4.9 from 249 votes
Portuguese Bean Soup
Portuguese Bean Soup brings together ham hocks, Portuguese sausage, kidney beans, and a medley of vegetables with tomatoes and macaroni in a rich, simmered broth. The method includes making a ham hock stock to deepen flavor, followed by gradual addition and cooking of hearty vegetables and pasta. The resulting soup offers a satisfying, chunky texture complemented by the savory meat and smooth beans, making it suitable for a filling main meal, especially during cooler weather.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 15 mins
Servings:
6
servings
Course:
Soup
Cuisine:
Hawaiian
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb ham hocks
- 1 lb Portuguese sausage diced
- 2 cans Kidney Beans or 2 ½ -3 cups (about 370-400 g) dry red beans soaked in water overnight and drained
- 2 potato cubed
- 3 carrot diced
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 cabbage medium-sized, chopped or cubed, head
- 16 oz crushed tomatoes canned
- 16 oz tomato sauce canned
- 1 cup macaroni uncooked
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp sugar
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the stock by placing the ham hocks in a large soup pot with about 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer the meat for about 1 ½ -2 hours until tender.
- Transfer the meat to a large dish or cutting board to cool. Reserve the stock in the pot.
- Once the ham hocks are cool enough to handle, remove the meat off the bones and chop into smaller pieces.
- Return the stock to the fire and bring it back to a boil.
- Introduce the canned crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce and wait for the mixture to bubble. Then add the cooked meat, onion, celery, carrots and potatoes and continue simmering.
- When the potatoes are half cooked, add the sausage, garlic, cabbage, and kidney beans and finally the macaroni.
- Simmer for 15 - 30 minutes until all the vegetables and the macaroni have cooked through. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper according to your taste.
- Remember to adjust the consistency along the way if you think the soup becomes too thick by adding some water.
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