Name: Soup Beans
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 1 pound pinto, yellow-eyed or other dried beans, sorted and rinsed (2 1/2 cups); 12 cups water; 8 ounces finely diced ham, (about 1 1/2 cups); 1 medium onion, peeled; 1 clove garlic, peeled; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Soup Beans

4.2

(5)

3 Reviews

Soup beans speak instant comfort to anyone who has familial connections from Appalachia, where every garden produced shelling beans that could be eaten fresh or grown to maturity for dry beans.

By Sarah Fritschner

Updated on September 20, 2023

Reviewed by Dietitian

Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Tested by

EatingWell Test Kitchen

Nutrition Notes

Are Pinto Beans Healthy?

Like other legumes, pinto beans are packed with protein, fiber and folate. They also have minerals and other essential nutrients, including antioxidants. Pinto beans are especially high in the antioxidant kaempferol, which has been shown to calm inflammation in the body. And while pinto beans do contain carbs, they are digested and absorbed slowly—and don't spike blood sugar. For this reason, they are considered a low-glycemic food.

Can I Eat This If I Have Diabetes?

This recipe meets most of our guidelines for diabetes-appropriate recipes for entrees. It is slightly above our sodium allowance, but you could reduce the amount of added salt or ham if desired.

Tips from the Test Kitchen

What Types of Beans Should I Use?

Pinto beans are traditionally used for this dish, but you can also use yellow-eyed beans, great northern beans, navy beans, butter beans or black-eyed peas.

Should I Soak Dried Beans before Cooking?

Although we don't soak the dried beans for this recipe, soaking dried beans before cooking cuts down on the total cooking time. To soak overnight, place the dried beans in a large bowl with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Soak for at least 8 hours, then drain and rinse before cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Are They Called Soup Beans?

Soup beans are an Appalachian bean dish traditionally made with pinto beans, but can be made with any type of dried beans. This thick, stew-like meal is typically served as a main dish with cornbread, greens, pickled vegetable relish and diced sweet onion.

What's the Difference between Soup Beans and Bean Soup?

The differences lie in the ingredients and the texture. Soup beans are beans that are slowly simmered in water for a couple of hours until they're soft and tender. The beans are flavored with ham, onion and garlic. A portion of the beans are mashed and returned to the pot to create a thick and creamy texture. Bean soups are broth-based and the beans are typically left whole and cooked with a variety of ingredients, although some recipes use a similar method as soup beans for a creamy texture.

Additional reporting by Carrie Myers and Jan Valdez

Ingredients

1 pound pinto, yellow-eyed or other dried beans, sorted and rinsed (2 1/2 cups)
12 cups water
8 ounces finely diced ham, (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, peeled
1 clove garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions

Place beans, water, ham, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender and beginning to burst, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If necessary, add an additional 1/2 to 1 cup water while simmering to keep the beans just submerged in cooking liquid.
Remove from the heat; discard the onion and garlic. Transfer 2 cups of the beans to a medium bowl and coarsely mash with a fork or potato masher. Return the mashed beans to the pot; stir to combine.

Equipment

Large Dutch oven

To make ahead

Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Originally appeared: EatingWell Magazine, Soup Cookbook

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

226	Calories
2g	Fat
35g	Carbs
18g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Serving Size 3/4 cup
Calories 226
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 35g	13%
Dietary Fiber 12g	43%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 18g	35%
Total Fat 2g	3%
Saturated Fat 1g	3%
Cholesterol 13mg	4%
Vitamin A 25IU	1%
Vitamin C 10mg	11%
Folate 230mcg	58%
Sodium 517mg	22%
Calcium 75mg	6%
Iron 3mg	17%
Magnesium 76mg	18%
Potassium 682mg	15%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.