This is true. We have always put vinegar in our bean soup. However, we each add our own to our individual bowl cause some of us like a lot, and some just a little.

Ha! It is great to hear of others doing this. My grandpa (God bless his soul) always added a splash of vinegar to his bean soup and I carry on the tradition because I love it! I also now add a splash of hot sauce too, but that is my own addition. Others in my family have added ketchup in place of the vinegar. It is so fun to have others that do the same as we do in the old family ways. It truly makes me happy to keep my passed on relatives in my heart through familiar tradtions.

Duane

A long the same line...I learned to add in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to soup at the end - especially bean soup. It does make it "pop" and tastes really good. Brings it to another level.

When I lived in Mallorca, a local lady taught me to add a dash of vinegar to a lentil soup just before serving.

So I try to remember to do that when I make lentils, either stew or soup, as it really does add a bit of kick.

SharonCb

I'll have to try this myself!

Its even better finished on top with balsamic reduction. Here is the recipe I posted a few days ago about this very same thing. It is very good you must try the balsamic next time you make lentil soup.

Here is a link that might be useful: 3rd Post Lentil Soup with Balsamic reduction

Hmm...I use lime juice.....but I'll bet malt vinegar is good.

I always add about 2 tbsp. of vinegar to bean soups once the beans are tender. Since my husband is on a low sodium diet, the vinegar tang helps make up for the lack of salt. Vinegar, lemon juice, & lime juice make a low sodium diet bearable.

A white bean soup recipe I have calls for a splash of sherry vinegar. And the best lentil soup I ever tasted came from "Yankee" magazine last year. It calls for lemon juice to be squeezed on the individual bowls just before serving. It really does freshen and enliven the flavors.

I just discovered this trick in the past couple years, wish I'd heard about it sooner. Good post!

I've been using Chinese black vinegar in soups - it's a good salt-free sub for soy sauce. I tend to use lime juice more than vinegar since I have a plethora of limes from my small tree.

Lars

Amck - Care to share the best lentil soup recipe? It is making me curious. Kari

Try about a teaspoon of horseradish in your ham and beans. When we were first married my wife had always put ketchup in her beans but after trying the horseradish just once she never again used ketchup.

I'm one that's used lemon juice. Never thought of vinegar. With all the flavors of vinegar, it'll be fun trying out the different ones.

Sally

The best thing about putting vinegar in your bean soup is that you will no longer play unwanted "music" afterwards.

Kari, I'm happy to pass this on. It's from "Yankee" magazine's Jan/Feb '08 issue. The cover title is "Winter Warmers" & it has a number of great soup recipes.

MAHA'S LENTIL SOUP
Total time: 1 1/2 hrs; Active time: 1 hour

This is from a great home cook whose specialties are from her native country, Syria. She stressed, "Squeeze the lemons over the soup only after you've ladled it into the bowl. If the juice sits in the soup too long, or you reheat it, it ruins everything."

Ingredients:
4 medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
4 carrots, peeled & finely chopped
6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dry coriander
1 pound dry lentils, rinsed & picked through
8 cups water
2 to 3 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed & cut into 2" pieces
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 lb. vermicelli or angel hair pasta,broken into 1" pieces
2 fresh lemons
Fried pita chips or unseasoned croutons

In large soup pot over med-high heat, saute onions in 1/2 cup oil until translucent.
Add carrots & garlic & cook 2 to 3 minutes.
Add coriander, stir well to coat vegetables, and cook till fragrant - about 2 minutes.
Add lentils and stir well to coat.
Add water to cover the ingredients by 3 inches (about 8 cups).
Stir in cumin.
Cook about 30 minutes, or until lentils are al dente (softened, but not completely cooked).
Season w/ approximately 1 tablespoon salt.
Add Swiss chard and cook about 10 minutes.
Remove 1 cup broth and whisk in flour, then whisk back into soup pot.

In a saute pan over med-high heat, cook pasta in 1 tablespoon oil until lightly browned - about 2 minutes.
Add pasta to soup & cook about 8 minutes.

Ladle into bowls & squeeze about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice over each serving.
Serve w/ pita chips or croutons.

Yield: 8 servings
--------------
My note: This is substantial & hearty. To me it's a cross between soup & stew. Carrots & Swiss chard add color & the sauteed pasta lends a nice texture. Nice casual company dinner!

Oh, man, I'm gonna have to try this. I just finished up my last bowl of beans last night too. Dang it. I love apple cider vinegar on spinach.

The Gera summer festival has had free bean soup for years. Complimentary bottles of vinegar so guests can zip in some flavor. Being free soup it is beans and water only so some vinegar is fairly important.

I love vinegar and I love beans but other then Gera I like my soup without.

: )
lyra

My grandma and mom always served vinegar (in an antique cruet) with beans. I grew up eating it like this and have always done the same. The same for spinach. We, too, always had a bottle of tabasco sauce on the table when beans were served. I love them that way.

Judi

I like to add a spoonful of my homemade pesto: one bunch fresh cilantro, one bunch fresh mint, one bunch chives or scallion greens, preserved lemon slice, olive oil, and sea salt whirled up in food processor. Very tasty. But then again I love this pesto on meat, too.

I love the brightness that the red vinegar adds to the creamy lentil soup recipe I found here at GWCF! What a great satisifying recipe, awesome flavors.

Add a little home made hot sauce vinegar from the top of the sauce before you shake it. Will take it up a notch.

likewise, I like to put a tsp of vanilla in my chili ....

Never thought of adding vanilla to chili...I do add cinnamon though. My husband (and his father) always adds vinegar to any soup...our youngest son has adopted the same habit. I'm not a fan but I'll put a half lemon into the pot when cooking some soups.

I made my pot of bean soup with the ham bone from Christmas. It was so-so, nothing extra ordinary. I added a bit of cider vinegar and WOW! what a difference. Thanks for this tip.

I add red wine vinegar to my Cuban black beans (learned by watching my DM).

Acidity in vinegar, lemon juice, etc., sharpens the flavor of most bland dishes.

Sol