15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil is a rich, flavorful vegetable broth with a variety of creamy beans, pancetta, and lots of fresh basil. Topped with some cheese shavings, every sip of this soup is creamy, comforting, and absolutely delicious!

 

This Hearty Delicious Soup…

Rich, thick and very flavorful, this 15 bean soup with pancetta and basil is loaded with fiber and protein! This recipe will make a huge batch, enough for leftovers for the week, or freeze some.

For this recipe, you will need ONE package of dried 15 Bean Soup mix, a few fresh vegetables, fresh basil, a package of chopped pancetta, and vegetable broth.

The key flavors in my soup are the Italian pancetta and fresh basil.  Pancetta is definitely the one ingredient that made a huge difference in flavor!

While the soup simmers, the beans will practically melt and the broth will thicken. The rich broth and beans will slowly soak up the flavors of the pancetta and fresh basil, creating a wonderful aromatic and savory mix.

This is a perfectly hearty and filling meal for those meatless nights with a ton of flavor! Trust me, it’s SO good, and SO tasty!! You’ll want to keep this recipe on rotation.

A bowl of bean soup with a spoonful and a cracker in the soup.

Ingredients Needed for 15 Bean Soup: (with affiliate links)…

A package of mixed beans on the table.
A package of Italian chopped pancetta on the kitchen table.

Notes, Questions, and Tips…

  • The package of 15 Bean Soup contains a variety of dried beans, peas, and lentils.
  • Plus, inside every package comes with a seasoning packet of ham flavoring, but we prefer not to use. 
  • Natural Flavoring! We prefer flavoring the broth with natural ingredients, such as fresh herbs, seasonings, and real bacon.
  • IMPORTANT TIP! The water used for soaking the beans or boiling gets discarded! Only us fresh clean water in the recipe to make the broth.
  • Can we make this soup with our Slow Cooker? Yes, you can make this soup in your  Cuisinart Slow Cooker or even with your new Instant Pot.  
  • Stock up! We prefer to keep packages of chopped pancetta in the freezer.  Keep in mind, if you don’t have pancetta, you can flavor this 15 Bean Soup with ham, ham hocks, or even smoked sausage.
  • Parmesan Rind! The parmesan rind can be found in gourmet cheese sections or shops. If you don’t see it, ask someone. Parmesan rinds freeze well! So we like to keep them on hand and ready to pop one into soups, stews and even sauces for extra flavor.

Easy Steps, Directions to Make this 15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil: 

Let’s talk about the steps on how to make this 15 bean soup with pancetta and basil. (Our full printable recipe card is on the bottom.)

Step 1.  First, place the beans into a pot filled with water and allow them to soak for about 6 to 8 hours.  You can do this overnight or in the early morning.  For quicker results, you can also boil the beans in the water on the stovetop for at least 1 hour.

Step 2.  Next, sauté and cook the pancetta, onions, and garlic together until the pancetta is fully cooked and crispy.

Step 3.  Then, discard the water used for soaking or boiling.  Drain, rinse and drain again those gorgeous beans under cold running water.

 pot of dried mixed, and colorful beans under running water, rinsing.
 

4.  Then add the beans into the pancetta mixture along with fresh clean water and vegetable broth and simmer for one hour.  After an hour, the tomatoes, chili powder, and lots of fresh basil go in.

5.  Here is where you can toss in one Parmigiano-Reggiano rind.  Simmer the soup for an additional 20 minutes.  Then serve with a few shavings of pecorino cheese or parmesan on top.

 

A bowl of creamy bean soup with parmesan shavings on top and a spoon inside the bowl.
 

What makes this soup so flavorful?

  • The smoky flavors come from the pancetta and gives this soup the “wow” factor! So don’t leave it out.  Best of all, it comes already chopped, which is a time-saver.
  • Plus, the fresh basil always enhances the flavor of any broth, and adding it to this creamy bean soup worked beautifully!
  • Finally, the parmesan rind will “melt” into the broth while it helps thicken the broth, making it richer, creamier, and more flavorful.

This 15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil turned out so good and so satisfying, you don’t need to serve it with anything else, except maybe some thin crackers or crusty bread.

 

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil with crackers around the bowl. by 2sistersrecipes.com
15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil by 2sistersrecipes.com

 

Yield: 14 servings

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil

A bowl of bean soup with a spoonful and a cracker in the soup.

15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil is a delicious bean soup loaded with a variety of 15 different dried beans, and simmered with pancetta, onions, garlic, tomatoes and fresh basil into a rich and flavorful soup. A hearty soup your family will love!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 bag (20 ounce) Hurst's 15 Bean Soup
  • 1 Tbsp. organic olive oil
  • 4 ounces chopped pancetta
  • 1 large onion- diced
  • 1 large garlic clove- minced
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 can (14.5ounce) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil
  • 1 rind (about 2-inch piece) of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • fresh cracked pepper to taste
  • shavings of pecorino or parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Place beans into a large bowl or pot and add 8 cups of water. Allow beans to soak for 6 to 8 hours. After soaking, drain and give the beans a quick rinse under cold water. Set aside.
  2. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and add pancetta, onions and garlic. Cook until the pancetta is fully cooked, occasionally stirring, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the rinsed beans, water and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer (with a low boil) covered for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
  4. After 1 hour, add the tomatoes, chili powder, salt and fresh basil and stir to blend into the soup. Toss in one Parmesan rind. Cover and continue to simmer for additional 15 to 20 minutes. The soup should be thick and creamy. Turn off heat. Season with fresh cracked pepper to taste.
  5. Discard the Parmesan rind before serving. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with fresh chopped basil or parsley and top with shavings of pecorino cheese. Serve warm.
  6. yields: 14 servings

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

14 servings

Serving Size:

1 serving

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 762Total Fat: 23.5gCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 39gSugar: 5.4gProtein: 47.2g

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HAPPY COOKING!

Anna and Liz

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14 Comments

  1. I had a package of 9 bean soup mix, no seasoning packet, so this recipe was perfect for me. I am making it right now in my instant pot.

    1. Hi that is so great! Welcome and thanks for visiting our blog. Please let us know how the soup turns out – it happens to be our favorite!

  2. Thank you for another wonderful sounding soup recipe! Though I’ve never seen those packets of mixed beans over here!

    1. Thank you Sandra! If you can’t find the mixed beans, I provided a link on this page under “the ingredients you will need” and it’s linked to Amazon where you can get them.

  3. We are too! The cold weather is hitting the entire east coast as well. I think will make a pot of soup this weekend! Have a great weekend and thank you Sue!

    1. Thank you Caroline! And welcome to our blog- it's so nice to meet you! It is one of those healthy dried bean packages that really make this soup so hearty and filling- you have to try it!

    1. Thanks Sue! Those multi bean packages really make our lives easier. We need to get more of them into our pantry. Have a great weekend.