Cooking On The Ranch

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Crab Avocado Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

By 31 Comments

Ultra-nutritious, this Crab Avocado salad with asparagus is beautiful for a light Summer meal. Dressed with a lively vinaigrette you’ve got a delicious and fresh seafood salad recipe.

Crab and avocado salad with asparagus.

This week, my local market had Crab legs for $9.99/lb.  Prompting this easy as can be, crab salad recipe with avocado and asparagus.

Ingredients to make Crab Avocado Salad.

Look at all of these beautiful, fresh and healthy ingredients.  I’m trying to eat as healthy as I can before the month-long food gorge begins in a couple of weeks.  And believe you me, I plan to whole heartedly participate in the Holiday food festivities.  🙂

The Greens For This Crab Avocado Salad Recipe

Pea shoots to make crab avocado salad.

I’ve been finding pea shoots at Whole Foods. They’re a beautiful garnish and addition for any salad.

They’re simply the leaves of the traditional garden pea plant that are harvested about 2 – 4 weeks into the growth cycle. Tender, young and bursting with pea flavor.

For presentation, I’ve placed the crab meat, asparagus and avocado on big luscious leaves of read leaf lettuce. And it’s not just for presentation, it because a fresh delicious part of the meal.

It’s Healthy

Eating this crab avocado salad makes you feel so good about yourself. And its a very easy salad to prepare:

  • Asparagus is cooked until just tender.
  • Raw pistachios and avocado and added for an even healthier salad.
  • A delightful and fresh tasting lemon vinaigrette finishes the combination.
  • Sprinkle on some sweet crab meat and you are in salad heaven.

Crab meat can be expensive at times. You can also make this salad with cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped. Either way, a healthy choice for a light dinner.

Recipe for Crab Avocado Salad

I hope you give this crab avocado salad recipe a try. It’s a must have recipe for your Spring and Summer recipe rotation. And it’s perfect for entertaining.

More Main Course Fresh Healthy Salad Recipes

And if you’re in the salad mood, don’t miss my Salad Category. You’ll find lots of great ideas along with dressing and vinaigrette recipes. And don’t miss my post for 9 Secrets To A Remarkable Tossed Salad. Just say no to sad salads.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Crab and avocado salad with asparagus.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Crab Avocado Salad with Asparagus and Lemon Vinaigrette

Ultra-nutritious, this Crab Avocado Asparagus salad is beautiful for a light Summer meal.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 584kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 pound asparagus thick asparagus
  • 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 6 medium basil leaves
  • 1 small shallot coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 ½ ounce pea shoots trimmed
  • ¼ cup raw pistachios coarsely chopped
  • 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
  • 2 Hass avocados each cut into wedges or coarsely chopped

Instructions

  • Cut tough ends off asparagus and throw away. Slice asparagus tops into 1 inch chunks. Heat a frypan over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and then add asparagus and shallot. Salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat to medium. Cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
  • In a blender, blend the remaining oil, lemon juice, basil and ¼ cup of the parsley. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
  • In a large bowl, add the pea shoots, pistachios and the remaining ¼ cup of parsley leaves to the asparagus. Toss with half of the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates and Sprinkle with crab meat.

Notes

If you can’t find pea shoots, watercress is another option.

Nutrition

Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 968mg | Potassium: 1101mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1828IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 5mg

Crab Avocado Salad …It’s What’s For Dinner.

Nick’s Cafe Minestrone With Pesto

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Topping a steaming hot bowl of Italian Minestrone Soup with a dollop of fresh homemade pesto proves to be the secret to a special recipe. This recipe is made famous by Nick’s Italian Cafe in McMinneville, Oregon. Let’s take a look.

Italian Minestrone soup in an Italian lattice bowl.

A visit to Nick’s Italian Cafe means a taste of Oregon Wine Country at it’s finest. And a chance to slurp their famous Italian Minestrone Soup topped with pesto.

Hands down, the best classic minestrone soup we’ve ever had, and perhaps the best in the world.

 Nick’s Italian Cafe is just one of those great restaurant experiences. Just something about good times, good food with good friends make for good memories.  They’ve been feeding Oregon wine country since 1977 and serve up entrees that compliment the state’s signature wines of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.   You can check out the menu by clicking  Nick’s website

A visit to Nicks Italian Cafe and their famous recipe for Minestrone Soup

We visited Nick’s on our recent trip to Oregon Wine Country and the IPNC Conference.

We arrived 30 minutes early so that we could enjoy Nick's backroom experience. Saveur Magazine did an article on Nick’s a few years ago, I took this photo of the article proudly framed and displayed on the wall.

The magazine article is also where I found this recipe for Nick’s Italian Minestrone Soup.

Nick's Italian Cafe
Nick’s Italian Cafe Saveur Magazine

After a toast to celebrate the beginning of this year's Oregon trip, we moved main dining room and began the arduous task of studying the menu and making difficult decisions on what to order.  Incredible menu.

Everything was interesting, delicious, and adventurous.  I'd have to say we voted our favorites as the Dungeness Crab and Pine Nut Lasagna and the Lamb Three Ways.  Mmmwaaaa - big kiss to Nick's, we love, love, love this restaurant.

I love this quote from the owner, Nick Peirano, who thinks that simple connections are at the center of everything. “Cooking is a craft, not an art,” he says. “It’s fuel for the body and, hopefully, for the spirit. It’s like the difference between pottery and fine art. Food should always think of itself as pottery. Architectural food drives me nuts. Food has to recognize it’s serving a basic need.”

Since that article was printed Nick’s daughter, who has been in culinary training in San Francisco, has now taken over the kitchen.  I think she’s gradually sneaking in a little bit of that art 😉

Authentic Minestrone With Pesto

A bowl of Nick's Italian Cafe Minestrone Soup.

This recipe was included in the Saveur article and  I made this classic minestrone soup this weekend. Somewhat of an extravaganza, but well worth the time.

Serve this Italian Minestrone soup with fresh grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese and a dollop of pesto.

Here’s the full recipe:

This soup, a longtime fixture on the prix fixe menu at Nick’s Italian Café in McMinnville, Oregon, is served table side from a tureen and topped with a generous spoonful of fragrant, freshly made pesto. “The heat,” Nick explained, “makes the aroma rise.” After the bowls are filled, the vessel is left on the table so that guests can help themselves to more, if they like.

More Soup Recipes You Might Like

Looking for even more soup and stew recipes? Don’t miss my Soup Category. You’ll find lots of great recipes, including the most popular on my website for Hatch Green Chile with Pork.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Italian Minestrone soup in an Italian lattice bowl.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Nick’s Cafe Minestrone with Pesto

Nick's Italian Cafe Famous Minestrone with Pesto
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time4 hours
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 6
Calories: 422kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • FOR THE SOUP:
  • 3 carrots peeled and trimmed
  • 1 medium yellow onion peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 rib celery coarsely chopped
  • ½ green bell pepper cored, seeded, coarsely chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic peeled and coarsely chopped
  • ¼ bunch parsley chopped
  • ½ pound salt pork lean
  • 1 14 ½- ounce diced tomatoes canned, undrained
  • ½ cup tomato paste
  • ¼ cup beef stock base
  • ¼ cup dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon driedvoregano
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ pound string beans trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 ¼ cups frozen peas
  • Salt
  • FOR THE PESTO:
  • ½ bunch fresh basil
  • ½ bunch parsley
  • ¼ cup parmigiano-reggiano grated
  • ¼ cup pecorino romano grated
  • 1 teaspoon pine nuts
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • For the soup: Coarsely chop 1 of the carrots and put into a food processor. Add onions, celery, peppers, and garlic, pulse until vegetables are finely chopped, then transfer to a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add parsley, salt pork, and 3 quarts water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 6 hours.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer salt pork to a food processor, then process until fat liquefies and meat turns into a paste, about 30 seconds. Pass salt pork through a sieve back into pot, using a rubber spatula to press as much paste through the sieve as possible. Skim off and discard fat from broth. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock base, basil, and oregano to pot. Season to taste with 1 tsp. pepper and simmer over medium-low heat, covered, for 2 hours.
  • Add 4 cups water to pot, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, thinly slice remaining carrots crosswise, then add to pot. Add green beans and peas, reduce heat to medium, and simmer soup, partially covered, until carrots, beans, and peas are soft, about 30 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • For the pesto: Put basil, parsley, parmigiano-reggiano, pecorino romano, pine nuts, and oil into a food processor and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Put soup into a warm tureen, if you like, and spoon pesto into soup. Serve soup in warm bowls garnished with some freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano and pecorino romano, if you like.

Nutrition

Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 1367mg | Potassium: 767mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 6758IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 3mg

Nick’s Cafe Minestrone with Pesto  …It’s What’s For Dinner

Seafood Stew with Shrimp and Cod

By 22 Comments

This is a recipe for Seafood Stew with white fish and shrimp. Made creamy with coconut milk, sassy with Thai basil and fresh with lime juice. Shrimp and cod are perfect partners for the Island Seafood Stew Recipe.

Seafood stew with shrimp and cod served with a side of white rice.

White fish, shrimp, bell peppers and tomatoes swimming in a broth of coconut milk and seasoned with lively island spices and finished with lime makes for a delicious seafood stew.  

A wonderful change in our traditional meat and potato stew recipes. And a recipe reminiscent of one of our favorite seafood stews, this Easy Gumbo Recipe.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have an arsenal of soup recipes. Some are extravaganzas to prepare, and others easy enough to prepare after work on a week night. This is one of those easy fixes.

I’ve had this recipe for years. I love the flavors and I don’t know how I ever lived without the combination of coconut milk, cilantro and lime.

If you’re efficient in the kitchen this is easy enough for a weeknight meal and ready in around 30-45 minutes.

This one pot seafood stew just requires some chopping.

Canned tomatoes make this even easier. Just start chopping the onions, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos and the rest is a breeze.

Add seafood and you’ve got a quick and delicious seafood stew that will become one of your family favorites.

Tip: Using easy peel shrimp will save you time, and a package of frozen cod is readily available. Don’t forget a shake or two of your favorite hot sauce.

When a Recipe Calls for Whitefish, what Does It Mean?

Whitefish is not a type of fish, it generally means a mildly flavored, quick cooking fish, usually not very expensive.

If a recipe calls for whitefish and doesn’t indicate a specific kind of white fish, popular choices are Cod, Tilapia, Bass, Grouper, Haddock, Snapper and even Catfish. These are great for frying, searing and soups and seafood stews.

  • Ask the fishmonger. Tell them what you’re making and let them guide you to the best choice.
  • Thickness matters. And example is this fish stew recipe. You need chunks of meat, so cod is a great choice.
  • Freshness matters. If your seafood counter doesn’t have a good choice, head for the frozen seafood section. Most quality seafood is flash frozen soon after being caught. This is your best bet for fresh flavor. And being land locked in Colorado, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the fish at the seafood counter is simply thawed from frozen and probably from the same source as the freezer section.
  • Sustainability matters. It’s a privilege to eat seafood so we need to make sure we’re taking care of our oceans and the fish population. I love this site managed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Seafood Watch. Be in the know.

Recipe for Seafood Stew with Whitefish and Shrimp

Seafood stew with white fish and shrimp served in a large white bowl with white rice.

I hope you give this easy Jamaican seafood stew recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.

Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes. And if you have a favorite seafood stew recipe with coconut milk recipe let me know, I'd love to give it a try.

Light, bright and full of flavor simply serve this with a tossed green salad or some crusty bread to make sure you soak up all that wonderful broth.

Aside from the most popular stew recipe on my site for Beef Stew With Mushrooms, here are some more favorite hearty soups.

And if you’d rather stick with seafood, take a look at my recipe for Shrimp Stew. Rich and robust, it’s a very popular choice.

I consider soups and stews to be my specialty, so don’t miss my category for Soup Recipes. You’ll find a ton of slurp-worthy recipes. Including the most popular soup recipe on my site for Anthony Bourdain’s New Mexico Chili.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Seafood stew with shrimp and cod served with a side of white rice.
Print Recipe
4.80 from 5 votes

Island Seafood Stew with White Fish and Shrimp

White fish, shrimp, bell peppers and tomatoes swimming in a broth of coconut milk and seasoned with lively island spices and finished with lime makes for a delicious seafood stew.  A wonderful change from traditional meat and potato stew recipes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course Seafood
Cuisine: Jamaican
Servings: 4
Calories: 212kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh or frozen cod fillet
  • 12 medium shrimp deveined, peeled, tails removed
  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 small sweet onion chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes undrained
  • 1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 Tablespoons Thai basil chopped
  • ¼ cup cilantro chopped
  • Your favorite bottled hot sauce
  • Hot rice for serving

Instructions

  • Rinse cod, pat dry and cut into 1 inch cubes.
  • In a bowl combine 1 T. olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add fish and toss to coat. Set aside.
  • In a pan heat remaining oil to medium high and add onions, pepper, garlic, and jalapeno. Cook for 4 minutes stirring occasionally until onion is tender. Stir in the can of tomatoes and the coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat immediately and simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Stir in shrimp along with fish mixture, Thai basil, and ½ of the cilantro. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes or until fish flakes and shrimp are pink.
  • Serve with hot rice. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and sprinkle on some hot sauce if you’d like.

Nutrition

Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 642mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 313IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg

Island White fish and Shrimp Seafood Stew …It’s Whats for Dinner.

Church Supper Sloppy Joes For a Crowd, Serves 60

By 45 Comments

Sloppy Joes for a crowd. This is a recipe from our old Church cookbook for Sloppy Joes to serve a large group. This recipe from the book is titled Sloppy Joes for 60. So if you’re looking for a recipe for Sloppy Joes for a crowd for your next party, this will fit that bill. Let’s take a look.

Sloppy Joes on a bun with potato chips on the side.

Where did this Sloppy Joe Recipe Come From?

This old fashioned sloppy joe recipe is from my church cookbook.  The church that I attended when I was growing up in the middle of Kansas.  

You’ll find Sloppy Joes for 60 along with Baptist Punch for 100, which is an odd combination of ginger ale, Kool-Aid, Hawaiian Punch and 7-Up.  I was surprised to see they didn’t add five cups of sugar, I wonder if it’s sweet enough.  Do they even make Hawaiian Punch anymore?  

Church ladies often published these types of recipes serving large groups because of Church socials or Church suppers. And most of these church dinner ideas are cheap recipes for large groups.

This is a great recipe to keep on hand in case you’ve invited 58 friends over for dinner, or if you’re the Osmonds and have 58 of your great grandchildren over for lunch  (hey, I–am–not–making–that–up,  it was on Oprah on Friday). 

Or if you’re empty nesters like us it will yield you 30 Sloppy Joes each. 🙂

For tonight’s dinner we weren’t all that hungry, so I decided to scale the recipe down from 60 servings to 2. 😉  

But below you’ll find the original recipe. 

The flavor of this recipe is perfect sloppy joe flavor in our books. Sweet tangy and savory. 

Ingredients to Make Sloppy Joes for A Crowd

Ingredients to make sloppy joes for a large crowd
  • Hamburger Buns: Not all hamburger are created equal. There are some very large buns available for sale. Choose the smaller 3 ½ inch buns for this recipe to accommodate the number of servings.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Brown Sugar: Dark or light brown sugar will work for this recipe.
  • Mustard: Plain ol’ yellow mustard. Keep in simple with good old fashioned flavor.
  • Ketchup
  • Onion: Chopped sweet or yellow onion is best for this recipe. A red onion will add too strong of flavor and may compromise the overall flavor.
  • Celery: Chopped
  • Ground Beef: Save the 80/20 blend of ground beef for those burgers on the grill. Buy lean or extra lean ground beef for this recipe, 90% lean is a good guideline. You can use 80-20 but you’ll need to drain the grease before adding ingredients and the yield of final beef amount will lessen.
  • Flour: We’re adding just a little all-purpose flour to the mix to thicken the consistency. If you need to make gluten-free Sloppy Joes, omit the flour.

How many pounds of hamburger do I need for 50 Sloppy Joes? 7 – 8 pounds of hamburger is am ample amount for 50 – 60 Sloppy Joes, depending on the bun size. The celery, onion, and liquid ingredients bulk up the hamburger weight to make enough fill a smaller burger bun.

How To Make Sloppy Joes for 60

Once you’re done chopping the onions and celery, this recipe is very easy to throw together.

Browning ground beef for sloppy joes to serve 60.
  • Step 1: Brown the ground beef. Find the largest fry pan you can and brown hamburger meat in three batches. Once the first batch is about half way browned, add ⅓ of the onion, ⅓ of the celery and ⅓ of the flour. Once the meat is browned, move the mixture to a big soup pot and repeat with two more batches.
Cooking ground beef for sloppy joes for 60
  • Step 2: Use an 8 quart soup pot. I have used a 6 quart, it works but a little tight on space.
Sloppy joes for a large crowd cooking in a big soup pot
  • Step 3: Once all of the ingredients are in the big soup pot, add remainder of the ingredients and simmer for at least 30 minutes. If the mixture seems dry, or needs a little punch of flavor, I add a little bit of your favorite bottled bbq sauce.

Important Note: Please make sure to check the notes in the recipe card below, depending how the amount served per bun, this recipe can be a recipe for Sloppy Joes for 50, if using ½ cup servings per bun, or ⅓ cup servings will give you a Sloppy Joes Recipe for 60. And then there’s always that Sloppy Joe Sliders equasion.

The History of Sloppy Joes

When I decided to prepare this recipe, I wondered about the origin of the name “Sloppy Joe”, so I Googled “Where did the name Sloppy Joe come from”  sure enough I was rewarded with answers:

One web site claims:   The Original Sloppy Joe Sandwich was invented at Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West. The original is still available and consists of ground beef in a sweet rich tomato sauce, with onions, peppers and spices.

Hence the sandwich was named for the establishment, not the consistency, as suggested by the Manwich recipe people.

(Ok now this really bothers me, what’s up with those Manwich “people” starting ugly rumors?)

Another web site suggests that it was named after a Green Bay Packer team member Joe Krzrwinski … aka “Sloppy”, a nickname given to him for his inconsistent play on the field. The first creation was made with ground sausage during 1930.

According to another story, the sandwich was named after the Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Havana, Cuba which was the first to serve a sandwich of this variety.

So depending on if you’re a Cheese Head, or a Parrot Head you’ve got your answer.

Even James Beard, the 20th Century Godfather of American cooking wrote about Sloppy Joes: “This is a product of the modern age, and though it is not a palate-tingling delight it has a large public.”

Perhaps Beard’s generous use of a ¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce in his version of Sloppy Joes had something to do with his unenthusiastic view.  Plus I think it’s a slap in the face to white-trash food.  Just who does he think he is???  (Oh, that’s right, he’s the 20th century godfather of American Cooking.)

Sloppy Joes for large group gatherings are an easy way to feed that crowd. 

Sloppy Joe Recipe For Large Crowd

A sloppy joe sandwich recipe to feed 60 people.

These Sloppy Joes are a super easy way to serve a main course to a large group.

I made these for a block party a few years ago, and I can’t tell you how many times I was asked for the recipe.

I hope you give this Sloppy Joe Recipe a try next time you’re hosting a large group. And if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating and leave a message about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a recipe for feeding a large group, let me know, I’d love to give it a try. I host our yearly block party and am always looking for recipe ideas.

What Side Dishes Go With Sloppy Joes?

Looking for side dish recipes to serve a crowd with these Sloppy Joes? Just double or triple these recipes. Pioneer Woman’s Best Pasta Salad, Classic Potato Salad, or a big pot of Calico Beans.

More Recipes To Feed A Crowd

If you’re looking for cheap recipes for large groups take a look at these. You’ll need to double or triple these recipes, depending on the size of the crowd.

And if you’re in the sandwich mood, don’t miss my Sandwich Category. You’ll find lots of fun ideas. Including the most popular sandwich recipe on my site for my Party Sub Club Sandwich. A party sandwich that’s big on flavor and popularity.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Sloppy joes for a crowd. A sloppy joe served on a plate with potato chips.
Print Recipe
5 from 36 votes

Church Supper Sloppy Joes for 60

Sloppy Joe Recipe For Large Crowd, Church Cookbook Recipe.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course Beef
Cuisine: American
Servings: 60
Calories: 263kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 8 pounds ground beef extra lean
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • 2 ½ cups celery diced
  • 2 ½ cups onion diced, about 2 medium onions
  • ½ cup mustard or more to taste
  • ½ cup vinegar
  • ½ cup brown sugar light brown, or dark brown
  • 28 ounces catsup 3 ½ cups
  • 2 cups water
  • 60 Hamburger buns small ones, but not slider buns

Instructions

  • In a very large fry pan, brown hamburger meat in three batches. Once the first batch is about half way browned, add ⅓ of the onion, ⅓ of the celery and ⅓ of the flour. Once the meat is browned, move the mixture to a big soup pot and repeat with two more batches.
  • Use an 8 quart soup pot. I have used a 6 quart, it works but a little tight on space.
  • Once all of the ingredients are in the big soup pot, add remainder of the ingredients and simmer for at least 30 minutes. If the mixture seems dry, or needs a little punch of flavor, I add a little bit of your favorite bottled bbq sauce.
  • Adjust seasonings to taste and serve on hamburger buns.

Notes

Important Note: if using ½ cup serving of sloppy joe mix per bun, this will make 50 Sloppy Joes. ½ cup makes an ample serving per bun with a little spillage off the sides of the bun. Like we all expect a sloppy joe to look.
Using ⅓ cup serving per bun will yield 60 Sloppy Joes with a smaller about of meat per bun.
If you’d like to Sloppy Joes using slider buns, this should yield about 80 – 100 Sloppy Joe Sliders.
Hamburger Buns: Not all hamburger buns are created equal. There are some very large buns available for sale. Choose the smaller 3 ½ inch buns for this recipe to accommodate the number of servings.
Make Ahead:
Make these sloppy joes ahead of time and freeze. Use gallon zip lock bags. Just push the air out of the bags, once you put meat in and they'll lay flat in the freezer for easy storage. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat when ready.
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 393mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2mg

Sloppy Joes for a Crowd …It’s What’s For Dinner

Great Northern Bean Soup with Bacon

By 31 Comments

As far as bacon and bean soup recipes go, this Great Northern Bean Soup ranks right up there as our favorite soup recipes ever. White beans simmered and flavored with carrot, celery, onions and herbs. Add Bacon and you’ve got a great dinner for a crisp Fall evening. Cooking bean in the slow cooker all day makes this an easy fix dinner.

Great northern bean soup with bacon served in a cast iron skillet

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

If you have a thing for bacon, the Internet will gladly return about a zillion recipes to use for this popular ingredient.

But if you have a thing for the slightly less rock star Great Northern Bean, there aren’t that many ways to use them. Soup? Oh, or maybe a salad or two.

I simply can’t resist buying beans, something about them brings out the comfort in me. And give me a bean soup recipe and I’m all in.

This bacon and bean soup starts in the crock pot. I find my crock pot to be worth it’s weight in gold when cooking dried beans. Once they’re tender from day spent in that slow cooker, finishing the soup is easy.

Crock pot bacon and bean soup is made with classic soup ingredients, chicken broth, a chunky style Mirepoix (carrots, celery and onions) and seasonings and herbs that you most likely have in your pantry. And the star of the show = bacon. Let’s take a look.

Why Are Great Northern Beans a Good Choice for Soups?

I love cooking with white beans, Navy Beans, Great Northern Beans, Cannellini Beans. They’re easy to cook and creamy by nature. For this soup recipe I chose Great Northern Beans.

A bit larger than Navy Beans but smaller than Cannellini beans, medium-sized Great Northern beans are known for their mild, nutty flavor and firm flesh.

Great in soups and stews, they hold their shape better than Navy beans, take on the flavors of the foods they're cooked with, and are commonly used in French cassoulets.

Inspiration for This Great Northern Bean Soup Recipe

This recipe was inspired by a recent trip to the Buena Vista area to take in the color extravaganza show that our Colorado Aspen’s put on each Fall.

A side trip found us wandering up a dirt road on our way to St. Elmo, a ghost town in the middle of our Sawatch Mountain Range. Founded in 1880, nearly 2,000 people settled in this town when mining for gold and silver started.  

Even though St. Elmo is considered a ghost town it is still inhabited. The old mining roads are now used as 4-wheeling trails and Chalk Creek attracts fishing.

Cabin at St. Elmo Colorado with Fall Aspen Trees. A photo from my Great Northern Bean Soup recipe.

Once we returned back to town, a local restaurant was serving up a delicious white bean soup with bacon. I simply couldn’t wait to recreate the flavors in my own kitchen.

Recipe for Great Northern Bean Soup with Bacon

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Print Recipe
4.60 from 5 votes

Great Northern Bean Soup with Bacon

A soup perfect for a crisp Fall night.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 616kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Dried Great Northern Beans rinsed and sorted
  • 7 cups chicken stock divided
  • 1 scoop Lard
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 ¼ pounds thick-sliced bacon cut crosswise into ¼-inch strips
  • 1 sweet onion finely chopped
  • 2 large carrot rough chopped
  • 3 celery ribs rough chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 teaspoons chopped thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • Wash beans and pick out any misfits. Place beans in a crock pot, along with the lard and bay leaf. Cover with 3 cups of chicken stock. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until tender. Check crock pot periodically to make sure beans don't go dry. Add more stock if necessary.
  • In a large soup pot, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Drain, reserving the fat and bacon separately.
  • Heat a tablespoon of the bacon fat in the soup pot. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. 
  • Stir in the garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the beans and any liquid left in the crockpot. Add remaining stock and 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat and bring to a boil.
  • Simmer the soup over low heat until the flavors have married. About 30 minutes.
  • Discard the bay leaf and season the soup with salt and pepper and transfer to shallow bowls.
  • Garnish the soup with the bacon bits and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 616kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 793mg | Potassium: 1245mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2611IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 4mg

Great Northern Bean Soup with Bacon and Herbs …It’s What’s For Dinner