Navy Bean & Tomato Soup

Bean soup from a bag of dried navy beans is the kind of from-scratch cooking that costs almost nothing and feeds a houseful. The flavor depth that comes from the long simmer just can’t be matched by canned beans.

Navy beans are the small, oval white beans named for their long history as US Navy mess-hall food. They cook into a creamy, tender bite while holding their shape, the same beans behind classic Senate bean soup and Boston baked beans.

The overnight soak is the move that pays off later. Soaked beans cook in roughly half the time and the texture comes out far more even, with less risk of split skins and broken beans.

Don’t add salt or acid (including the tomatoes) until the beans are tender. Salt and acid both toughen bean skins, slowing or even halting the cooking process. The recipe gets this right by holding both back until the two-hour simmer is done.

Drain the stewed tomatoes before adding. Their liquid is too tangy and concentrated and will throw off the broth balance. The tomato chunks themselves give the soup its sweetness and color.

Sweat the onion and celery in margarine until softened but not browned. This is a classic mirepoix base, and over-browning adds bitter notes that compete with the beans.

Kitchen Tips

• For deeper flavor, add a smoked ham hock or a Parmesan rind to the beans during the long simmer. Both melt their flavor into the broth.
• A bay leaf and a clove of smashed garlic during the bean cook adds aromatic depth without overpowering.
• Soup tastes better day two. The beans absorb broth flavor as they sit, and the texture goes from thin to substantial.
• Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth naturally. No flour or starch needed.

Variations

• Add 1 cup diced carrots for a more colorful, slightly sweeter soup.
• Stir in 2 teaspoons smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon cumin for a smoky Spanish twist.
• Use white beans (cannellini or Great Northern) instead of navy if that’s what you have.