In today’s installment of From Storage to Stovetop we are going to show you a traditional 16 bean soup mix and give you a secret trick on how to make a simple soup without all of the hassle and wasted fuel to soak and cook all those legumes.
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In the video below Julie shares her secret to making the best 16 bean soup. It doesn’t even need HAM in it to make it delicious, which is a big plus in her family. This is one of those ingredients that a lot of people have purchased for their food storage but very few people actually cook with on a regular basis.
Favorite Recipe for 16 (or 12) Bean Soup
2 cups of soaked beans (soaking optional)
5 cups of water
2 tsp of cumin
1/4 cup of dehydrated onions
1 tsp of garlic
1 tsp ground red pepper, or cayenne, or something spicy
Cook the beans in a pressure cooker, or in a crock pot. I use my electric pressure cooker and cook them on high pressure with natural release, for 45 minutes if I have soaked the beans for a number of hours. If I’m making a last minute meal and didn’t soak the beans, I cook them for 52 minutes. If you’re cooking the beans in a crock pot, cook on low for 6-10 hours. Do not add salt to uncooked beans – it will slow down the cooking process. Also the cooking time can vary based on how old your beans are.
When the beans are done add the following ingredients:
1 or 2 can of tomatoes blended (depends on how soupy you want it)
1 can of tomato paste, or some tomato powder to thicken it if you want it more chili substance
1 cup of salsa (I like Pace)
Salt to taste
Top with chips and cheese if you would like
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-Jodi Weiss Schroeder
http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net