Senate Bean Soup is one of those enduring American classics — simple, hearty, and steeped in tradition. Served daily in the U.S. Senate dining room for more than a century, it’s a dish that reflects the straightforward, honest cooking of its era: navy beans, onions, potatoes, and the unmistakable depth of smoked pork.
Add croutons and it becomes classic!
Senate Bean Soup
When I taught this recipe to students at the Culinary Institute of America, I always emphasized its value as a foundational soup. It’s a masterclass in building flavor from humble ingredients and understanding how time, heat, and technique transform a few basic components into something deeply satisfying.
For me, the smoked ham hock is the soul of this soup. As it simmers, the collagen slowly melts, enriching the broth with body and texture, while the smoky aroma infuses every spoonful. It’s a perfect example of how traditional cuts — often overlooked today — can deliver exceptional flavor when treated with care. Of course I dice the ham and add it to the soup for extra flavor!
Senate Bean Soup is comfort food in its purest form: nourishing, approachable, and rooted in American culinary history. Below is my version, shaped by years of teaching, tasting, and respecting the craft behind great soup making.
Prep Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 60 min
Yield: 6 portions
Ingredients
1 lb Navy beans, cleaned, rinsed and soaked
3 qts Pork stock (you can sub water)
1 ea Smoked Ham hocks
2 Cups Russet Potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 Cup Mirepoix, 1/4” dice
2 Tbsp Butter
1 clove Garlic, chopped fine
1 ea Sachet: (1 sprig of thyme, 1 bay leaf, parsley stems)
tt Salt and Pepper
How to prepare Senate Bean Soup
Step 1
If using dried beans, sort through the beans and pick out any debris, rinse in cool water and soak for 3 hours, strain.
Step 2
Place into a stock pot, Add the smoked ham hock, potatoes and stock.
Add the sachet d' epices. (bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme, parsley)
If using canned beans, simply add to the stock pot with the potatoes, stock and sachet e' epices.
Step 3
Sweat the mirepoix and garlic in butter until translucent/ tender. Add to the pot of beans.
Simmer until the beans are tender. (about an hour).
Step 4
Take out the the sachet d’epices and discard. Spoon about half of the beans into a bowl for garnish; try to get only beans.
Take out the ham hocks, reserve and cool.
Blend the remaining beans and vegetable mixture in a food processor/bullet etc... to puree.
I believe the texture of pureed soup should be rustic and course. If you prefer a smoother consistency, simply puree further or pass through a sieve, possibly add cream.
Dice the ham hocks into a small dice and add back to the soup along with the reserved beans.
Season to taste.
I recently volunteered to prepare vegetable paella for a church Bible group potluck. I was very excited to develop a delicious, new paella recipe and spent time preparing fresh vegetable stock with flavors of the Mediterranean. I always prepare vegetable and fish stocks fresh, as I intend to use them. I’m not a fan of bases or frozen stocks but I sometimes add a small amount of quality base to my stocks. A vegetable stock with mirepoix, cabbage, mushrooms makes sense in certain applications, for certain recipes—but why would we use a mushroom or cabbage-forward stock in a paella? It doesn’t make culinary sense. Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain as a humble meal cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed wonderful paella meals in Valencia prepared with water-not stock, prepared with rabbit, snails and local beans. While traveling through Spain this spring I researched and sampled many styles of paella… no mushrooms, no carrots, no celery and no cabbage.
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable.
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Culinary Basics: The Art of preparing Stocks
Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain. It is a humble meal, originally cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed many wonderful paella meals in Spain. In Valencia I had a local paella with rabbit, snails and local beans. Short-grained rice is always used to prepare Paella, there are several great Spanish varieties like Bomba and Calasparra , prized for absorbing the delicious, flavorful stock and flavors of the ingredients without getting mushy. This is important for creating the dish's signature, crusty bottom layer called the socarrat. Paella is all about the rice!
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable.
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