This Hearty Crockpot Cowboy Soup will warm your soul and leave you feeling full. Letting the crockpot do the work makes this the perfect hands-off meal the whole family can enjoy!
It is officially rainy season here and this is the worst winter California has gotten in several years. We have had 50 mph winds and flash flooding. Anyone out of state reading this probably thinks we are such wimps but the weather has been crazy for us! When winter rolls around, I want nothing more than a warm bowl of soup. This crockpot 15 bean cowboy soup is exactly that! It is warm, hearty, filling and delicious!
This soup is easy to make as the crockpot does most of the work. This is the perfect dinner to prep the night before and then just throw in the crockpot before work and come home to a hearty and filling meal. I don't know about you, but that is exactly what we have been needing lately.
For some other great soup recipes, check out this Vegan Gnocchi Soup or this Dairy-Free Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup!
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Why You'll Love This Crockpot 15 Bean Cowboy Soup
- Hearty and Filling- With 15 different types of beans and sausage, this soup packs the protein.
- Budget Friendly-This soup is friendly on the wallet. Beans are an inexpensive staple in our house and perfect for doctoring up.
- Freezes Well-This soup is great for leftovers and freezes well! In fact, we have some in our freezer for next week right now!
- Dump-and-Go Meal-With just a little prep work the night before, this is the perfect easy dump-and-go meal for a busy day!
- Full of Flavor-Bursting with tons of flavor from the spices to the sausage, this is the perfect dinner the whole family will love!
Ingredient Notes
- Hurst’s HamBeens® 15 BEAN SOUP®-The base of this recipe is the beans! You can find these beans in the dry bean section of almost any grocery store or order them online. Some stores even have a generic brand which will work as well. The seasoning packet is vegan and gluten-free and will add loads of flavor to the soup!
- Sausage- I used impossible sausage in this recipe to keep it plant-based. I love their ground sausage.
- Vegetables of your choosing-I kept it simple and used carrots, celery and onions.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Crockpot 15 Bean Cowboy Soup
Quick Overview
- Soak the beans overnight and brown the sausage
- Add the vegetables, beans, sausage, spices and vegetable broth to the crockpot.
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours
- 30 minutes before serving, add the tomatoes and lemon juice. Stir well.
Step By Step Instructions
- The night before, add the beans to a large bowl and remove the seasoning packet. Cover with water and allow to soak overnight.
- The morning of, finely dice the celery, onion and carrot
- Brown the sausage in a cast iron skillet, draining any excess grease
- Drain the beans and add them to the crockpot along with all the other ingredients except for the tomatoes and lemon juice. Make sure to include the seasoning packet that is included with the beans.
- Cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 7-8 hours until the beans are cooked through and tender.
- 30 minutes before serving, stir in the lemon juice and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with warm sliced bread and enjoy!
Do You Have to Soak the Beans?
Soaking the beans is recommended but optional. Soaking the beans, removes the complex sugars and makes them more digestible as well as reduces the cooking time. I prefer soaking my beans because it is easier on my stomach and it is just a short step that I can take the night before making the soup. Be sure to discard the soaking liquid and use fresh water for cooking.
If you choose not to soak your beans, add 1 cup extra liquid and cook 45-60 minutes longer (or until beans are tender).
How to Thicken Bean Soup
I love my soup brothy but if you prefer a thicker soup just follow the steps below to thicken it.
- Remove ¼ of the soup and add to a blender. Blend until smooth
- Pour the blended soup back into the pot and stir to combine.
- Ladle into bowls and enjoy!
Variations
- Extra Vegetables - Feel free to use whatever you have on hand, I love adding green beans, cauliflower and bell peppers!
- Meat-Free - To make this even more budget friendly, skip the sausage all together and just make the bean soup!
- Spicy - If you like your soup spicy, feel free to add extra red pepper flakes!
Storage and Leftovers
This cowboy soup is great for leftovers and freezes perfectly. Make sure to allow the soup to cool completely before adding it to a container to store.
The soup will last for 5 days in the refrigerator. To freeze, add the cooled soup to freezer containers or gallon-size freezer bags. Write the date and label and freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This soup is hearty enough to stand on it's own, however see below for some serving ideas:
- Sliced French or Sourdough bread.
- Big salad with a vinaigrette
- Cornbread
- Garlic Bread
- Collard Greens
Top Tips
- Don't forget to soak the beans the night before. Soaking beans decreases cooking time and removes some of the complex sugars, making them more digestible. Be sure to discard the soaking liquid and use fresh water for cooking.
- Add the tomatoes and lemon juice at the end of the cooking time. If you add acidic ingredients before the beans are cooked, it will prevent the beans from becoming tender.
- Taste before adding more salt. The seasoning packet that the beans come with contains salt already so make sure to taste before adding extra salt to avoid making the soup unpalatable.
Recipe FAQ's
Traditional cowboy soup is made with beans, a protein and vegetables along with some seasonings. It is hearty, thick and filling.
If you want to make the flavor of your broth richer, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth. I always love making my vegetable broth homemade and giving it that umami boost.
Other Great Soup Recipes
- Easy Vegan Wonton Soup with Frozen Wontons
- Vegan Minestrone Soup
- Slow Cooker Vegan Taco Soup
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Pot Pie Soup
Hearty Crockpot 15 Bean Cowboy Soup
Equipment
- 1 Crockpot
- 1 skillet
- 1 Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 package HamBeens® 15 BEAN SOUP® with seasoning packet
- 14.5 ounces Diced Tomatoes
- 14 ounces Ground Sausage I use Impossible brand
- 1 Yellow Onion diced
- 2 Carrots diced
- 2 stalks Celery diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth
- 4 cups Water
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- The night before, add the beans to a large bowl and remove the seasoning packet. Cover with water and allow to soak overnight.
- The morning of, finely dice the celery, onion and carrot
- Brown the sausage in a cast iron skillet, draining any excess grease
- Drain the beans and add them to the crockpot along with all the other ingredients except for the tomatoes and lemon juice. Make sure to include the seasoning packet that is included with the beans.
- Cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 7-8 hours until the beans are cooked through and tender.
- 30 minutes before serving, stir in the lemon juice and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with warm sliced bread and enjoy!
Notes
- Don't forget to soak the beans the night before. Soaking beans decreases cooking time and removes some of the complex sugars, making them more digestible. Be sure to discard the soaking liquid and use fresh water for cooking.
- Add the tomatoes and lemon juice at the end of the cooking time. If you add acidic ingredients before the beans are cooked, it will prevent the beans from becoming tender.
- Taste before adding more salt. The seasoning packet that the beans come with contains salt already so make sure to taste before adding extra salt to avoid making the soup unpalatable.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Nancy says
Thanks for this easy and hearty bean stew. So tender and satisfying. I will be making this again.
Dee Broughton says
What a great way to level up those 15 bean soup packs! I normally just throw in some smoked turkey but this looks so good!
Nora says
This meat stew succeeded right the first time! The perfect comfort food when it's cold outside! Thank you!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
I love using my crockpot. This soup is so easy and at the end of the day, you have a hearty and delicious meal!