their cellular walls and releases natural sugars, which then interact with the savory amino acids in the canned ham during the simmer.
- Substitute smoked bacon or salt pork for the canned ham at a one-to-one ratio by weight, rendering the fat first before sweating the vegetables.
- Cook the mixture over low heat for exactly 10 minutes to allow the flavors to marry without scorching the legume starches at the bottom of the pot.
- Watch for the onions to turn translucent and the carrots to lose their rigid crunch during the skillet phase.
- Store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to four days, adding a splash of water when reheating because the starches will continue to absorb liquid.
- Use a standard potato masher rather than an immersion blender to retain some whole legume texture while achieving the desired thickness.
Adjusting the dairy fat by swapping butter for olive oil will noticeably alter the mouthfeel and reduce the saturated fat content. Simmering this mixture on the stove transforms simple pantry staples into a satisfying meal.
