There are nights when I want to make something from scratch, and there are nights when I want to open a few cans, slice some kielbasa, and call it dinner.
This is a recipe for the second kind of night.
North Woods Bean Soup is one of those easy dinners that doesn’t ask much of you. A little chopping, a little browning, everything goes into one pot, and about 30 minutes later you’ve got dinner.
And I honestly have no idea why it’s called North Woods Bean Soup. I assume the Northern beans have something to do with it, but that’s about as far as my research goes. It sounds good, though, so North Woods it is.
Why This Soup Earns a Spot in My Back Pocket
A Back Pocket Dinner doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to work.
This one does.
- It’s quick to put together.
- The ingredient list is simple.
- Most of the vegetables come straight from cans.
- It only needs one pot once the onion and garlic are cooked.
- It’s easy to change up depending on what you have.
- You can have dinner on the table in about 35 minutes.
And probably my favorite part: there’s no need to make this recipe more complicated than it is.
What’s in North Woods Bean Soup?
You’ll need:
- Canned diced potatoes
- Canned Northern beans
- Canned sliced carrots
- Kielbasa
- Chicken broth
- Onion
- Minced garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper
That’s it.
This is one of those recipes where the cans are doing some of the work for you, and I’m perfectly okay with that.
How to Make North Woods Bean Soup
Start by browning the diced onion and minced garlic in a small skillet until the onion is tender.
Add the onion mixture to a large pot along with the potatoes, Northern beans, carrots, sliced kielbasa, and chicken broth. Give everything a good stir.
Let the soup simmer on low for about 30 minutes.
Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste.
That’s dinner.
North Woods Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 can potatoes, diced or sliced
- 2 cans Northern beans, drained
- 1 can carrots, sliced
- 1 package kielbasa, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cans chicken broth
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 Tbs minced garlic
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic and onion for 5 minutes, or until onions are soft.
- In large pot, place onion mixture and all other ingredients and stir well.
- Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning before serving.
- Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring ocassionally.
Make This Soup Your Own
This is a very forgiving recipe, which is another reason I like it as a Back Pocket Dinner.
The original version uses turkey kielbasa, potatoes, carrots, and Northern beans, but you can change things up depending on what you have on hand.
Use a different vegetable. Try another type of meat. Add something that needs to be used up in the refrigerator.
There are no rules here.
The basic idea is simple: beans + vegetables + meat + broth + a little seasoning. Put it in a pot and see what happens.
More Back Pocket Dinners
If you’re looking for more dinners you can count on, take a look at my Back Pocket Dinners. They’re the recipes I keep around for those nights when I don’t know what to make and don’t particularly feel like figuring it out.
