15 Bean Soup is a family favorite recipe that’s comfort food at it’s best! A bowl of this rich, hearty soup is just the thing to warm you up from the inside out on a chilly fall or winter evening. 
When it’s time to serve up comfort food, soup is one of the first things that comes to mind. A warm bowl of soup is kind of like a big hug, right? One of our family’s favorite soups is 15 Bean and we’ve loved it for years. It’s simple to prepare with just a few ingredients but delivers big on flavor. It’s also super versatile since you can add in your favorite meat and seasoning. It’s also budget-friendly and is great to serve when you’re feeding a crowd!
My version of this classic recipe has a few changes from the package directions. I don’t use the flavor packet (throw it away!) that comes with the beans. Instead, I season my soup with a bit of chili powder, salt, and red pepper. I also add crushed tomatoes to give the soup a rich flavor that’s so stinking good! I use vegetable stock and water to make the broth even more flavorful. This soup is finished off with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice along with a dash or two of hot sauce. All these things combined make for one amazing bowl of goodness!
What you’ll need to make 15 Bean Soup:
- 15 bean soup mix
- crushed tomatoes
- onion
- garlic
- chili powder
- salt
- red pepper flakes
- lemon juice
Can I make 15 Bean Soup on the stovetop or the slow cooker?
Yes, you can use both cooking methods! For the stovetop, you’ll need to soak your beans overnight, then cook them in a stockpot for two hours until the beans are tender. If using the slow cooker, you don’t need to soak the beans. Just load up the pot, set the temperature to low and set the timer to 6 hours.
Want to change up the recipe and add your own special ingredients? No problem! Try these yummy additions:
- Leftover ham or rotisserie chicken.
- Smoked sausage or Kielbasa.
- Taco seasoning packets along with ground beef or turkey
- Top off the soup with grated cheese, hot sauce, fresh parsley or chives.
If you like this easy to make soup recipe, you might also like these “perfect for a chilly evening” dishes as well:
- Creamy Tomato Soup
- Slow Cooker Taco Soup
- Chicken & Cheese Tortellini Tuscan Soup
- Slow Cooker Ham & White Bean Soup
- Amazing Roasted Cabbage Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 20 oz package Hurst 15 bean soup mix
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup onion - minced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to liking)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
- 1 lemon - juiced
Instructions
Slow Cooker Version
- Rinse beans and add to slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, chili powder, vegetable stock, and water. Stir. Place lid on cooker. Set temperature to HIGH and timer for 6 hours.
- When timer goes off, add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Stir to incorporate. Place lid back on slow cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes. Taste to adjust seasoning. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Stove Top Version
- Rinse beans and add them to a large pot. Cover with 8 cups of water. Let beans soak overnight or at least 8 hours. Drain beans and discard liquid.
- To a large stockpot, add beans, vegetable stock, water, onion, garlic, and chili powder. Stir. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Cover with lid and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Add in tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Taste to adjust seasoning. Serve with your favorite toppings.
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CATHERINE
This looks like a delicious take on 15 bean soup! Way better sounding flavor than the bag instructions. I am going to adapt this to cook in the instant pot and make it tomorrow. Thank you, love your recipes and reading your blog.?
Donya
Hey Catherine!
That’s great and it’s going to turn out so good using the Instant Pot. Smart girl! You have made my day with your sweet comments. I’m so glad you’re a part of our little family.
Have a wonderful weekend,
~Donya
Ryan
Donya, are you psychic?! I impulsively bought a bag of Hurst’s 15 bean soup mix yesterday. This morning your email newsletter brought me this recipe! I don’t have vegetable broth & surely don’t want to go shopping again. I’m guessing I can use chicken broth, but wanted your advice. Plan on adding ham, chicken and bacon to my slow cooked soup. Thank you and I am a huge cook fan of yours!
Donya
Haha! Ryan, this is great. Psychic, maybe! Ask my boys, they might just say yes. 😉
I would definitely use the chicken stock. It will be delicious. Oh my goodness, I love the extras you’re adding. Let me know how it turns out and send me a pic if you get a chance!
Thanks for your kind words! You’ve made my day.
~Donya
Ryan
Hey Donya, I made it! I used the chicken broth, bacon (4 slices microwaved), 1.5 cups of chopped ham from leftover ham, and one small leftover chopped chicken breast. I omitted the chili spice. I’d really like to share a photo but your soup recipe tasted so good I forgot to snap a pic because I couldn’t stop eating! Froze leftovers and when thawed added a 1/4 cup of broth before heating. Beans survived the freezer and didn’t turn to mush in case anyone wants to know.
Jo
Perfect! Easy. Very tasty.
Made to directions.
Will probably not use the whole bag of beans next time – my crock pot was a little small. I knew this ahead of time since I pre-soaked the beans (whew!). I could have had a major over flow, lol.
Will make often. Thanks!