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15 Bean Soup Recipe with Smoked Turkey

This 15 Bean Soup Recipe is easy to make in the slow cooker and can be made healthier by substituting Smoked Turkey Wings and/or Legs instead of Smoked Ham Hocks. Instructions for making this soup in the slow cooker, on the stovetop, or in the oven are included. Additionally, adjustments for soaking or not soaking your dried beans are discussed.

I cook frequently and have made ALOT of soup throughout the 35 years of our marriage. During the fall and winter, we will eat soup at least twice a week. I tell you this to give you some reference to a comment my husband made after enjoying this 15-Bean Soup Recipe. After his second bowl of this soup, he said, “I think that this is the best soup you have ever made.” I mean, that is a really sweeping statement! The best soup I have EVER made???

When I asked him what made this soup so special, he commented that it was hearty, had a nice smoky flavor, and had the perfect level of heat. He liked that it was lower fat as it uses turkey instead of ham. He summed it up by saying, ‘it is just the total package!’ Needless to say, this delicious soup has been added to our list of Favorite Recipes. It is truly the perfect comfort food when paired with a piece of crusty bread and a salad.

Like most soup recipes, this easy recipe is often best made the day before you want to eat it. The next day, just heat it up gently before you want to serve it.

Ingredients for 15-Bean Soup Recipe.

This 15-Bean Soup is Really Healthy!

  • We toss out the ‘seasoning packet’ that comes with the package of 15-Beans Soup Mix. I always avoid processed foods when possible. The flavor packet in the Hurst’s Hambeens contains nothing more than ‘hydrolyzed soy protein, salt, maltodextrin, artificial and natural flavors’. As such, I knew that adding natural spices would yield a better tasting, healthier, and more naturally flavored soup.
  • No added salt
  • By swapping out the Smoked Ham Hock for the Smoked Turkey Wings or Turkey Legs, we reduce the fat and sodium by more than 50%. The smoked turkey wings and legs were located right next to the smoked ham hock in my local grocery store. But, if you smoke turkeys at home, this is a great way to use the turkey wings or legs from your next smoked bird.
  • Beans are a great nutrition powerhouse. Not only are they fantastic sources of vegetable protein, they are also rich in a number of important nutrients, including potassium, magnesium, folate, iron, and zinc. Potassium is a mineral that promotes healthy blood pressure levels. Beans are also among the only plant foods that provide significant amounts of the indispensable amino acid lysine.
  • Dried beans provide a substantial amount of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Not only does dietary fiber prevent or relieve constipation, but foods containing fiber can provide other health benefits as well. Consuming dietary fiber helps maintain a healthy weight and lowers the risk of diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.
  • Fresh vegetables add to the health of this soup. In addition to the carrots in the ingredients list, I sometimes add sliced kale or spinach to the soup right before serving it.
Spices used in 15-Bean Soup.

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A Variety of Beans

While I used Hurst’s Hambeens 15-Beans Soup Mix (without the seasoning packet), you could also use any dried beans blend with a variety of beans. For your reference, the types of beans in this mix are northern beans, pinto beans, large lima beans, yelloweye beans, garbanzo beans or chickpeas, baby lima peans, green split peas, kidney beans, cranberry beans, small white beans, pink beans, small red beans, yellow split peas, lentils, navy beans, white kidney beans, and black beans.

I like the different types of textures and tastes provided by the different kinds of beans in a multi-bean soup.

Variety of Dried Bean.

This 15-Bean Soup Recipe Can Be Made on the Stove Top, in a Dutch Oven, or the Crock Pot (Slow Cooker)

The recipe gives instructions on adjusting the cooking time for 15-Bean Soup using each method.

One caveat! If your bean mix contains kidney beans, you should either make this on the stovetop or boil the beans for 30 minutes to kill the toxin that kidney beans contain. According to the FDA, the temperature in a slow cooker may not reach temperatures high enough to destroy a toxin that is present in raw red and white kidney beans.

Soak or Don’t Soak Your Beans

I have always been a ‘soak’ gal, but the first time I made this soup I tried to go ‘no soak’ and it worked perfectly. I’ll share instructions for both methods; you’ll need to adjust the amount of liquid and cook time.

Not only was the taste the same for the two methods, but I didn’t find the soup harder to digest. And between you and me, if anyone was to notice that, it would be me! That being said, you know your system better, so you decide whether to go ‘no soak’.

Soup ingredients in a slow cooker crock.

How Do You Know When Your Beans Are Done?

I’ve referred to the Tamar Adler book, An Everlasting Meal, before. It’s one of those books I like to re-read from time to time for inspiration. Here’s her guidance on testing the doneness of beans:

Beans are done when they are velvety to their absolute middles.  You should feel, as soon as you taste one, as though you want to eat another.  The whole pot is only ready when five beans meet that description.  If one doesn’t, let the beans keep cooking…

Tamar Adler
Bean and Turkey soup in a bowl.

15 Bean Soup

Lynn
This 15 Bean Soup Recipe is easy to make in the slow cooker and can be made healthier by substituting Smoked Turkey Wings and/or Legs instead of Smoked Ham Hocks. Instructions for making this soup in the slow cooker, on the stovetop, or in the oven are included, as well as adjustments for soaking or not soaking your dried beans.
4.71 from 27 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Course Soups, Stocks, Broths + Chili
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cups
Calories 170 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb 15- or 13- mixed beans
  • 1-2 lbs smoked turkey wing or leg or ham hock
  • 4 carrots diced
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic minced
  • 14.5-15 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
  • 4 ounce can of diced green chiles with juice
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper optional
  • 9 cups chicken broth beef broth, vegetable broth, vegetable stock or water (or a combination)
  • Parmesan Cheese Rind optional

Instructions
 

Crock-Pot or Slow Cooker – No Soak Method

  • Rinse and sort beans.
  • Mince garlic, dice onions and carrots.
  • Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
  • When the soup is done, pull meat from bones and add it back to the soup.

Crock-Pot or Slow Cooker – Soak Method

  • Rinse and sort beans.
  • Soak for 8 hours or overnight
  • Mince garlic, dice onions and carrots.
  • Add all ingredients, with 1 cup less liquid, to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
  • When the soup is done, pull meat from bones and add it back to the soup.

Stove Top – No Soak Method

  • Rinse and sort beans.
  • Mince garlic, dice onions and carrots.
  • Add all ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil
  • Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
  • When the soup is done, pull meat from bones and add it back to the soup.

Stove Top – Soak Method

  • Rinse and sort beans.
  • Soak for 8 hours or overnight
  • Mince garlic, dice onions and carrots.
  • Add all ingredients, with 1 cup less liquid, to a large soup pot and bring to a boil
  • Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
  • When the soup is done, pull meat from bones and add it back to the soup.

Dutch Oven – No Soak Method

  • Rinse and sort beans.
  • Preheat oven to 350°
  • Mince garlic, dice onions and carrots.
  • Add all ingredients to a Dutch Oven
  • Place dutch oven in the oven and cook for 4 to 5 hours.
  • When the soup is done, pull meat from bones and add it back to the soup.

Dutch Oven- Soak Method

  • Rinse and sort beans.
  • Soak for 8 hours or overnight
  • Preheat oven to 350°
  • Mince garlic, dice onions and carrots.
  • Add all ingredients, 1 less cup of liquid, to a Dutch Oven
  • Place the dutch oven in the preheated oven and cook for 3 to 4 hours.
  • When the soup is done, pull meat from bones and add it back to the soup

Notes

As is the case with most soups, this soup is great to make the day before.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 7gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 382mgPotassium: 473mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 3696IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 2mg
Keyword beans, soup
Well, what did you think?Please rate this recipe here! It helps other readers and also helps to support our site.

For another really great bean recipe, check out our Brothy Beans recipe. It is probably the recipe that is made more often than any other single recipe in our house.

Bookmark this page or pin the following image to refer back to this 15-Bean Soup Recipe in the future.

Ladling 15-Bean Soup into a soup bowl and overhead shot of ingredients.
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32 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This soup tasted AMAZING!! I made it in my Dutch oven in the stove the first time. I did the No-soak version. For this second run I will still do the Dutch oven, but have soaked the beans overnight. My husband concurs with your husband.

  2. I’m going to make this, this week. I like bean soup and this seems to have a nice variety. I like that you put chilies also. That makes me definitely want to make this. Will post when I do.
    Thank you for the recipe

    1. Hi Nani!

      I sure hope you enjoy this, it’s perfect for this cold weather (unless you are writing from Australia!) I’d love to hear what you think.

      Hugs,

      Lynn

  3. 5 stars
    This was easy to make. My family loved it. I made it without the turkey/ham & with veg broth so that it was vegetarian. We ate soup for days! Leftovers are great over pasta too!

  4. Really delicious and a great way to get all my beans in!! Love the addition of the turkey. Thanks for the recipe!

  5. What a fantastic recipe! The flavors are delicious and complex, and I appreciate having the “no soak” directions and option, too. This soup is the most perfect comfort food on a chilly day!

  6. I absolutely love this recipe. You can’t give me enough beans in my soup and everything comes together in this recipe or the perfect flavor.

  7. We had a cold spell a few weeks ago and I had printed your recipe a while back. LOVED this soup! So rich and full of flavor!

  8. I love beans and try out new bean dishes all the time. I would love to make this one. I love all the versions of cooking this up!!!

  9. The broth is so flavorful! I’m loving this delicious soup. Still have leftovers and cannot wait to eat it later tonight. Will be making it again.

  10. Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 803TOTAL FAT: 13gSATURATED FAT: 2gTRANS FAT: 0gUNSATURATED FAT: 6gCHOLESTEROL: 77mgSODIUM: 4602mgCARBOHYDRATES: 128gFIBER: 37gSUGAR: 44gPROTEIN: 54g

    The recipe sounds delicious. Is there a way to reduce the grams of sodium and sugar?

    1. Hi Sylvia,

      Most of the sugar and sodium is in the smoked turkey legs or hocks. If you used a cooked, not salted or smoked turkey breast, you would eliminate all that salt and sugar. Also, make sure to buy ‘no salt added’ tomato products and broth. Thanks for the great question I will add that info to the post as I’m sure you aren’t the only person with that question.

      Lynn

  11. Lynn, My husband smoked a whole turkey breast for Thanksgiving. Your recipe looks delicious and I was wondering if I could adapt it to use what I have. I have half the breast left, still on the bone. Would you use only the meat or add the meat and bone to flavor the soup? Also, maybe a shorter cooking time due to the white meat being a little more delicate? Any advice would be appreciated. I only just found your website and am enjoying looking through the recipes.

    1. Hi Jill,

      I think I’d pull the meat off of the bone and just use the bone for cooking. If you have it, you might want to add just a wee bit of liquid smoke…but I wouldn’t go buy it if you don’t have it. Enjoy! And, I’m very happy to have you here!

      Hugs, Lynn

  12. Looks like a great recipe… I might also add bacon… grin.
    I’m trying the no soak slow cooker version. What did you mean by sort beans?

    1. Hi Rick, I should’ve made that more clear! Sort through the beans to make sure there are any little pebbles or nasty looking beans.

  13. I thought I’d try this until I read the nutritional info. If the nutritional info as listed is per serving, as I would assume, then this is not exactly healthy!!
    4602 mg sodium and 44 gm sugar?
    Even if you use low/ no sodium tomato products and broth, this is way too high.
    So disappointing!

    1. Hi Marsha, so sorry for that alarming Sodium number! I promise you that’s a mistake. I am literally in the midst of moving my recipe cards over to a new system and had a typo there.

      I just recalculated the nutrition label, which shows on the post. The important number is 382mg sodium. And FWIW, depending on the products you use, it will be even lower. I make my own Chicken stock, which is totally salt free. My husband has high blood pressure so we are very aware of keeping that number as low as possible. But not everyone has homemade, salt-free stock, so I used a lower sodium, commercially prepared stock which does have a higher sodium amount. Also, we use salt-free canned tomatoes and I don’t add salt. So…as we make it, the sodium number is much lower…coming only from the smoked turkey.

      Thanks for reaching out! I would not have known about the error had you not.

      Lynn

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