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: Mixed Bean Soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Primary Ingredients: Mixed dried beans, ham hocks, canned tomatoes, aromatic vegetables
Skill Level: Easy
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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
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- 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
Have a question or thought to share?
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.
CAN YOU PUT WALNUTS IN 15 BEAN SOUP?
I suppose you could if you really wanted to.
I’ve made this several times and love it. I taste it before and after adding the lemon? BIG difference. I wonder if unsmoked ham hocks would be just as good since I bought them by mistake
Laura – it would be good, but different. Of course, you won’t get any of the smoky flavor.
Made this last new year after having leftover ham, and it is amazing. I altered it only slightly (no tomatoes, so i subbed in more broth) and sautéed my onions and celery in bacon fat first.
I’m making it again this week after having some leftover ham (and bone).
Thank you for such a great recipe!
is there a crock pot version of this? I use a 4 qt pot and would like to find the version of this
Lighting up the crock pot today to make this soup…thanks for the recipe.
So yummy! I’m not sure how we ended up with the 15 bean mix…I guess hubby bought it. But I was looking for an alternative to the spice mix due to some allergies and came accross this recipe. Thanks!
This was really amazing soup! I made it for my work today and everyone loved it. Thanks for posting :)
Glad you all liked it, Julie. It’s one of our favorites.
What is the reason for adding lemon juice? Just curious.
It just brightens the flavor. You can leave it out if you want to.
Thank you. I think I will try it!
I want to try this recipe using diced ham.
I have craving for my moms navy bean and ham soup. Bean and ham soup is so perfect together! Your soup sounds delicious, and love all the colors from the 15 beans:-) Hugs, Terra
It is FINALLY getting cool enough here to enjoy soups like this one.. and this is definitely one of my favorites… love the addition of the lemon juice.. will have to try the next time I make this soup!!
Thanks for sharing your recipe… It looks delicious!
Why, thank you! Of course, your original recipe from the back of the package of beans is pretty fantastic, too. I’ve made it many times. But sometimes I just like to improvise a little :-)
I’ve never made a 15 bean soup before, but this is so pretty that I think I need to ASAP!
I just love that colorful mixture of beans! So pretty and so, so tasty.
There are offering some beautiful jewelry and gift baskets! Looks like I’ve found a new Christmas shopping spot.
Umm…yummm. I love soups like this; looks fabulous Lana.
We have a local group called ‘The Women’s Bean Project’ – it’s an organization that started very small many years ago with the intent of putting women to work making a decent wage and their job was to sort and package beans for soup mixes like this. It’s grown to be a org to be reckoned with but their focus is still the same. Empowering women who might now otherwise have a paying job. I LOVE making soup from their mixes…it gives me a warm feeling in more than one way.
That’s a really wonderful initiative, Barb! Are the mixes available online? I’d love to try them.
Question: Just wanted to cook a pot of dried beans with the left over ham bone and some meat. Did not wish to make a soup. Is it ok to cook the 15 bean soup dried beans this way and not add the other ingredients, like the onion garlic and tomatoes?
Yes, of course.