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Home » Recipes » Soups

White Bean Soup With Smoked Ribs

Published: Feb 26, 2025 · Modified: May 21, 2025 by Timea · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

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White Bean Soup With Smoked Ribs-Served in Bowl With Sour Cream

Looking for a hearty and traditional meal? A basic recipe from Transylvanian cuisine is white bean soup with smoked ribs. Especially with tarragon and sour cream, and served with red onion and fresh bread, it is incredibly delicious!

White Bean Soup With Smoked Ribs Served in Bowl

Traditionally, this nourishing soup is cooked during the winter months. It's often served as a hearty main course, followed by delicate cream cheese filling crepes.

Jump to:
  • Let's See How I Cook Step by Step the White Bean Soup With Smoked Ribs
  • Finishing the Soup
  • Tips
  • Serving This Delicious White Beans Soup
  • Storage
  • Related
  • White Beans Soup with Smoked Ribs

This white bean soup with smoked ribs recipe centers on two key ingredients: beans and smoked meat.

For this version, I'm using dried cannellini beans, but kidney or pinto beans also work well. For a quicker option, canned beans can be substituted..

Instead of smoked ribs, consider using smoked ham or sausage. Each option imparts a distinct flavour, and cooking times will vary."

Let's See How I Cook Step by Step the White Bean Soup With Smoked Ribs

Prepare the Beans

To begin, I soak 750g (26.5 oz) of dried white beans in cold water. This yields approximately 6-8 servings of soup. Soaking the beans beforehand is crucial to reduce cooking time.

White Bean Soaked in Water

I like to soak my beans overnight before cooking. If you're using canned beans, you can skip this step.

Here's a little extra: I soak 1 kg of beans, and after they're cooked, I set aside about 250g to make a tasty beans salad with red onion, dill, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Butter Beans Salad Recipe Served in Bowl With Fresh Bread

Prepare the Ribs

I use approximately 750g of smoked ribs. However, the amount can be adjusted to personal preference.

Smoked Pork Ribs

As the ribs were whole, I cut them into smaller pieces so they would fit better in the soup pot.

Cut Smoked Pork Ribs

To prevent the smoky flavour from becoming overpowering, I soak the ribs in cold water for an hour.

Next, discard the water in which the beans were soaked, and then boil the beans. To do this, place the beans in a soup pot and pour cold water over them until they are fully submerged.

White Bean With Water in a Pot

To make the beans more digestible, drain the water after boiling them for about 10 minutes. Refill the pot with fresh, hot water, and repeat this process.

Then, add the smoked ribs to the pot and simmer everything over medium heat until the beans and ribs are tender.

The cooking time will vary depending on the type of beans used, typically between 1 and 1.5 hours.

Boiling White Beans and Smoked Ribs in the Pot

For those using canned beans, begin by boiling the smoked ribs until they are nearly cooked through. Add the canned beans during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking, as they only need to be heated.

Finishing the Soup

When the white beans have reached the desired tenderness, add a can of diced tomatoes to the pot.

We will now prepare a thickening of oil, wheat flour, and paprika. If you're familiar with the smoked sausage potato soup, the thickening process is identical.

Red Roux in the Saucepan

My preferred method for thickening this soup is to use a sieve. I place the prepared thickening into the sieve and gently stir it into the soup, ensuring it dissolves completely.

Thickening the Soup

Before thickening the white bean soup with smoked ribs, remove the pot from the heat.

Season to taste with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a vegetable seasoning blend. Simmer gently for approximately 10 minutes. Just before serving, stir in a tablespoon of finely chopped tarragon.

White Bean Soup With Smoked Ribs Ready to Serve in the Pot

If you do not have tarragon, you can replace it with parsley or dill.

Tips

If using smoked pork hock or picnic ham, you can boil them separately and use the resulting broth to cook the beans.

If making white bean soup with smoked sausage, cook the beans first, then add the sausage midway through the cooking process.

Serving This Delicious White Beans Soup

Serving this hearty white bean soup with smoked ribs is a delightful experience, and a few thoughtful touches can elevate it from a simple meal to a culinary highlight. Ladle the steaming soup into warm bowls, ensuring each serving includes a generous portion of tender beans and flavourful smoked meat. The aroma alone is enough to entice, but the presentation truly enhances the enjoyment.

White Bean Soup With Smoked Ribs Served in Green Bowl

When we enjoy this white bean soup as a family, we like to serve it with a generous dollop of sour cream, crusty bread for dipping, and a side of red onion salad for a touch of freshness.

White Bean Soup With Smoked Ribs Served in Bowl With Sour Cream

Storage

Before storing, it's crucial to cool the soup down as quickly as possible. This prevents bacteria growth. Once the white bean soup with smoked ribs has cooled completely, transfer it to airtight containers. Glass containers are ideal, but good-quality plastic containers work well too. Ensure the containers are clean and dry before use.

Store the soup in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. You may need to add a little water or broth to adjust the consistency.

Related

I wish you enjoy it and I look forward to your comments on this recipe. If you want other delicious soup recipes, I recommend the following:

  • Romanian Tripe Soup Served in the Bowl With Sour Cream and Jared Chilli Pepper
    Romanian Tripe Soup Recipe
  • Traditional Hungarian Goulash Recipe-Served in a Soup Bowl
    Traditional Hungarian Goulash Recipe
  • Greek Lemon Chicken Soup-Served in Yellow Bowl With Lemon
    Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
  • Hungarian Tomato Soup-Served in Bowl With Sour Cream and Chopped Chives
    Hungarian Tomato Soup

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White Bean Soup With Smoked Ribs Served in Bowl

White Beans Soup with Smoked Ribs

Timea
A basic recipe from Transylvanian cuisine is white bean soup with smoked ribs. And especially with tarragon and sour cream, and served with red onion and fresh bread.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Soak Time 4 hours hrs
Total Time 5 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Lunch, Soups
Cuisine Hungarian, Transylvanian
Servings 8 people
Calories 362 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Soup Pot

Ingredients
 
 

  • 750 g white beans dried
  • 750 g smoked pork ribs
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 3 teaspoon sea salt kosher
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tablespoon dried vegetable mix
  • 1 tablespoon tarragon fresh, chopped

For the Roux

  • 2 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • 2 tablespoon flour
  • 1 tablespoon paprika Hungarian, sweet

Instructions
 

  • For the beginning, I put the white beans soaked in cold water. I usually soak the beans one night before making the recipe.  I put the rib soaked in cold water for an hour.
    White Bean Soaked in Water
  • Discard the water in which the beans were soaked. Place the beans in a soup pot and pour cold water over them until they are fully submerged.
    Soaked White Beans in a Pot
  • Add the smoked ribs to the pot and simmer everything over medium heat until the beans and ribs are tender. The cooking time will vary depending on the type of beans used, typically between 1 and 1.5 hours.
    Boiling White Beans and Smoked Ribs
  • When the white beans have reached the desired tenderness, add a can of diced tomatoes to the pot. We will now prepare a thickening of oil, wheat flour, and paprika. If you're familiar with the Thickener in the Saucepan
  • Season to taste with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a vegetable seasoning blend. Simmer gently for approximately 10 minutes. Just before serving, stir in a tablespoon of finely chopped tarragon.
    White Bean Soup With Smoked Ribs Ready to Serve in the Pot

Video

Notes

If you're using canned beans, you can skip the soaking step.
To prevent the smoky flavour from becoming overpowering, I soak the ribs in cold water for an hour.
My preferred method for thickening this white bean soup with smoked ribs is to use a sieve. I place the prepared thickening into the sieve and gently stir it into the soup, ensuring it dissolves completely.
If you do not have tarragon, you can replace it with parsley or dill.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gramsCalories: 362kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 20gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 1430mgPotassium: 816mgFiber: 7gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 135IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 5mg
Keyword smoked ribs and white bean soup, white beans soup, white beans soup with smoked ribs
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Tried this recipe?Mention @WPRecipeMaker or tag #wprecipemaker!

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Comments

  1. Carol5162 says

    October 24, 2019 at 12:07 pm

    What a timely article. I just got myself some white beans from the local market and I was just thinking of the boring boil method.I just love the side salad of beans with red onions. Glad that all these ingredients are easily available. I have always wanted to know how to make thick soup. Thank you for the recipe. I already see how the sour cream gives it that taste. Can't wait to try this. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Russ Green says

    October 24, 2019 at 12:08 pm

    This meal looks absolutely delicious, luckily I am quite a good cook myself so I have been following your meal suggestions for a while now and every one of them has been magnificent, I sometimes, in fact, I quite often get stuck for ideas of what to eat, so i come over to your website and always find something amazing, I am usually short of a few of the ingredients so I have to do a shop and on this occasion I need some smoked ribs and some chopped tarragon, I already have all the other ingredients, so my dinner is sorted for this evening, thank you for sharing. 

    Reply
  3. Erick says

    June 12, 2022 at 5:44 am

    5 stars
    Mind-blowingly good and quite simple to cook. The only thing different that I like to do is remove the meat from the bone after it has cooked and chop it up to make it easier to eat.

    Reply
5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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Hi, I am Timea and together with my husband Laci we decided to invite you to our virtual kitchen. You will see step by step how we cook and how tasty is the Transylvanian and Hungarian cuisine.

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