Sunday comes around again and it is time for me to make this week’s side dish. For this week I decided on Nine Bean Soup. We buy this really great bean mix at Costco. There is a recipe that comes on the side of the container and true to form I have added a few of my own touches to make the soup a little spicier. My Mom also makes this soup and she likes to use a smoked turkey leg to give it a completely different flavour. I have tried the smoked turkey as well; Al and I really like it.

Both my Mom and I boil the turkey drumstick for about 20 mins first. This helps to get a lot of the excess fat off, once you drain the drumstick, peel the skin off and then shred the meat and cut into bite sized pieces. The drumstick is quite large and there is a lot of meat. When I have used it I haven’t added all the meat to the soup. How much you add it up to you. The turkey does give the soup a nice flavour with the smokiness; however, with my decision to eat less meat, I made this without the drumstick.

2 tbsp. oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup each celery and carrots, chopped
1 cup nine bean soup mix
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese to garnish

Optional ingredients
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
few dashes Tabasco sauce
smoked turkey leg or drumstick, shredded

Soak 1 cup nine bean mix for 8 – 12 hours, drain

In a large saucepan over medium heat add oil, sauté onions, garlic, celery and carrots for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add beans, stock, water, tomatoes. Add salt and pepper. If using add red pepper flakes and a few dashes Tabasco sauce. Stir to combine

Increase heat to high, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium – low and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Add in the shredded turkey if using. Stir to combine.

Remove from heat and serve.

This recipe made eight side dishes for Al and I; four one cup sizes for me and four one and a half cup sizes for Al.

Enjoy !

nine bean soup