Emilie Meyer
Cooking 10-bean soup in a crock pot is a convenient way to make a hearty meal. The process is simple: after rinsing and soaking the beans, they are added to the crock pot with water or broth, spices, and other ingredients like meat or vegetables. The mixture is then cooked on low heat for several hours, with occasional stirring, until the beans are tender. Crock pots are ideal for this dish as they allow for slow cooking, resulting in tender beans and a flavourful soup.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Beans, garlic, water, tomatoes, salt, pepper, vegetables, meat |
| Preparation | Rinse and soak beans, add ingredients to crock pot, cook for 6-8 hours |
| Notes | Do not add acidic ingredients like tomatoes until beans are tender, add water as needed to ensure beans are covered |
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What You'll Learn
Soak the beans overnight or use the quick-soak method
Soaking beans before cooking them is a common practice, and there are two ways to do it: either by soaking them overnight or by using the quick-soak method.
If you want to soak your beans overnight, first sort and rinse them. Then, cover them with water and add a teaspoon of baking soda and some salt. Let them soak for at least 7 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the beans before proceeding with your 10-bean soup recipe in the crockpot.
If you're short on time, you can use the quick-soak method. First, rinse the beans and remove any debris. Then, put the beans in a large pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and let the beans boil for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the beans soak for 1 hour. After 1 hour, drain and rinse the beans before adding them to your crockpot with the other ingredients.
Remember, soaking beans is not necessary for all recipes. Some recipes for 10-bean soup in a crockpot do not require pre-soaking the beans. However, if you choose to soak your beans, it can reduce the cooking time and make the beans more digestible.
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Rinse and sort the beans
Rinsing and sorting the beans is an important step in preparing 10-bean soup in a crock pot. Here is a detailed guide to help you with this step:
Firstly, you will need to rinse the beans thoroughly. Place the beans in a colander or sieve and rinse them under running water. Give them a good stir or shake to ensure all the beans are rinsed. This step helps to remove any dust or debris that might be present on the beans. It is important for food safety and also ensures that any unwanted flavours or particles are washed away, resulting in a cleaner-tasting soup.
Next, sort through the beans. After rinsing, spread them out on a clean surface or large plate. Sorting involves carefully inspecting each bean and discarding any debris, damaged beans, or foreign objects. This step is crucial as it helps to ensure that only the best quality beans are used, enhancing the overall taste and texture of the soup. It also helps to remove any beans that might have been damaged during packaging or transport, ensuring a more uniform cooking process.
While sorting, you can also take this opportunity to create a visually appealing bean mix. 10-bean soup typically contains a variety of beans, such as kidney, pinto, black beans, and more. By sorting and arranging the beans, you can create a colourful and attractive mix, adding to the overall presentation of the dish.
Once you have thoroughly rinsed and sorted the beans, they are ready to be used in your crock pot soup. Remember, this step is essential as it ensures the beans are clean and safe for consumption, enhancing the flavour and overall quality of your 10-bean soup.
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Add water or broth
When making 10-bean soup in a crock pot, you can add either water or broth, depending on your preference. If you want a more "brothy" soup, you should add an extra cup of liquid. Typically, recipes call for 6-9 cups of water or broth. However, this may vary depending on how brothy you want your soup to be and how many servings you are making. For example, a half-pound of beans soaked overnight will require less water or broth than a full pound of beans.
If you are using a slow cooker, you will need to ensure that there is always enough liquid in the pot to cover the beans as they cook. This is because the beans will absorb the water as they cook, and you don't want the soup to become dry. You can add water as needed to ensure that the beans stay well covered.
It is important to note that if you are using a crock pot or slow cooker, you should not add acidic ingredients like tomatoes, citrus, or vinegar until after the beans are tender or fully cooked. This is because beans take longer to cook in a crock pot or slow cooker than on the stove, and the acid can prevent the beans from becoming tender.
If you are using an Instant Pot, you can add 6 cups of water or broth, as well as a can of tomatoes, to the pot with the beans. You can then cook the soup for 40 minutes, let it sit for 20 minutes to naturally release the pressure, and then quick-release any remaining steam by opening the seal.
In addition to water or broth, you can also add other liquids to your 10-bean soup to enhance the flavor. For example, you can use chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth for added flavor. If you are using a leftover ham bone, you may also get enough salt from that without needing to add additional salt to the broth.
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Include meat or vegetables
You can include meat, vegetables, or a combination of both in your 10-bean soup. For meat, you can use smoked or ground sausage, ham hocks, diced ham, or a leftover ham bone with some meat on it. If you want to use chicken or beef, you can replace some of the water with chicken or beef broth for added flavor. You can also add cooked bacon or ham steak cut into 1-inch pieces.
If you want to make a vegetarian or vegan 10-bean soup, you can include vegetables such as onions, garlic, carrots, celery, kale, and potatoes. You can also add acidic ingredients like tomatoes, citrus, or vinegar, but it is best to add these only after the beans are tender or fully cooked. If you want a more brothy soup, simply add an extra cup of liquid.
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Simmer for several hours
Once your 10-bean soup has reached a vigorous bubble and is simmering nicely, you can leave it for several hours. The longer you leave it, the more flavourful it will become. It is important to keep an eye on the soup as it simmers, to make sure there is enough liquid and that it doesn't dry out. You may need to add more water or stock as the beans will absorb the liquid as they cook.
The soup should be left to simmer until the beans are tender. This can take anywhere from 2 and a half hours to 7 hours, depending on the age of the beans and the heat setting of your crock pot. Older beans may take longer to cook, so bear this in mind when checking on the soup.
If you are using acidic ingredients such as tomatoes, lemon juice or vinegar, these should be added towards the end of the cooking process, once the beans are tender. This will ensure the beans do not break down too much and become mushy.
You can also add more vegetables at this stage, such as kale, carrots or celery, to add extra colour, flavour and nutrients to your soup.
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Frequently asked questions
Rinse and soak the beans, then put them into the crockpot in the morning on low heat with spices, beans, water or broth, and any optional ingredients.
Cook the soup on high heat for 6 hours or until the beans are tender.
You can add meat, vegetables, broth, spices, and acidic ingredients like tomatoes and citrus.
Soaking the beans beforehand is not necessary, but you can if you prefer. If you have already soaked the beans, use one cup less water or broth in your soup.
