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Baby Kale Salad with Honey Cider Vinaigrette

By 2 Comments

Baby Kale Salad with Apples tossed with a sweet and tangy honey cider dressing. The combination of textures and flavors work perfectly. A lovely salad that will pair easily with any fall entree you’re serving.

If you’re looking for more Fall salad ideas, don’t miss this recipe for Homemade Catalina Dressing, which is customary for everyone’s favorite Dorito Taco Salad.

Baby Kale Salad with apples and sunflower seeds.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

This recipe is compliments of the now shuttered Next Door Eatery, owner, Kimball Musk. The restaurant opened in Highlands Ranch in 2018, and as a member of the local food press industry I was invited to attend the grand opening.

We were treated to an array of samples from the menu, which included this recipe for Baby Kale Salad with Honey Cider Vinaigrette.

The tart crunch of Granny Smith Apples, the mild and slightly peppery flavor of baby kale, and the creamy feta cheese are a perfect base for the tart sweet vinaigrette.

The cheese used in this salad is local feta, from Jumpin’ Good Goat Dairy in Buena Vista, CO.

It’s a perfect example of clever and wholesome recipes that are so easy to make in your own kitchen.

For this salad to be successful, baby kale is a necessity, due to its delicate flavor and tender texture compared to the tougher mature variety, which can prove to be a bit ornery to tame.

Is Kale Healthy?

Raw baby kale, is a nutritious powerhouse, and one of the healthiest things you can eat. However, it has the reputation of bringing an undesirable flavor and texture eaten raw. But a good kale salad, properly prepared can be very pleasurable on the palate.

Types Of Kale

The different types of kale available for purchase are:

  • Curly kale, which is dark green with slightly curly leaves. It has a pungent peppery flavor, rough texture and is more suited for cooking.
  • Lacinato Kale (Tuscan Kale) is darker in color and has longer leaves. Slightly sweeter and with a softer texture, it’s more suited for salads once the stems and ribs are removed from the leaves.
  • Baby Kale, is also a nutritious powerhouse, and both the small stems and leaves of baby kale are edible. With a milder flavor, yet still peppery with flavor, its readily available in the produce section, pre-washed and ready to serve. With much less prep.

I like this article by Tasting Table regarding the different varieties of Kale.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make baby kale salad.
  • Baby Kale
  • Granny Smith Apples: Granny Smith Apples are tart and acidic in flavor. Firm and crisp with a light green skin, they’re a perfect partner for this honey vinaigrette and baby kale.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: To make the vinaigrette.
  • Feta Cheese: A salty dry crumbling cheese, this makes a perfect topping for this salad.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Apple Juice
  • Parsley: Use Italian flat leafed parsley for this recipe.
  • Garlic
  • Salt and Ground Black Pepper
  • Honey
  • Sunflower Seeds

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Apples: Choose any variety of tart apple, Pink Lady would be a good substitute and is easily found in supermarkets. But try to stick with Granny Smith. The lime green color of a Granny Smith Apple compliments the dark green color of the Baby Kale.
  • Cheese: Feta cheese with it’s tangy, salty and superb crumbling abilities is preferred for this salad. But if you’re like me and always have Cotija Cheese, a Mexican Crumbling Cheese on hand. It will work well here.
  • Seeds: Pine Nuts will work well as a substitution for Sunflower Seeds.

How To Make This Baby Kale Salad, It’s Easy.

Rubbing garlic on the inside of a wooden salad bowl.
  1. Step 1: Using a garlic press, crush the clove of garlic into a wooden salad bowl and thoroughly rub it around the surface. A trick I learned in Culinary School, it simply adds a subtle but magical garlic flavor to the salad.
Honey cider vinaigrette for Baby Kale Salad.
  1. Step 2: Prepare the Honey Cider Vinaigrette: Combine the oil, vinegar, apple juice, honey, salt and pepper in a jar that you can shake vigorously to combine. Set aside. You’ll shake it again right before serving.
Baby Kale Salad in a wooden salad bowl.
  1. Step 3: Add the baby kale to the salad bowl. If making ahead, you can refrigerate the kale until ready to dress. If serving immediately, proceed and add remaining ingredients.
Baby kale salad with granny smith apples.
  1. Step 4: Add enough dressing to generously coat the baby kale leaves, add the apples and toss to coat ingredients with the dressing. Add sunflower seeds and feta cheese and serve in a shallow bowl that will showcase the salad well.
Is This Baby Kale Salad Gluten Free?

Yes, every single ingredient in this recipe is naturally gluten free.

Make Ahead And Storage

  • Baby Kale is a very sturdy green. You can make this salad up to an hour ahead of time, complete with vinaigrette, without worry of the greens wilting.
  • As far as storage leftovers, I’ve never been a fan. Once dressed, even kale won’t fare well in the refrigerator overnight. The acid in vinaigrette simply will wilt any greens and ingredients.

Baby Kale Salad Recipe

Baby Kale Salad served with a cocktail.

This is a photo of the Baby Kale Salad provided by the restaurant. Served with a Fall Cocktail, all that’s missing is a fork.

So if you’re looking for baby kale recipes, salads are always a good choice.

This Baby Kale Salad with Apples is a delightful and healthy option that will satisfy your cravings for something both nutritious and delicious. It’s a salad that’s perfect for any season, and its vibrant colors and flavors will brighten up your dinner table.

Serve this with Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Bourbon Peach Compote for an impressive Fall entree.

More Popular Salad Recipes

And if you’re salad fans like us, don’t miss my post on how to make the perfect Accompaniment Salad. A step by step guide on how to make the best tossed salad ever.

And take a look at my Salad Category, you’ll find the most popular salad dressing recipes on my site for Homemade Thick and Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing.

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.

This post was originally published in October 0f 2018, and updated and republished November 2023 to add step by step instructions.

Baby Kale Salad with apples and sunflower seeds.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Baby Kale Salad with Honey Cider Vinaigrette

Nutritious, delicious and beautiful on the plate, this baby kale salad will easily pair with about any Fall entree you're serving.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 362kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 clove garlic pressed through a garlic press or fine diced.
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups baby kale rinsed and dried
  • 1 tablespoon fresh whole leaf parsley fine chopped
  • For The Salad
  • 4 tablespoons Apple cider or apple juice
  • 4 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoon honey
  • fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 2 granny smith apples washed, cored and cut in slices
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

  • Sprinkle the chopped garlic into your salad bowl. Rub the garlic into the bottom and sides of bowl.
  • Wash greens well and dry. Place the kale and parsley into the bowl.
  • Prepare the dressing by adding all of the ingredients into a Mason style jar. Shake very well until ingredients are emulsified. Or make the dressing in a large bowl that you can whisk until combined.
  • Pour this mixture over the greens and toss until combined.
  • Add apple slices. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and feta. Serve immediately.

Notes

Most packages of Baby Kale will indicate it’s been triple washed. If you’re like me and still want to make sure that Kale is squeaky-clean, rinse well and dry in a salad spinner. Or rinse in a colander and use paper towels to dry the kale leaves thoroughly. 

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 3491IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 1mg

Baby Kale Salad … It’s What’s For Dinner

Award Winning Bison Chili with Black Beans and Lime Crema

By 23 Comments

This rich and robust ground Bison Chili features plenty of warming spices and black beans. A simple recipe that’s highlighted with a lime crema topping, and garnished with chopped avocado, cilantro and green onion.

If you love chili soups as much as we do, you’ve got to try my recipe for Cowboy Chili. Rich, robust and one of the best bowls of chili you’ll ever have.

Bison Chile with Black beans topped with chopped avocado and sour cream.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

This Bison Chili Recipe is full bodied, rich and totally scrumptious. It will transform an everyday chili recipe into a five star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ meal. This one-pot recipe builds layers of complex flavors using warming ingredients using chili powder, smoky chipotle chiles in adobo sauce and a rich flavored dark beer.

This recipe also richer in color by using black beans rather than pinto beans like most chili recipes offer.

If you’ve been curious about cooking with Bison, this is a great recipe to try. You can substitute ground bison for about any recipe calling for ground beef. So with confidence this chili recipe required no special cooking skills.

Why Choose Bison? Flavor and Texture

  •  If you’ve never eaten bison, it’s very similar to grass fed beef. Makes sense since bison are raised and roam in open pastures.
  • What does bison taste like? Bison is slightly sweeter and richer than beef, which pairs well with this smoky chipotle sauce. Bison has a more dense texture due to being lower in fat.
  • Ground Bison is lean, and offers a less fatty richer alternative to ground beef and brings with it a robust flavor.
  • Bison meat has fewer calories and less saturated fat than beef, and a relative proportion of unsaturated to saturated fats is better for health, especially heart health. source: Webmd.

Where To Look For Bison Meat

Here in Colorado, ground bison is readily available at large supermarkets. I prefer to purchase the brand offered at Whole Foods. There are also on-line options like North Star Bison who will ship ground bison to your doorstep.

This recipe is adapted from a recipe from Nora Neureiter, a second place winner of the 2009 Leyden Streed Chili Cookoff here in Denver.

Let’s get started.

Table of contents

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make Bison Chili.
  • Two Pounds Lean Ground Bison: You can substitute ground beef, but then it wouldn’t be bison chili.
  • Beef Broth
  • Canned Black Beans: A good substitution would be red kidney beans. Their rich red color will preserve the deep rich color of the chili.
  • Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
  • Stout Beer or a rich flavored Dark Beer
  • Ground Bison
  • 2-Sweet Onions, Chopped
  • 6 cloves Garlic, Diced
  • Good Quality Chili Powder
  • 3 Canned Chipolte Peppers in Adobo Sauce
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Garnishes: Sour Cream and Lime for Lime Crema. Green onions, avocado and cilantro for garnish.

Chef-Tip: Vinegar is an MVP pantry workhorse that I use almost as much as salt and pepper. Vinegar is an acid. Adding just a small amount will brighten and balance flavors.

How To Make Bison Chili, It’s Easy

Browning ground bison for bison chili.
  1. Step 1: Brown the Ground Bison: Using a 7-quart Dutch Oven or a large stock pot, add a splash of oil and the ground bison meat. Cook over medium high heat, crumbling with a wooden spoon or spatula until the meat is almost cooked through, stirring frequently. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until the onions are turning soft, about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant.
Adding tomatoes and spices to bison chili.
  1. Step 2: Add The Tomatoes: Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, chili powder, beef broth, dark beer, and chipotle chile peppers. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook for 1 hour.
Adding black beans and corn meal to bison chili.
  1. Step 3: Add The Black Beans and Cornmeal: To finish the soup, add the canned black beans and cornmeal. The cornmeal will help thicken the chili with a natural flavor that compliments any chili recipe. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.
Making lime crema topping for bison chili.
  1. Step 4: Make The Lime Crema Topping. While the bison chili is finishing cooking, make the Lime Crema topping by combining sour cream with lime zest and lime juice. It’s that easy and it’s the key to the uniqueness of this chili. It’s creamy texture and citrus tones make this bison chili recipe even more special.

How to Serve Bison Chili

How To Serve Bison Chili.
  • Chili Toppings: To serve, ladle a large dollop of Lime Crema, and offer chopped avocado, chopped cilantro and sliced green onions for toppings. These garnishes bring a beautiful contrast of color against the deep earthy color of the bison chili. Not to mention a fresh Mexican nuance.
Can I Use Greek Yogurt In Place Of Sour Cream?

Yes. Substitute equal amounts of Greek Yogurt. It will give you the same creamy results you crave and with an extra bit of tang. Creme Fraiche is another good substitute for Sour Cream.

Is Bison Healthier Than Ground Beef?

Bison is a healthier meat than beef, lower in fat, calories and cholesterol. It’s also richer in protein. Source: National Bison Association.

Is It Bison Or Buffalo?

While Bison is the correct term, lots of people still use “buffalo”. So please feel free to call this a Buffalo Chili.

Where Can I Buy Bison Meat?

Here in Colorado, bison meat is readily available in our grocery stores and specialty markets. If that’s not the case in your area, there are on-line options like North Star Bison who will ship bison to your doorstep.

Is This A Gluten Free Bison Chili?

If your chili powder doesn’t contain any flour thickeners, then yes, this recipe is naturally gluten free. The chili is thickened using cornmeal which is gluten free.

Can I Make This In A Slow Cooker?

Convenient if you’re taking this to a chili cook-off, the answer is absolutely yes. Just brown the ground bison meat before proceeding with the recipe. Add the black beans and vinegar towards the end of cooking.

Tips For Success

  • Canned Chipotle Chile Peppers in Adobo sauce are dried jalapeno peppers drenched in a spicy adobo sauce. They pack some heat, so I always split them open with a knife and scrape out the seeds and veins, which is where the heat lies.

Make Ahead and Storage

  • Bison chili can easily be made a day or two ahead of time. Just keep it in the refrigerator in the Dutch Oven, covered until ready to use. Re-heat stove-top.
  • This chili will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. And it’s easy to freeze. I like to freeze it in zip-loc style freezer bags. Once sealed you can lay them flat to take up less freezer space. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

What To Serve It With

Recipe for Bison Chili

There’s simply nothing better on a cold day that a big pot of chili simmering on the stovetop. I hope you give this hearty bison chili version a try. And if you’re looking for a unique recipe to win that neighborhood chili cook-off, this is a good bet.

If you’re curious about cooking with bison, don’t miss my Bison Recipes category. You’ll find the most popular bison recipe on my site to make a perfect juicy Bison Burger. And my recipe for Bison Meatballs.

I consider soups and stews to be my specialty, so if you’re looking for recipe ideas, don’t miss my soup category. You’ll find lots of recipes, including the most popular chili recipe on my site for Hatch Green Chili 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.

Bison chili with black beans.
Print Recipe
4.56 from 9 votes

Bison Chili with Black Beans and Lime Crema

A unique chili recipe using Bison and chipotle chile peppers. Don't skimp on that lime crema, it adds a divine creaminess.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: Southwestern
Servings: 12
Calories: 383kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground bison
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil optional
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 cups chopped onions about 2 medium onions
  • 6 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • ¼ cup chili powder
  • 32 ounces beef broth
  • 28 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes canned, undrained
  • ½ cup stout or dark beer
  • 4 canned chipotle chiles veins and seeds removed, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
  • 30 ounce black beans canned, rinsed and drained
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 lime zested and juiced
  • Avocado chopped for garnish
  • Cilantro chopped for garnish
  • Green onion sliced for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat a 7-quart Dutch oven or large stock pot over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the pot and heat it over medium high heat before adding the ground bison. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook until meat is almost browned, using a spoon to break up meat as it cooks, stir frequently.
  • Add chopped onions and cook until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add diced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add chili powder, beef broth, tomatoes, beer and chipotle chile peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover partially, and cook for 1 hour.
  • Stir in cornmeal and black beans. Let simmer uncovered for 30 minutes before serving. Stir in the vinegar.
  • While the bison chili is finishing cooking, combine sour cream with lime zest and juice of one lime.
  • To serve, ladle bison chili into soup bowls and add a large dollop of Lime Crema on top. Garnish with chopped cilantro, chopped avocado and sliced green onion.

Notes

Tips For Success:
  • Canned Chipotle Chile Peppers in Adobo sauce are dried jalapeno peppers drenched in a spicy adobo sauce. They pack some heat, so I always split them open with a knife and scrape out the seeds and veins, which is where the heat lies.
  • If you’re taking this to a chili cook-off, you can make slow-cooker bison chili. Just brown the ground bison meat before proceeding with the recipe. Add the black beans and vinegar towards the end of cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 500mg | Potassium: 824mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 515IU | Vitamin C: 11.3mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 4.8mg

Bison Chili with Black Beans and Lime Crema …It’s what’s for Dinner

Spicy Lamb Meatballs

By 9 Comments

Serve these Spicy Lamb Meatballs at your next party. They’re baked in the oven for easy, no mess prep, and when used as the centerpiece of a crudites platter, they’re a perfect party treat. And a great partner for a Spanish red wine.

Want more easy party meatball recipes? We love this one for Honey Sriracha Meabtalls . They’ll WOW your crowd.

Spicy lamb meatballs on a crudite platter.

The Holiday season offers plenty of opportunities to create some festive appetizers. It is celebration season after all. And if you’re looking for lamb appetizer recipes, I hope you consider these meatballs.

These spicy lamb meatballs are easy to make and grabbing some crudite items at the supermarket will provide you with a colorful appetizer platter that you’ll be proud to present.

These spicy lamb meatballs carry just enough spicy heat to get your attention and with unlikely partners of thyme and Dijon, a savory meatball with jazzy flavor.

We found this recipe Wine Spectator Magazine, who showcased these lamb meatballs as Tapas Spanish Meatballs lamb appetizer.

Let’s take a look:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make spicy lamb meatballs.
  • Ground Lamb
  • Full Fat Milk
  • Bread Crumbs: Fresh bread crumbs, Panko, or a mix of Italian Bread Crumbs and Panko.
  • One Egg
  • Seasonings: New Mexico Red Chile Powder (or Cayenne) Dijon Mustard, Garlic Powder, Dried Thyme.

Substitution idea: Substitute red chile powder with spicy smoked paprika for a more Mediterranean feel.

Step by Step Instructions, How To Make Lamb Meatballs

Ingredients to make lamb meatballs in a large clear bowl.
Mixture of ground lamb and ingredients to make spicy lamb meatballs.
  • Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Step 2: Using clean hands, gently mix the ingredients until well blended.
Spicy lamb meatballs on a sheet pan ready to bake.
  • Step 3: Using the palms of your hands, shape the mixture into 1-inch balls, and place them on a greased baking sheet one inch apart. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Then bake about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Common Questions About Lamb Meatballs

How Long Do Lamb Meatballs Last?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

How Do You Reheat Meatballs?

In a low-heat oven. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place meatballs on a baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake about 15 minutes or until warm. Remember, you only want to warm them, not cook them longer.

Can You Freeze Lamb Meatballs?

Absolutely yes. To keep them as individual meatballs, place them on a sheet pan and freeze them for about an hour. Them you can place them in a zip-loc style freezer bag. Unthaw them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

What To Serve With Spicy Lamb Meatballs

  • You can make these spicy lamb meatballs any time of the year as a light dinner. Serve them with a tossed salad or a simple side dish like this recipe for Mixed Green Vegetables. Or serve them over Baked Rice.
  • If serving them as part of a Holiday celebration of party appetizers, consider building a crudite platter as shown above. Or make things easy and serve them alongside a platter of mixed fruit, (grapes are always easy), you can’t go wrong with Spicy Deviled Eggs.
  • Serve these meatballs with a dipping sauce such as Tzatziki Sauce.
Spicy Lamb Meatballs on a bed of arugula on a white serving platter.

Tips for Success:

  • Hands are always the best tool for mixing meatballs or meatloaf. Using a large spoon will crush everything together, creating a tighter mix, which can cause the mix to be dry and too dense in texture.
  • If you don’t want the present these as Spanish Tapas Meatballs, place the cooked meatballs on a bed of arugula that’s been tossed with lemon juice and olive oil.
  • If the meatball mixture is too soft and won’t hold a meatballs shape, add a sprinkle more of bread crumbs. If too dense add a teaspoon of milk. A good meatball texture should easily roll into a perfect little round ball.

More Meatball Recipes

And don’t miss my absolute favorite meatball recipe for Ground Pork Meatballs with Ginger Lime and Basil. It’s a wow. Or this pot-luck perfect recipe for BBQ Meatballs.

And if you’ve been curious about cooking with Bison, take a look at my Bison Meatballs in Chipotle Salsa Recipe.

I hope you give this lamb appetizer idea a try. And if you’re looking for more appetizer recipes, don’t miss my appetizer category. You’ll find lots of good ideas including the most popular on my site for Campechana, Mexican Shrimp Appetizer.

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.

Spicy lamb meatballs on a crudite platter.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Spicy Lamb Meatballs Appetizer

A great lamb appetizer recipe for your next party. Great for a wine tasting party and goes well with a Spanish red wine.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Appetizer Recipes
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 30 meatballs
Calories: 43kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1 teaspoon Cayenne or New Mexico Red Chile Powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Thyme dried
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1 Cup Panko bread crumbs
  • ¾ Cup Milk
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands to gently mix until ingredients are well blended.
  • Using the palms of your hands, shape the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place them on a greased baking sheet 1 inch apart. Or you can use parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake the meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are no longer pink in the center. Remove, and serve immediately. Makes 30 meatballs.

Notes

Serve these meatballs with a dipping sauce such as Tzatziki Sauce.
Tips For Success
    • Hands are always the best tool for mixing meatballs or meatloaf. Using a large spoon will crush everything together, creating a tighter mix, which can cause the mix to be dry and too dense in texture.
    • If you don’t want the present these as Spanish Tapas Meatballs, place the cooked meatballs on a bed of arugula that’s been tossed with lemon juice and olive oil.
    • If the meatball mixture is too soft and won’t hold a meatballs shape, add a sprinkle more of bread crumbs. If too dense add a teaspoon of milk. A good meatball texture should easily roll into a perfect little round ball.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatball | Calories: 43kcal | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 34mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Spicy Lamb Meatballs …It’s What’s for an Appetizer.

A Superior 15 Bean Soup (Crock Pot Recipe)

By 4 Comments

Learn what it takes to make a 15 bean soup superior in flavor from other recipes you’ve tried. Using a well crafted bean soup spices and seasoning mix and a ham bone will yield a smoky and complex flavor. All you need is a crusty bread for a great family meal.

I don’t like to use the word “best” because it’s very subjective. But this 15 Bean Soup is our house recipe and we rank it as extremely flavorful and we think you’ll agree. As I learned in Culinary School, always chose quality ingredients and take those extra steps to prepare them correctly. Let’s take a look.

A bowl of 15 bean soup served with bread and garnished with parsley.

What Makes This Recipe So Good?

Usually we think of using a crock pot as a dump and go vessel for quick dinners. But if you take a little extra time to learn some easy tricks for creamy textured beans and flavorful vegetables, and using the best bean soup spices, you’ll find that your slow cooker is also a great tool for building layers of flavor.

This 15 bean soup crock pot recipe is a testament to that theory, a recipe your family will devour.

Table of contents

About 15 Bean Soup

  • Bean soup is hearty, without seeming heavy. Very similar to my Garbanzo Bean Soup.
  • Beans are not only very inexpensive but healthy. Full of fiber, protein and low in calories, what’s not to love? When it comes to easy, cozy and inexpensive you can’t beat a pot of bean soup.
  • 15 Bean Soup will feed a crowd. Great for family gatherings or leftovers.
  • Pretty much a complete meal, all you need is some bread or a fresh green salad.

Ingredients You’ll Need

To start building this 15 bean soup in the crock pot, you’ll start with the beans, broth and ham.

Ingredients to make 15 bean soup.
  • Chicken Broth
  • A mix of dried beans
  • A meaty ham shank. Or left over ham bone with meat attached. If there’s not much meat left on the bone, add diced ham to make it meatier and to add ham flavor.
  • A dried chile pepper, Guajillo is a commonly found in supermarkets.
  • Bay Leaves.
Cooking 15-bean-soup in a crockpot with ham shank and bay leaves.
  1. Step 1: Rinse beans thoroughly and soak them overnight with enough water to cover by one inch. Don’t fret, if you haven’t soaked them, go ahead and cook them knowing it will take a little longer for them to soften.
  2. Fish out any bad beans. The next morning, drain the beans and add the chicken broth. Place the ham hock on top of the beans and float in the bay leaves and the dried chile pepper. Cover and cook on low for 4 – 5 hours or until beans are starting to become tender.

For The Vegetables

Vegetables needed to make 15 bean soup in the crockpot.
  • Carrots, 2 medium, rough chopped
  • Celery, 2 stalks, rough chopped
  • Potatoes, 2 medium, chopped
  • Onion, 1 medium, chopped
  • Diced Tomatoes, canned tomatoes work well here. If you can find Red Gold Petite diced, the chunks are smaller and work very well in soups.
  • Green Beans, fresh and sliced. You can use canned beans, drained.
  • 15 Bean Soup Seasoning You’ll find this remarkably more flavorful than the seasoning packet that comes with packaged beans. Tip: I even use the seasoning for Chicken Noodle Soup.
  • Honey
  • Pickapeppa Sauce, another one of my secret special ingredients that I hope you take the time to seek out and purchase. You can substitute Worcestershire Sauce.
  • Garlic, 3 cloves chopped.
Cooking chopped vegetables in a large fry pan.
Adding vegetables to crockpot to make 15 bean soup.
  1. Step 3: When beans are starting to become tender, chop the vegetables and sautee them in a large sauce pan in neutral oil. Cook them over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  2. Step 4: Add the vegetables, along with the 15 bean soup seasoning mix, honey, and Pickapeppa Sauce to the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for about 1 ½ hours, or until vegetables are tender. It’s ready to serve.

What To Serve It With

  • Cheesy Cornbread is a natural to serve with any soup and especially with 15-bean soup.
  • Soup and salad are also a great partnership. Consider this Baby Kale Salad. With apples and a honey cider vinaigrette, it’s perfect for Fall.
  • Dessert? Who can resist brownies. Check out our favorite brownie recipe, Orange Chile Brownies.

Gathering Dried Beans For a Bean Soup Mix

While 15 bean soup mixes can be found in bags at large supermarkets anywhere in America, most every bean in that packaged mix can be found in bulk sections and at a lower cost.

Bulk section to buy beans for Crockpot 15 Bean Soup.

Here’s where the fun begins. Head over to your local market, Whole Foods comes to mind, and pay a visit to their well-stocked bulk section.

Stroll the dried beans. Buy equal quantities of each and every dried bean you see.  Don’t forget lentils and split peas. 

A good store will have some lovely calico beans, tiny red aduki, and reddish-orange lentils.  Just grab everything you see.

You’ll actually end up with more than 15 varieties for the 15 bean soup mix … all the more fun.

Purchasing mixed beans in bulk can mean that the beans are fresher than dried beans in sacks that you purchase at the supermarket.

Mixed dried beans for 15 bean soup, crockpot recipe.

When you get home mix all the beans together fearlessly. Hopefully you’ve got at least ten varieties, sixteen or twenty even better. 

Make sure you have a large container with a tight-fitting lid that will hold the loot, preferably clear, so that you can admire the beans colors and shapes.

Always keep a container of mixed beans in your pantry. They’ll keep you warm and comfort food cozy all Winter long. This stash will last you all season … and beyond.

Tips For Success

  • Don’t skip rinsing the beans before starting this recipe. You may discover small bits of debris that needs to be removed.
  • Many believe that adding salt or acids like tomato or vinegar too early in the cooking process will prevent the beans from getting soft. This can be especially important if using older beans. Source: Rancho Gordo.
  • Store dried beans in a cool dark place in a glass jar or air-tight container with a lid. They will be good for about two years. After that, they are still edible, but the quality will have deteriorated.

15-Bean Soup Storage

  • Store 15-bean soup in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 days.
  • Can you freeze bean soup? Yes. This soup freezes very well for up to 3 months.
  • Reheat stovetop, or for individual servings, in a microwave safe bowl. Use the power setting feature and adjust it to 50% power. Reheat in 30 second increments, stirring, for a gentler reheating experience.
15 bean soup in a black bowl served with bread.

More Bean Soup Recipes

I consider soup and stew recipes to be my speciality, so if you’re looking for more recipes, don’t miss my category for Soup Recipes . You’ll find lot of recipes, including the most popular on my site for Anthony Bourdain’s New Mexico Style Chili. And this quick and easy weeknight recipe for Black Bean and Ham Soup.

And if you like using your crockpot for comfort food recipes, take a look at this recipe for Beef Stew With Mushrooms. It’s a very popular recipe on my site and your family will flip over this one.

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.

15 bean soup in a black bowl served with bread.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

15 Bean Soup, Crock Pot Recipe

Learn what it takes to make a 15 bean soup superior in flavor from other recipes you've tried. Using a well crafted bean soup seasoning mix and a ham bone will yield a smoky and complex flavor.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time7 hours
Total Time7 hours 30 minutes
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Calories: 283kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Dried beans mixed. Rinsed and misfits removed.
  • 8 cups Chicken Stock
  • 1 meaty Ham hock or ham bone with some meat attached
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1 Dried Chile Pepper Guajilla, or other
  • 2 Tablespoon Bean Soup Mix Soup Seasoning Mix Recipe
  • 2 Tablespoons Neutral oil canola or vegetable oil works well here.
  • 1 large Sweet onion chopped
  • 2 large Carrots peeled and chopped
  • 2 large Celery ribs chopped, plus add some leaves
  • 2 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes Chopped.
  • 4 ounces Green beans fresh, sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic peeled and chopped
  • 3 Teaspoons Pickapeppa Sauce or Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey
  • 14.5 ounces Tomatoes canned, small chopped

Instructions

  • Measure 2 cups mixed beans. Rinse and cover with enough water to cover beans by a couple of inches. Let soak over night.
  • The next morning, drain water from beans and place them in the crockpot. Pour in chicken stock. Add ham hock and float in two bay leaves. Add the dried chile pepper. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or until beans are tender. The cooking time will depend on the freshness of the beans.
  • After four hours of cooking, heat oil in a large fry pan. Add chopped onions, carrot, celery, potatoes and green beans. Fry, cooking over medium high heat, stirring often for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. About 30 seconds.
  • Add the vegetable mixture, soup seasoning mix, Pickapeppa sauce and honey to the crockpot and cook until potatoes are tender. About one to 1 ½ hours.
  • Remove the ham hock, shred the meat and return the meat to the soup and stir well. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 30 minutes to an hour.

Notes

Riffs on Crockpot Bean Soup:
Substitute diced chicken thighs for the ham, or even cooked and drained sausage. Breakfast sausage or andouille cajun sausage would work nicely. Or for a vegetarian version, just leave the meat out. The seasoning mix provides plenty of outstanding flavor.
Tips For Success:
  • Don’t fret, if you haven’t soaked the beans, go ahead and cook them, knowing it will take a little longer for them to soften.
  • Many believe that adding salt or acids like tomato or vinegar too early in the cooking process will prevent the beans from getting soft. This can be especially important if using older beans. Source: Rancho Gordo.
  • Store dried beans in a cool dark place in a glass jar or air-tight container with a lid. They will be good for about two years. After that, they are still edible, but the quality will have deteriorated.
  • If you’l like to thicken the soup, take a large fork and mash some of the cooked beans against the side of the pan. This mash will thicken the soup.
  • You can expect one cup of dried beans to yield about 3 cups of cooked beans.
  • Be careful with adding salt. A ham hock can be quite salty. Taste before salting.
  • 15-bean soup is even better the next day. 
Soup Seasoning Mix Recipe Link for 15-Bean Soup

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 321mg | Potassium: 1073mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2839IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 4mg

15 Bean Soup Crock Pot Recipe … It’s Whats For Dinner

Homemade 15 Bean Soup Spices Mix

By 38 Comments

A lively mixture of herbs and spices, this mix for bean soup spices is your secret weapon for soup season. This little jar of magic will keep your family in soup heaven all Winter long. Perfect for your next pot of 15-bean soup.

If you prefer to make your own spice mixes like I do, check out my recipe for Southwest Spice Blend.

Spice mix for bean soup in a jar.

What You Can Expect From This 15 Bean Soup Seasoning Mix Recipe

This pantry mix is a staple in my kitchen. By making this mix of spices for bean soup, your next bowl of bean soup will be more flavorful, and with no preservatives, no salt, and no msg.

Haven’t we all received bean soup mixes for gifts?  You know the ones, a bag of dried beans accompanied by an herb soup seasoning mix and they’re usually cleverly packaged. 

Some in cute little bags, some in whisky looking jugs, some in Mason jars. A few of them are pretty decent with flavor, but a lot of them are pretty darn bland. I guarantee you won’t call this spice mix bland.

With very little effort you can prepare your own homemade dried bean soup seasoning mix that you can routinely use for 15-bean soup and beyond.

You’ll feel so smug with this secret weapon of bean soup spices stashed away in your pantry. Ready to season soups all Winter long.

The list of spices may seem excessive, but please take my word, it will make about any soup a more flavorful treat.

Dried Spices You’ll Need

Dried herbs and spices for bean soup.

In order to have a supply of spices for bean soup stored in your panty, you’ll need to use dried spices rather than fresh. The illustration above is the list of bean soup spices that, when mixed together, will give you a very flavorful bean soup seasoning mix.

Here are some substitution notes:

  • Chervil: Dried and fresh chervil can be hard to find. This spice mix calls for two tablespoons of dried chervil. If you can’t find it, substitute one tablespoon of dried tarragon.
  • Sage: Dried sage can come in dried leaf or a powdery form. Either will work well here.
  • Celery Seed: I don’t recommend substituting celery salt. Even though celery salt is made with celery seed, it also contains salt. Most bean soup recipes call for adding a ham hock, ham bone, or ham. Which in itself is a salty product. Stick with celery seed here.
  • Cayenne: A well stocked home pantry will include Cayenne powder. I almost always substitute New Mexico Red Chile Powder. The heat level is comparable.

How To Make It?

Just measure all of the spices into a glass container that will seal air-tight. Use a spoon to stir them together well, close the lid and place in the pantry. Voila! Done.

How To Use It: Gathering dried beans for a season of comfort food

Mixed dried beans for 15 bean soup, crockpot recipe.

Now that you have that supply of bean soup spices, you’ll need a container of mixed beans in your pantry to make my 15 Bean Soup,Crock Pot recipe. They’ll keep you warm and “comfort food cozy” all Winter long.

Let’s have some fun with this:

  • Head over to your local market that has a well stocked bulk food section. For me that would be my local Whole Foods.
  • Stroll the dried beans. Buy equal quantities of each and every dried bean you see.  Don’t forget lentils and split peas.  A good store will have some lovely calico beans, tiny red aduki, and reddish-orange lentils. About a half cup of each bean will give you a good supply. Just grab everything you see.
  • You’ll actually end up with more than 15 varieties for the 15 bean soup mix … all the more fun.
  • When you get home mix all the beans together fearlessly. Hopefully you’ve got at least ten varieties, sixteen or twenty even better. 
  • Make sure you have a large container with a tight-fitting lid that will hold the loot, preferably clear, so that you can admire the beans colors and shapes every time you open the pantry door.
  • While you’re there, buy what you’ll need for the bean soup spices mix.

Store both the beans and the spice mix in the pantry in an airtight container. This stash will last you all season … and beyond.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is This 15-Bean Soup Seasoning Gluten Free?

Absolutely yes. With no fillers to thicken, this mix is naturally gluten free.

How Long Will This Seasoning Mix Last?

Stored in a cool dry place, it will stay fresh and flavorful for the Winter soup season, about 6 months. When the next year rolls around, make a new batch, if you have any left.

How Much Does This Recipe Make?

This soup season mix makes 1 ½ cups. Most recipes will call for 2 Tablespoons to season the soup. That will give you seasoning for 6 batches of bean soup.

Recipe for Bean Soup Spice Mix

Whether you’re making 15 bean soup, 16 bean soup, 17 bean soup or a single bean soup recipe, this blend of spices will make them all better.

Bean soup spices in a bowl.

And if you’re looking to make more homemade seasoning mixes, don’t miss my recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning. It’s amazing.

Use Your New Homemade Bean Soup Spices For These Recipes

  • Ham and Bean Soup Creamy Great Northern Beans, smoky salty chunks of ham, sweet corn bread and you’ve got a winning comfort food combination
  • Chicken Noodle Soup, There’s nothing like a big bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup on a cold evening. And especially if that chicken noodle soup is done right. Learn which noodles to use, and how to get the best flavor out of that chicken.
  • 15-Bean Soup, Learn what it takes to make a 15 bean soup superior in flavor from other recipes you’ve tried.

What to serve with 15 bean soup? Homemade Buttermilk Cornbread of course.

I consider soups and stews to be my specialty. Don’t miss my Soup Category where you’ll find lots of comfort food recipes, including the most popular on my site for Anthony Bourdain’s Beef 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.

Bean soup spices to make 15-bean soup.
Print Recipe
5 from 18 votes

15 Bean Soup Seasoning Mix, Herb and Spice Seasoning

An incredible mixture of herbs and spices, this recipe for bean soup spices is your secret weapon for soup season. This little jar of magic will keep your family in soup heaven all Winter long.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 47kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • ½ Cup dried parsley
  • ¼ Cup dried summer savory Plus 2 Tablespoons
  • ¼ Cup cumin seeds
  • 2 Tablespoons fennel seeds
  • 1 Tablespoon celery seeds
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons Caraway Seeds
  • 2 Tablespoons Dill Seeds
  • 2 Tablespoons Cracked Coriander Seeds
  • 2 Tablespoons Dried Sweet Basil
  • 2 Tablespoons Dried Chervil
  • 2 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Sage
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Rosemary
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Lavender optional
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Sweet Marjoram

Instructions

  • Mix all together and keep sealed in a Mason jar.

Notes

This soup seasoning mix makes 1 ½ cups. When using 2 tablespoons per recipe, you can make 6 big batches of 15-bean soup. Enjoy.
Use two tablespoons of this spice mix for a big pot of soup that contains a pound of dried beans.
    • Chervil: Dried and fresh chervil can be hard to find. This spice mix calls for two tablespoons of dried chervil. If you can’t find it, substitute one tablespoon of dried tarragon.
    • Sage: Dried sage can come in dried leaf or a powdery form. Either will work well here.
    • Celery Seed: I don’t recommend substituting celery salt. Even though celery salt is made with celery seed, it also contains salt. Most bean soup recipes call for adding a ham hock, ham bone, or ham. Which in itself is a salty product. Stick with celery seed here.
    • Cayenne: A well stocked home pantry will include Cayenne powder. I almost always substitute New Mexico Red Chile Powder. The heat level is comparable.

Nutrition

Calories: 47kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 233mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 531IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 6mg

15 Bean Soup Spices … It’s What’s for Comfort Food