Lima Bean Soup

Submitted by Debbie in New Jersey

"This soup really doesn't taste like lima beans at all, so don't let it's name scare you off.It's a delicious thick soup similar to pea soup and an old family favorite (especially during the winter). I come from a large family and we need to make one large pot of soup for dinner (hopefully with leftovers). It should be renamed though to "clog your arteries soup""

 

• Ready In: 5hrs 10mins
• Ingredients: 5
• Serves: 25

ingredients

• 2 bags large lima beans (rinsed)
• 2 medium onions (peeled and quartered)
• 10 medium potatoes (diced)
• 2 lbs bacon (cut across slices to form cubes)
• 1 cup flour

directions

1. Place rinsed lima beans and 2 quartered onions in a 6 quart pot.
2. Fill with water until 2 inches from top.
3. Bring to boil over medium heat.
4. Once soup comes to boil, reduce heat and simmer 4 hours, stirring occasionally, replacing water as needed to keep at 2 inches from top of pot.
5. After 4 hours place diced potatoes to soup and continue to simmer 1 more hour.
6. Brown bacon pieces in frying pan, reserving all drippings.
7. Slowly add browned bacon pieces and 3/4 of drippings to soup.
8. Stir flour to remaining drippings in frying pan and stir till smooth.
9. Add flour and dripping mixture to soup and stir well.
10. Salt and pepper to taste, simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

Reviews

[Amy1209]

I think I would like to try it with less fat and flour. It was much too thick for me.

 

[Squire David]

I like thicker lima bean soup, too, and this recipe, as posted, has too much fat. Here is what I did to improve the recipe and not compromise taste one bit: Add two carrots (diced) and two stalks of celery (diced) to the water with the lima beans and onions (I found I had to cut back to five quarts of water to accommodate all of the extra ingredients...not a problem for someone who likes the soup thicker); seven or eight medium potatoes (diced) are plenty; grate two of the potatoes and add them after the broth has simmered for an hour; let simmer for additional half hour and then add balance of potatoes along with the golden brown bacon (nix the bacon drippings and flour, as neither is needed) (could substitute mashed or coarsely grated cauliflower for flour if additional thickening is desired); let simmer for an additional half hour; add four cups of diced tomatoes (canned will do) for flavor and a bit of color, two bay leaves, 3/4 T thyme, 3/4 T paprika, 2 T lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and favorite flavorful hot sauce (optional). Either continue to simmer for three to four additional hours until done, stirring often and/or adding additional water to avoid burning the ever-thickening mix, or remove contents from heat and transfer to 7-qt. or 8-qt. crock-pot to finish soup at low setting for five to six hours; add additional warm water prior to serving if somewhat thinner consistency desired. Okay to refrigerate broth overnight and then transfer to crock-pot next morning, with a little extra water, to finish soup at low setting for six to seven hours, if needed, but wait till then to add lemon juice until ready to finish soup. Makes 14 to 16 hearty servings.

 

[C Sullivan]

needs to be thicker good flavor