Gourmet Bean Soup (Mason Jar Gift)

This mixed bean soup simmers low and slow until the beans turn creamy and the broth gets thick with flavor from ham, tomatoes, and a bundle of dried herbs. It also doubles as a gorgeous mason jar gift: layer the dried beans and seasonings in a jar, tie on a recipe card, and you’ve got a homemade present that actually gets used.

The overnight soak is a must for even cooking. Skipping it means some beans turn to mush while others stay crunchy. After soaking, the beans simmer with parsley, bay leaf, marjoram, and thyme for a couple of hours until tender.

Sauteing the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic separately in butter before adding them to the pot is what separates this from a dump-and-stir soup. That step builds a second layer of flavor on top of the long-simmered broth.

Kitchen Tips

• Skim the foam off the top after bringing to a boil. It’s just protein from the beans, but removing it keeps the broth clearer.
• Ham stock instead of chicken stock makes this even more deeply flavored if you have a leftover ham bone.
• Add the tomatoes and mustard near the end. The acid in tomatoes can toughen beans if added too early.
• This soup freezes well for months. Cool completely before portioning into containers.

Variations

• Make it vegetarian with vegetable stock and smoked paprika in place of the ham.
• Add a diced potato to the saute for extra body in the broth.
• Stir in a splash of apple cider vinegar at the end to brighten the flavors.