Ingredients
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1 pound dried Great Northern beans, sorted and rinsed
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4 cups water
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¼ cup celery, chopped
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1 small onion, chopped
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2 bay leaves
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¼ teaspoon ground cumin
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½ teaspoon garlic powder
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1 teaspoon dried parsley
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1 tablespoon butter
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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2 leeks (bulb only), cut in half lengthwise
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1 pound cooked ham, cut into bite-size pieces
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5 slices bacon
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4 cups chicken stock
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1 pinch sea salt to taste
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1 pinch fresh ground black pepper to taste
Directions
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Place the beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain and rinse before using.
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Combine the soaked beans, 4 cups of water, celery, onion, bay leaves, cumin, garlic powder, and parsley into a slow cooker.
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Melt the butter with the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the leeks in the butter mixture until tender and the smaller pieces start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the leeks to the slow cooker. In the same pan, cook and stir the ham until the edges start to brown; stir into the soup. Place the bacon into the hot skillet, and pan-fry until the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Cut the bacon into bite-size pieces and stir into the soup. Pour the chicken stock into the hot skillet, and stir to dissolve any brown flavor bits from the skillet; pour the chicken stock into the soup. Season with sea salt and pepper.
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Set the cooker to Low cook the soup until the beans are very tender, 6 to 8 hours. Roughly mash about half the beans with a potato masher to thicken the soup.
Cook’s Note
Feel free to play with the seasoning amounts to fit your personal choice. Of course, it can be cooked on the stove top for a shorter period of time. I find that the little extra effort of stir-frying the leeks, ham, and bacon brings a richness to this dish and is more than worth it.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
459 | Calories |
22g | Fat |
40g | Carbs |
26g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
Calories 459 | |
% Daily Value * | |
Total Fat 22g | 29% |
Saturated Fat 8g | 39% |
Cholesterol 48mg | 16% |
Sodium 945mg | 41% |
Total Carbohydrate 40g | 15% |
Dietary Fiber 12g | 44% |
Total Sugars 3g | |
Protein 26g | 51% |
Vitamin C 26mg | 29% |
Calcium 128mg | 10% |
Iron 5mg | 26% |
Potassium 1071mg | 23% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.