U.S. Senate Bean Soup
A simple, hearty soup of navy beans simmered with ham hock, onion, and mashed potato for body, served daily in the Senate dining room. It's one of the most enduring food traditions of federal Washington.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 150 min
- Total
- 165 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 260 kcal
Equipment
- •Large soup pot
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- fat
- 6
- carbs
- 34
- protein
- 18
- calories
- 260
Instructions
- 1
Drain the soaked beans. Put them into a large pot with the ham hock, water or broth, and bay leaf.
- 2
Bring the pot to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 1.5 hours.
- 3
Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Keep simmering for 45 minutes until the beans are very tender.
- 4
Take out the ham hock and pull the meat off the bone. Put the meat back in the pot and throw away the bone.
- 5
Stir in the mashed potato to thicken the soup slightly.
- 6
Season the soup with black pepper and salt to taste.
- 7
Simmer for 10 more minutes so the flavors blend. Serve hot.
Chef's tips
Mash some of the cooked beans right into the soup to thicken it naturally instead of using flour or cream.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 5 days; freezes well up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop, thinning with water or broth if too thick.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the bean soak, which makes the cooking time much longer
- •Adding salt too early, which can make the bean skins tough
Serving suggestions
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