15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil by 2sistersrecipes.com

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil is a rich, flavorful vegetable broth with a variety of creamy beans, pancetta, and lots of fresh basil.  Topped with pecorino cheese shavings, every sip of this soup is creamy, comforting, and absolutely delicious!  This is a perfectly hearty and filling meal for those meatless nights with a ton of flavor!

The cooler weather and the soup season is here, and what better way to make a new and hearty delicious soup like this one!

For this recipe, you will need ONE package of dried 15 Bean Soup mix, a few fresh vegetables, fresh basil, a package of chopped pancetta, and vegetable broth.

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil by 2sistersrecipes.com

This 15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil is very easy to make.

While the soup simmers, the beans will practically melt and the broth will thicken.

The rich broth and beans will slowly soak up the flavors of the pancetta and fresh basil, creating a wonderful aromatic and savory mix.

Trust me, it’s SO good, and SO tasty!! …You’ll want to keep this recipe on rotation.

Ingredients for 15 Bean Soup: ( your shopping list) …plus links to Amazon.

a photo of the package of the 15 bean soup by 2sistersrecipes.com

The package of 15 Bean Soup contains a variety of dried beans, peas, and lentils.

Plus, inside every package comes with a seasoning packet of ham flavoring, but I didn’t use it.  I prefer to flavoring my broth with natural ingredients, such as fresh herbs, seasonings, and real bacon.

Easy Steps to Make this 15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil! 

Step 1.  First, place the beans into a pot filled with water and allow them to soak for about 6 to 8 hours.  You can do this overnight or in the early morning.  For quicker results, you can also boil the beans in the water on the stovetop for at least 1 hour.

Step 2.  Next, saute and cook the pancetta, onions, and garlic together until the pancetta is fully cooked and crispy.

Step 3.  Then, discard the water used for soaking or boiling.  Drain, rinse and drain again those gorgeous beans under cold running water.

beans are being rinsed under running water. by 2sistersrecipes.com

4.  Then add the beans into the pancetta mixture along with fresh clean water and vegetable broth and simmer for one hour.  After an hour, the tomatoes, chili powder, and lots of fresh basil go in.

5.  Here is where you can toss in one Parmigiano-Reggiano rind.  Simmer the soup for an additional 20 minutes.  Then serve with a few shavings of pecorino cheese on top.

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil by 2sistersrecipes.com

The key flavors in my soup are the Italian pancetta and fresh basil.  Pancetta is definitely the one ingredient that made a huge difference in flavor!

So don’t leave it out.  Best of all, it comes already chopped, which is a time-saver.

Plus, the addition of fresh basil always enhances the flavor of any broth, and adding it to this creamy bean soup worked beautifully!

photo of the package of chopped pancetta by 2sistersrecipes.com

My family noticed the smoky flavors from bacon and said it gave this soup the “wow” factor!

That’s not all!

If you follow 2SR then you’ll know I like to toss in 1 Parmesan cheese rind just before the soup finishes simmering for additional flavor!

The parmesan rind will melt into the broth while it helps thicken the broth, making it richer, creamier, and more flavorful.

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil with crackers around the bowl. by 2sistersrecipes.com

Cook’s Notes and Tips:

  • Most gourmet shops will sell the Parmesan cheese rinds in their gourmet cheese section. If you don’t see any, you can ask someone behind the counter.

  • Also, I like to save my Parmesan rinds in the freezer.  This way I always have them on hand and ready to use in soups, stews, and even sauces for extra flavor.  You only need to remember to fish out and discard the rind before serving.

  • *Important TIP:  the water used for soaking the beans or boiling, is discarded.  And fresh clean water is used in the soup to make the broth.

  • I also prefer to stock my freezer with packages of chopped pancetta.  Keep in mind, if you don’t have pancetta, you can flavor this 15 Bean Soup with ham, ham hocks, or even smoked sausage.

  • You can make this soup in your  Cuisinart Slow Cooker or even with your new Instant Pot.  And lastly, this soup freezes perfectly.

  • For convenience, if you’re lucky to live nearby a Whole Foods market, and they deliver, you can order all the ingredients needed for this soup and have them delivered right to your door.

This 15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil turned out so good and so satisfying, you don’t need to serve it with anything else, except maybe some thin crackers or crusty bread.

ENJOY!!

  … Thanks for Pinning! 

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil by 2sistersrecipes.com

Finally, More Delicious BEAN SOUPS for you!

Yield: 12 to 14

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil is a delicious bean soup loaded with a variety of 15 different dried beans, and simmered with pancetta, onions, garlic, tomatoes and fresh basil into a rich and flavorful soup. Then topped with pecorino cheese shavings to give it a punch more flavor.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 bag (20 ounce) Hurst's 15 Bean Soup
  • 1 Tbsp. organic olive oil
  • 4 ounces chopped pancetta
  • 1 large onion- diced
  • 1 large garlic clove- minced
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 can (14.5ounce) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil
  • 1 rind (about 2-inch piece) of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • fresh cracked pepper to taste
  • shavings of pecorino cheese

Instructions

  1. Place beans into a large bowl or pot and add 8 cups of water. Allow beans to soak for 6 to 8 hours. After soaking, drain and give the beans a quick rinse under cold water. Set aside.
  2. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and add pancetta, onions and garlic. Cook until the pancetta is fully cooked, occasionally stirring, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the rinsed beans, water and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer (with a low boil) covered for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
  4. After 1 hour, add the tomatoes, chili powder, salt and fresh basil and stir to blend into the soup. Toss in one Parmesan rind. Cover and continue to simmer for additional 15 to 20 minutes. The soup should be thick and creamy. Turn off heat. Season with fresh cracked pepper to taste.
  5. Discard the Parmesan rind before serving. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with fresh chopped basil or parsley and top with shavings of pecorino cheese. Serve warm.
  6. Serves 12 to 14

That’s it friends…  If you have any questions, ask away!

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HAPPY COOKING!  🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

Anna and Liz

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14 Comments

  1. I had a package of 9 bean soup mix, no seasoning packet, so this recipe was perfect for me. I am making it right now in my instant pot.

    1. Hi that is so great! Welcome and thanks for visiting our blog. Please let us know how the soup turns out – it happens to be our favorite!

  2. Thank you for another wonderful sounding soup recipe! Though I’ve never seen those packets of mixed beans over here!

    1. Thank you Sandra! If you can’t find the mixed beans, I provided a link on this page under “the ingredients you will need” and it’s linked to Amazon where you can get them.

  3. We are too! The cold weather is hitting the entire east coast as well. I think will make a pot of soup this weekend! Have a great weekend and thank you Sue!

    1. Thank you Caroline! And welcome to our blog- it's so nice to meet you! It is one of those healthy dried bean packages that really make this soup so hearty and filling- you have to try it!

    1. Thanks Sue! Those multi bean packages really make our lives easier. We need to get more of them into our pantry. Have a great weekend.