Bean and Bacon Soup

Published August 30, 2016. Updated December 2, 2018

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Warm and hearty Bean and Bacon Soup to brighten up those chilly days! It’s made with simple ingredients and it’s way better than canned! Plus it doesn’t have any mysterious ingredients, you can name everything here.

Bean and Bacon Soup in a white serving bowl set over a white plate. Soup is topped with mozzarella, bacon and parsley and served with a side of saltine crackers.

Bean and Bacon Soup

There aren’t many canned soups out there that I’ll buy but the one that I’ve always bought is Campbell’s Bean and Bacon Soup. My mom bought it so I grew up eating it and therefor it’s one of those foods I just crave (that and a pack of ramen noodles).

Well I finally decided it was due time to try making it a home and I’m so glad I finally did because of course this homemade Bean and Bacon Soup is so much better then the canned stuff!

It’s so easy to make, it’s incredibly hearty and filling and it has such a delicious flavor!

Bean and Bacon Soup in a large white pot.

One thing I really love about this soup is that it uses ingredients I always have on hand.

I keep bacon in the freezer and those basic veggies – carrots, celery, onions and garlic are staples, and canned beans are a pantry must so I’m sure this will be a go to soup for me this upcoming fall and winter.

Close up image of a ladle filled with bean and bacon soup.

Serve it with Mozzarella or String Cheese

Oh and let’s not forget the string cheese. It may likely be the first time you’ve seen a soup recipe that lists string cheese as an ingredient but don’t knock it until you try it.

My sister got me hooked on it with the canned stuff (as well as adding a fair amount of pepper) and now I think it’s a must! Mozzarella works fine too though if that’s what you keep on hand. Either way try it soon and don’t leave off the cheese!

Overhead image of bean and bacon soup in a large pot.

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5 from 12 votes

Bean and Bacon Soup

Warm and hearty Bean and Bacon Soup to brighten up those chilly days! It's made with simple ingredients and it's way better than canned! Plus it doesn't have any mysterious ingredients, you can name everything here.
Servings: 5
Prep15 minutes
Cook45 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cook bacon in a large enameled cast iron pot until browned and crisp, transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, while leaving 2 Tbsp rendered bacon drippings in pan. 
  • Heat drippings over medium-high heat and add onions, carrots and celery. Saute 4 minutes then add garlic and saute 2 minutes longer.
  • Add in chicken broth, tomato paste, sugar, thyme and beans. 
  • Stir in 3/4 of the cooked bacon, while reserving remainder in a small resealable bag in refrigerator until ready to use. 
  • Season soup with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft, about 30 minutes. 
  • Transfer 2 1/2 cups of the soup to a blender, cover with lid (while removing lids center insert and holding a folded kitchen towel over blender) blend until smooth. 
  • Stir pureed mixture back into soup. Serve warm topped with shredded cheese and parsley. Thin soup with more broth or water if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Bean and Bacon Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 558 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 50mg17%
Sodium 1624mg71%
Potassium 1534mg44%
Carbohydrates 69g23%
Fiber 15g63%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 6880IU138%
Vitamin C 11.4mg14%
Calcium 320mg32%
Iron 6.4mg36%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

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82 Comments

  • Janell

    Can you substitute dried thyme and how much? Also, can this be done in the crock pot and would that require any modifications? Thanks!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Yes dried thyme could be used I’d use a heaping 1/2 tsp. And it should work well in a crock pot as well. It would probably take about 9 – 11 hours on low or 5 – 6 on high.

  • Corrie

    I made this tonight and we loved it! This will be a keeper for cold days. Super tasty and easy. Thanks for sharing!

  • Jessie

    Seriously my FAVORTE soup.

    But I have a question- the nutritional section lists 500ish calories per serving… but how big did you make the serving?

    Thanks!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Sorry I don’t know how many cups there are in total but you can measure it out using a large liquid measuring cup and divide by servings listed.

  • Drea

    I’ve been looking for a good copy of bacon bean soup this will be my go to recipe.

  • Renée

    Made this tonight. It’s supposed to be Spring, but in MN right now we are having a winter weather advisory. This was hands down the best soup! I only had vegetable broth, so used it instead if the chicken broth. My picky husband even liked it! I’ll be making this again and again. Thank you!

  • Linda

    Meant to ask before, does this tast anything like (horrors) Campbells Bean w/Bacon?

  • Dana

    This soup is fabulous! As always, I make changes to recipes to suit our family’s taste. We wanted a meatier soup,something a little more filling. I did use 3 pieces of bacon for flavor but I chopped up and added turkey Polska kielbasa to it. It was a 13 ounce piece. I also don’t use thyme, I use a Tuscan garlic seasoning that I found at Sams. I think you could use whatever seasoning you wanted, I just don’t carry thyme in my pantry. Tomato paste is also something I don’t generally have so I added an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce. I’m sure you can’t go wrong with following the original recipe. And don’t forget to purée some of the soup like the recipe says, it makes it all the difference in the world in the consistency and taste of the soup.