Bean Chowder Recipes

SOUTHWESTERN BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mash 1 can beans with a fork; set aside., In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, celery and pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the mashed beans, broth, corn, carrot, chiles, cumin, chili powder and remaining beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes., Combine cornstarch and milk until smooth. Stir into bean mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese until melted. Serve with cilantro and additional cheese if desired.

HEARTY BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium high heat, saute the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and some of the fat; drain and set aside. Keep about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot, add the flour and stir well to form a roux. Heat the roux until it is a dark brownish color, about 5 minutes.
• Add the onions, celery, sesame oil and carrots to the roux and saute for 2 minutes, stirring well. Add the garlic and heat for 2 more minutes. Add the water and stir well. Finally, add the white beans, black beans, cayenne pepper to taste and ground black pepper to taste.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 2 hours, or until the vegetables and beans are tender and the soup is the consistency you want. If the veggies aren't tender but its too thick, you can always add more water. Return the bacon to the soup and season with salt to taste.

BEAN COUNTER CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the tomato; simmer for 5 minutes. Add the broth, water and seasonings. Bring to a boil; cook for 5 minutes. Add beans and macaroni; return to a boil. , Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until macaroni is tender, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

BROWN BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place the beans and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, and cook until the beans are almost tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
• While the beans are cooking, crumble the ground beef into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is tender and meat is browned. Drain off excess grease, and stir in the tomato puree, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon salt and bread crumbs. Stir into the pot with the beans, adding more water if needed to achieve your desired thickness. Taste and adjust seasonings if you like before serving.

BLACK BEAN CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a blender, combine cream and 3/4 cup black beans; cover and process until smooth. Set aside. , In a small saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the salsa, corn, lime juice, cumin and remaining beans. , Reduce heat; stir in cream mixture. Cook, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Stir in avocado. Serve with sour cream and cheese if desired.

HAM AND BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; add water to cover by 2-in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour. , Drain beans and discard liquid. In the same kettle, saute onion, celery and garlic in butter until tender. Add beans, ham bone, water, broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, cloves and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2 hours. , Remove ham bone, bay leaves and cloves. When cool enough to handle, remove ham from bone; cut into small pieces and return to soup. Chill for 8 hours or overnight. , Skim fat from soup. Stir in milk; cool on low until heated through. Just before serving, stir in cheese.

SLOW COOKER NORTHERN WHITE BEAN BACON CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place beans in a large bowl with the water, cover, and soak overnight.
• In a large skillet over medium to medium high heat, fry the bacon until crispy. Drain the bacon fat and crumble the bacon; set aside.
• In a slow cooker, combine the carrot, celery, onion, potato, Italian- style seasoning, ground black pepper, reserved beans and crumbled bacon. Pour the broth over all.
• Cover and cook on low setting for 7 1/2 to 9 hours, or until beans are crisp to tender.
• Transfer 2 cups at a time to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Return all to slow cooker, add the milk, cover and heat on high for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.

SHAKER FRESH CRANBERRY BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Shuck the beans and discard any that are soft or blemished. You should have about 3 cups.
• Heat a 3 to 4-quart heavy pot over low heat and add the diced bacon. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the bacon is crisp and golden brown.
• Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the onion, thyme, and bay leaf and saute, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes, until the onion is tender but not browned.
• Add the beans and stock. Partially cover the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook the beans at a steady simmer over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are tender. Reduce the heat to low.
• Remove 2 cups of the chowder from the pot and puree in a food mill held over the pot so it falls directly back into the chowder, or puree in a food processor and return to the chowder. Add the tomatoes and their juices, along with the molasses, and let the chowder simmer slowly for another 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder after it has chilled completely. Otherwise, let it sit at room temperature for up to an hour, allowing the flavors to meld.
• When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick. Ladle the chowder into cups and sprinkle with the slice scallions.
• Variation Dried Bean Chowder:
• Substitute 8 ounces dried shell beans, limas, or other white bean for the fresh shell beans. Soak them overnight in enough water to cover generously; drain. Depending on the bean you choose, the cooking time may be doubled or even longer. Follow the recipe and simmer until the beans are tender, adding water as necessary (about 1 cup) to compensate for the evaporation during the longer cooking time.
• Variation Cider and Bean Chowder:
• This idea also comes from the Shakers, who used sweet apple cider as the liquid in several of their soups. It adds a new dimension to the sweet-and-sour flavor of this chowder. Cider is pressed from late August through November, so you can try this in either the fresh or dried bean versions. Substitute 3 cups apple cider for 3 cups of the chicken stock (you will still use 2 cups of chicken stock).

CORN, SAUSAGE, AND BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook and stir until beginning to brown. Add carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute more. Add 4 cups chicken broth and 2 teaspoons salt. Reduce heat to a simmer; add black beans, kidney beans, great Northern beans, and bell pepper. Continue to simmer for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, bring remaining 4 cups chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add potatoes and simmer until easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.
• At the same time, heat remaining 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add corn, onion, harissa, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Saute until they have a few brown spots and a nice flavor, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Place potatoes with chicken broth and corn mixture carefully into an electric blender and blend until smooth, or desired consistency (or leave some out to be left whole). Stir mixture into the soup pot to combine. Turn off heat and add balsamic vinegar. Stir again to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste.

CORN AND BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large pot heat the oil.
• Saute the onions and garlic.
• Add 3 cups of corn, the stock, and the nutmeg.
• Bring it to a boil and simmer until the corn is tender.
• Meanwhile puree the additional 1 cup of corn in a blender or food processor.
• When the corn and stock is tender add the pureed corn, the milk, the kidney beans, and the salt.
• Bring it almost to a boil.
• Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.

GREEN BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a 3-quart saucepan cook bacon until crisp.
• Add green beans, carrot, potato, onion, salt and pepper. Mix together and add water.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add beans and cook 5 minutes more or until vegetables are tender.
• Blend sour cream and flour together in a medium-sized bowl.
• Pour 1 cup of the hot vegetable mixture into the sour cream mixture and combine. Return to saucepan.
• Stir in milk and heat until slightly thickened, being careful not to boil.
• Serve.

WHITE BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic until onion is softened.
• Add one can of beans and mash roughly.
• Stir in remaining can of beans, green chilies, corn, carrots, celery, and broth.
• Bring soup to a simmer and stir in the cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
• Combine milk and cornstarch, stirring well.
• Stir the milk mixture into the soup, bringing it gradually to a boil.
• Reduce heat and allow soup to simmer until veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently.
• Stir in 3/4 c of the cheese, reserving the remainder for use as garnish, and remove from heat.
• Serve garnished with cheese and cilantro.
• Note: I usually serve with some hot sauce on the table for those who like to add some heat.

KIDNEY BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Saute bacon in 2 1/2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp; remove with slotted spoon and set aside for garnish.
• Drain all but 3 tablespoons of fat from pan.
• Add onion,green pepper and celery to pan and saute over medium heat until softened, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in flour.
• Add beans,carrots,parsley,bay leaf.thyme and beef broth and blend well.
• Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer 40 minutes or until carrots are tender. ( Add pototoes with carrots if using them. Add meat here too.).
• Ladle into bowls, garnish with reserved bacon and serve.

BLACK BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Soak the black beans for several hours or overnight.
• Saute red onion, garlic, celery, and red pepper in olive oil until tender.
• Add ham, cumin, coriander, thyme, and oregano to vegetables and cook for 1 minute.
• Add drained black beans, chicken bouillon powder, water, and salsa and simmer until beans are tender.
• Add more water if necessary.
• Serve immediately or add 1/2 c water and refrigerate overnight, and reheat.
• Makes 4 servings of 1-1/4 cups.
• Garnish with 1/4 oz of cheddar shreds and 2 T of sour cream.