Three Bean Soup (Crock Pot)

This month's challenge is to take something your kids will eat and hide some good stuff in it. I don't know if this really qualifies, but soup is one of the foods my kids will eat and not be too concerned about what's in it (as long as I chop the objectionable things, like onions, small enough). This particular soup is a favorite because my kids love beans and the recipe is so versatile. You can just throw in what you've got. We really like black beans and black-eyed peas (sometimes chickpeas) in this soup also, so be creative.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 box chicken broth (32 oz)
water to cover
1-2 tsp Italian seasoning (or oregano, basil, parsley)
1 garlic clove, minced (dried is fine)
1/2 tsp pepper
1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 package cooked sausage (like Eckrich), cut into pieces
3 cups fresh spinach
corn starch

1. Place potatoes, onions, garlic and carrots in crock pot. Sprinkle seasonings on top. Pour chicken broth over veggies and add water to cover by an inch or so. If you don't have that much broth, don't worry.... I just use whatever I've got leftover from other recipes with extra water or even bouillon cubes. Cook on low until potatoes are soft.

2. Add beans and meat (sometimes I use cooked hamburger or ham or no meat). Heat through (1-2 hour or so).

3.Tear spinach into pieces and stir into soup--the smaller the pieces, the more picky kids will accidentally ingest. But if you want it pretty, leave the spinach leaves whole. For a thicker broth, stir 1 part cornstarch into 2 parts cold water until smooth and add that to soup here. Heat another 30 minutes or so.

4. Enjoy! We love ours with cornbread.

Pin It