Soup Beans

Soup beans are an Appalachian bean dish traditionally made with pinto beans, but can be made with any type of dried beans. This thick, stew-like meal is typically served as a main dish with cornbread, greens, pickled vegetable relish and diced sweet onion.

The difference between soup beans and bean soup are the ingredients and the texture of the dish. Soup beans are beans that are slowly simmered in water for a couple of hours until they're soft and tender. The beans are flavored with ham, onion and garlic. A portion of the beans are mashed and returned to the pot to create a thick and creamy texture. Bean soups are broth-based and the beans are typically left whole and cooked with a variety of ingredients, although some recipes use a similar method as soup beans for a creamy texture.

Pinto beans are highly nutritious with several health benefits. Per serving, our soup beans recipe is low in calories and packed with protein, fiber and essential nutrients. This easy dish is one of the many reasons why you should eat more beans.

Additional reporting by Jan Valdez