Smoky Navy Bean Soup

A bowl of orange soup with beans in the middle topped with chopped herbs. An onion bun is beside the bowl.

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A hearty, smoky navy bean soup made with simple ingredients like carrots, garlic, and liquid smoke. creamy, cozy, and ready in under an hour!

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Canadian

Servings:

Calories: 394kcal

Author: Jacqueline Piper

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
3 carrots
2 celery
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
6 cups chicken stock or a flavorful vegetable stock
38 oz navy beans 2 19 oz cans, drained
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon paprika

Instructions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot.
Add the carrot, onion, and celery. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, and paprika. Cook for about 2 minutes to cook the rawness out of the tomato pasta and bloom the spices.
Add the chicken stock and 1 1/2 cups of the beans. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a medium. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the carrots are soft.
Remove from heat and blend in batches in a blender, being very careful because it’s very hot. To do this, open the spout and cover it with a folded kitchen towel. This helps prevent the build-up of pressure in the blender from the hot liquid. Be very careful to avoid burning yourself. Alternatively, you can blend with an immersion blender.
Add the blended soup back to the pot and return to the stove-top over medium heat.
Add the beans, sugar, and liquid smoke. Heat over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until the beans are heated through and softened. Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed. This will largely depend on your chicken stock and your preference for salt. I use salt-free stock and usually need 1-2 to 1 teaspoon salt.

Video

Notes

Sauté the vegetables - Cooking the onions, carrots, and celery first builds a flavorful base. Don’t rush this step; let them soften and release their natural sweetness.

Cook the tomato paste - Letting the tomato paste cook for a minute or two deepens its flavor.

Blend carefully - Hot liquids expand in a blender, so remove the center cap and cover with a towel to prevent splatters. If using an immersion blender, blend directly in the pot until smooth.

For a thicker soup, blend more of the beans. If you prefer a chunkier soup, leave more whole beans intact.

Let the soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To reheat, warm on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add a splash of stock or water if it thickens too much. For a quick option, microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until hot.

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