Many Bean Soup

Many bean soup is the end-of-pantry recipe that turns every odd bag of dried beans into a single hearty pot. Mixing navy, kidney, pinto, black, and Great Northern beans creates visual variety and a range of textures, from creamy to firm, that a single-variety soup can never match.

The quick-soak method saves you the overnight wait. A five-minute boil followed by a one-hour rest rehydrates the beans enough to cook tender in three hours alongside a smoked ham shank. That shank is doing real work: its collagen melts into the broth for body, and its smoky marrow infuses every bean. Lemon juice added at the end lifts the whole pot out of heavy territory, cutting through the richness of the ham fat and brightening the tomato flavor.

Chef Tips

• Pick through the dried beans for stones before soaking. A single rock can crack a tooth when you’re not expecting it.
• Add tomatoes, onion, and garlic only in the last hour of simmering. Acidic tomatoes can toughen bean skins if added too early.
• Pull the ham shank after simmering, shred the meat off the bone, and return it to the soup. Remove the bone before serving.
• Taste before salting. The smoked ham contributes significant sodium already.

Variations

• Use Hurst’s HamBeens 15-bean soup mix for a pre-packaged many-bean blend.
• Swap the ham shank for smoked turkey wings or a meaty bacon bone for a lighter smoky flavor.
• Add a parmesan rind to the simmer for extra savory depth, and fish it out before serving.