Directions:

Soak beans in water for at least 4-12 hours; this is easiest if done overnight (see notes for a detailed explanation of how to do this, and for alternatives if you don’t have time or forgot to soak your beans.) Drain and rinse beans in a colander.

Place soaked beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and sage (and Kombu leaf, if using) in the slow cooker. Cover with broth and water, then cover with lid and cook on HIGH for about 6-8 hours (the beans will be tender after 3-4 hours if you’ve soaked them beforehand, but the longer it cooks, the creamier the soup gets).

Right before serving, if you’d like an even creamier soup, you can use an immersion blender and give it a quick whirl along the edges to cream about a third of the soup, then stir to combine. Or, you can scoop out a third of the soup, place in a high-speed blender, and blend until smooth (being very careful as you blend the hot soup), then return that to the pot, stir and serve.

Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of parsley if desired. Enjoy!

STIR-IN IDEAS/OPTIONS:

• Chopped leftover holiday turkey and/or ham make great additions to this soup
• Bacon sprinkled on top can add additional protein and flavor
• Additional veggies that are delicious stirred into this soup are red bell peppers, button mushrooms, leeks, kale, and/or spinach, as well as other fresh herbs such as fresh chopped rosemary, sage, or thyme
• To transform any leftovers into a different flavor profile the following day, consider adding a can of roasted tomatoes & teaspoon of oregano for an Italian flavor.

NOTES:

How to Soak Beans (& Why) – Soaking beans beforehand makes them easier to digest, and shortens their cook time. I highly recommend taking the time to do this the night before for the best texture and fastest cook times. To soak properly, first pick through your beans to make sure there aren’t any bad ones or stray pieces of rock or sand that can sometimes make their way into dried beans. Then, rinse them in a colander for a minute or two. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with water. (The water should reach 2-3 inches above the level of the beans.) Refrigerate in the bowl for 4-12 hours or so (I leave mine overnight). Then, drain and rinse them, and they’re ready to use!

Forgot to Soak Your Beans? If you forgot to soak your beans, you’ve got 2 choices: 1) just rinse them in a colander and plan on them taking about 7-8 hours to fully cook in the slow cooker. 2) Take a shortcut. For the shortcut method, put the beans in a large soup pot and cover them with 2 inches of water (2 inches above the level of the beans). Bring to a boil, and boil for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let them soak for about an hour. Drain and rinse them in a colander, then proceed with the rest of the recipe.

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