Old-School Bean Soup with Wheat Berries

This meaty, slow-cooked bean soup has wheat berries for added texture. Add fresh toppings to each bowl for pure, old-school comfort food.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 5 hr
• Total Time: 5 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 722 Calories

Ingredients

• water to cover
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 ham bone
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 green onions, sliced, or more to taste
• 8 ounces dried navy beans
• 8 ounces cranberry beans
• 8 ounces wheat berries
• 8 ounces dried lentils

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place ham bone in a slow cooker. Pour in enough water to cover. Cook on Low until you have a fragrant stock, 12 to 15 hours.

Step 2

Place navy beans, cranberry beans, and wheat berries in a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let soak, 8 hours to overnight. Drain.

Step 3

Remove ham bone from stock. Add beans and wheat berries. Stir in celery salt, thyme, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. Cook on High until beans are tender yet firm to the bite, about 4 hours.

Step 4

Stir lentils into the slow cooker. Cook on High until tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve soup topped with diced tomatoes, avocado, and green onions.