White Bean Soup to Serve a Large Gathering

Ingredients 0/11

Step 1

Sort through the beans and giving them a good rinse, following any instructions on the package. Toss them into a slow cooker that’s at least 3 1/2 quarts and fill it up with water. Let the beans soak for 8 hours or overnight without turning the cooker on.

Step 2

Once they’ve soaked, drain the water and refill the slow cooker with fresh water. Set it to Low and let the beans cook until they’re nice and tender, which should take about 8 hours.

Step 3

While the beans are cooking, heat some oil in a big soup pot over medium-low heat. Add chopped onions and carrots, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and the carrots start to soften, about 5 minutes. Then stir in the ham, tomatoes, and garlic, letting everything simmer together for another 5 minutes.

Step 4

When the beans are done, puree about two-thirds of them in batches using a blender or food processor. Use some of the bean cooking liquid to help blend them smoothly, adding a bit more water if needed.

Step 5

Pour the pureed beans back into the soup pot along with the remaining whole beans. Add enough water to get the soup to the thickness you like. Stir in parsley, thyme, celery salt, regular salt, and pepper.

Step 6

Let the soup simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until it’s hot and all the veggies are tender.