This warm and cozy Mixed Bean Soup is the perfect dinner for a cold winter night. It contains 15 different varieties of beans, and is made in one large pot! Served with grilled cheese or cornbread, it makes a comforting dinner that your whole family will enjoy.
Although fall and winter are not my favorite seasons, I do have to admit that cold, rainy days can be quite cozy. Especially if you can stay indoors. If there’s a fire in the fireplace, it’s even better. All snuggly, warm, and secure. The only thing you need to make a dreary day perfect is a great bowl of soup.
My Cozy 15 Bean Soup is the perfect soul-warming remedy for cold temperatures. I love mixing it all together in the pot and letting it simmer. It will have you so warm and cozy that you won’t even think about the weather outside. Did I mention that it’s also absolutely delicious? How could you go wrong?
This old-fashioned mixed bean soup is very simple to make! Now, don’t think that you have to go out and buy a bunch of different types of dried beans. Nope. Just grab a package of mixed dried beans from the grocery store, and you’re good to go.
You’ll find this near the rice and other dried beans. Sometimes it’s labeled as mixed bean soup mix.
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The brand I see most often is called HamBeens. However, there are several other good ones on the market. Bob’s Red Mill has a good one, or you can even order a mix online from the Women’s Bean Project in Colorado and have your money go to a really good cause!
Heck, you can even make your own if you want to! Try this recipe from AllRecipes to put together your own mix.
— This post was originally published on November 27, 2012. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Total Time: 3 Hours, 10 Minute
Servings: 8
Primary Ingredient(s): Mixed dried beans, ham hocks, canned tomatoes, aromatic vegetables
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Made this last new year after having leftover ham, and it is amazing. I’m making it again this week after having some leftover ham (and bone). Thank you for such a great recipe!”
— Monica
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It’s full of flavor and simple to make!
- It’s a one-pot meal with easy clean up!
- Great comfort food in cold weather.
- It makes a large batch and is family-friendly.
Ingredient Notes
This post may contain affiliate links. Lana’s Cooking is reader-supported and earns a tiny commission at no extra cost to you when you shop from our links.
- Mixed bean soup mix – I recommend Hurst’s HamBeens 15 bean soup mix. It’s easy to find and very inexpensive!
- Chicken broth – If you have homemade chicken broth, use it! Otherwise, a good purchased brand such as Swanson is great.
- Smoked ham hocks – You’ll find these in your grocer’s meat case with the other pork products.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
About Ham Hocks
See those gnarly-looking things above? If you’re a southerner, you know exactly what those are. They’re smoked ham hocks and they’re like gold to a southern cook. We use them in pretty much anything that needs some flavoring. Like this soup. A “ham hock” is the lower portion of the ham shank.
However, if you can’t get your hands on any ham hocks, you can also use a leftover ham bone or even smoked turkey wings. If none of those are within your reach, add some sliced smoked sausage for the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Better than nothing 😊.
How to Make Mixed Bean Soup
Soak the Beans
I think the beans are just beautiful! Such a pretty mixture of colors and sizes. Everything from huge dried lima beans to little tiny split peas and lentils.
- Pour all the beans into a soup pot (or a stockpot, a Dutch oven, or other large cooking pot), cover them with water, and let them soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. I usually do them right before bed, and they’re ready to go whenever I want them the next day.
- After the beans have had a nice, long soak, drain off the water and return them to the pot.
- Add 4 cups of water, the chicken broth, and ham hocks. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Pro Tip
One extra step that I do before cooking is to remove the outer skins from the big lima beans and discard them. They’re usually floating on top of the water so they’re easy to find. You don’t have to do that, but it makes for a nicer finished soup. Just a little quirk of mine.
Finish the Soup
- Add all the remaining ingredients except lemon juice. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes or more until all the vegetables and beans are tender. Note: You can also remove the ham hocks at this point and add some sliced kielbasa or other sausage to the pot for the final cooking time.
- Just before serving, add the lemon juice.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
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Recipe Tips
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot. This soup simmers for several hours, so choose a pot that distributes heat evenly and won’t scorch on the bottom. A Dutch oven is ideal.
- Don’t skip the lemon juice. That squeeze of lemon juice at the end may seem small, but it brightens the entire pot of soup.
- Taste and adjust as you go. Ham hocks and broth can vary in saltiness. Taste before adding salt and again before serving to make sure everything is balanced.
- Watch the liquid level. Dry beans are thirsty. If your soup gets too thick while simmering, stir in a little water or broth. Keep it just loose enough to be spoonable.
How to Serve
This soup is a meal in itself, but it also pairs well with homey sides. Try it with:
Add a side of pickled vegetables or a green salad to round it out.
Storing Leftovers
Like many soups and stews, this one is even better when it sits overnight. Leftovers should be cooled completely and stored in a sealed, air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or larger portions in a pot on the stove at medium-low heat until lightly simmering.
To freeze, transfer the cooled soup into a freezer-safe container. Be sure to label the container with the contents and the date it was cooked. Keeps for about 3 months in the freezer. To reheat, thaw it completely in the fridge, then heat it in a pot on the stovetop as directed above.
Questions About Mixed Bean Soup
Yes! For the crockpot, cook on high for 5-7 hours. Test whether the beans are done and cook longer if needed.
I like the additional flavor that chicken broth provides in this recipe, but feel free to substitute with another broth if you like.
Honestly, no, you don’t have to soak dried beans before cooking. However, if you don’t the cooking time will be longer and they may not cook as evenly. It’s really easy to pop the beans and water in the fridge overnight and it will make cooking easier.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Like
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If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
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Recipe
Mixed Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 20 ounces 15 bean soup mix (recommend Hurst's HamBeens)
- 3 quarts water divided
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 1 pound smoked ham hocks
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Fresh parsley if desired, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the beans in a large soup pot and add 2 quarts of water. Cover and allow to soak 8 hours or overnight.20 ounces 15 bean soup mix
- Drain the beans and return them to the pot.
- Add one quart of water, the chicken broth, and ham hocks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.1 quart water1 quart chicken broth, 1 pound smoked ham hocks
- Add all the remaining ingredients except lemon juice. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes or more until all the vegetables and beans are tender. Note: You can also remove the ham hocks at this point and add some sliced kielbasa or other sausage to the pot for the final cooking time.2 quarts waters1 onion, 2 ribs celery, 2 carrots, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice, 3 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Just before serving, add lemon juice.Juice of 1 lemon
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.Fresh parsley
Notes
- If ham hocks aren’t available, you can also use a leftover ham bone or even smoked turkey wings. Or add sliced smoked sausage for the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
- Leftovers should be cooled completely and stored in a sealed, air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or larger portions in a pot on the stove at medium-low heat until lightly simmering.
- To freeze, transfer the cooled soup into a freezer safe container. Keeps in the freezer for about 3 months. To reheat, thaw it completely in the fridge, then heat it in a pot on the stovetop as directed above.
- For the crockpot, cook on high for 5-7 hours. Test whether the beans are done and cook longer if needed.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
after more than 4 hours of simmering, the celery and carrots were still too crunchy. What did I do wrong?
Also in my dry mixed beans there was one bean that simply didn’t soften after 16 hours of soaking and 4 hours of simmering. Nothing really to do with the recipe though.. I added a tbsp of red chili flakes.
It’s really hard to pinpoint what someone did wrong without being in their kitchen with them while they’re cooking, but I cannot imagine celery and carrots that were still crunchy after 4 hours of simmering — I mean, carrots are typically done in 10-12 minutes. Or beans that didn’t soften in that length of time. Are you absolutely sure that the soup was simmering and not actually switched off?
Since I don’t eat pork, I made this recipe without the meat. It turned out great! I added more than 20 ounces of pinto beans though. I dry pinto beans for 36 to 48 hours. I add baking soda to the pinto beans and water to help the beans soften. Then I boil them to get the toxins out and rinse them before putting them in the pot with the water and chicken broth. I add more salt to the soup to since I don’t put ham in it. This is a great way to make this soup if you are vegetarian.
I’m glad you found a way to enjoy the recipe within your dietary needs.
Lana, received your cookbook a couple of days ago–stayed up half the night reading it. I do get your blog each day and have seen a lot of the recipes contained in your book; however, LOVE the fact that your recipes are now in one place and I don’t have go looking thru your blog. Love it.
Janice
Thank you SO much for purchasing the cookbook, Janice!! I hope you’re enjoying it.
If you don’t eat ham, you can add liquid smoke and more salt to get a similar flavor as you would if you added ham hocks. I made it this way, and it was delicious! I added about 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke and another teaspoon of salt. If you want to try this soup with liquid smoke instead of ham hocks, I suggest that you add a half teaspoon of liquid smoke and then taste the soup. You can always add more liquid smoke to fit your tastes. I soaked my beans for about twenty-four hours before I put the beans in the pot with chicken broth and water. I let the soup simmer for about two-and-a half hours, and the beans were tender.
Thanks. That’s a good alternative.
Delicious! Beans always take awhile to cook, so you have to be around to stir, to add ingredients, to check the simmering temperature. I like the addins that Lana used. Very tastie!
This recipe is in the regular rotation for soups. So glad I stumbled on to your blog. I grew up with so many of these recipes. Love them all.
I’m so glad you enjoy it, Douglas!