We like spicy at our house, so I would start out with chicken broth as my base and season with something like garlic, cumin, chili powder, ground chili flakes, bay leaf, salt (to taste), chopped jalapenos (I find these to be very mild these days), one or two serranos for heat, one pablano for flavor along with onion, celery, corn, pinto or small white beans and smoked ham hocks.

I recently made some lentils with a tikka masala sauce and I just love them. This will become a new staple here.

I occasionally make split pea with browned mildly seasoned bulk sausage for a change from ham or ham bone. Unless looking for a vegetarian dish, I think I'd use it in a bean soup too.

Turmeric is great in soup, if you like the color. Be careful combining it with green. :) Add some cumin, paprika and black pepper. Some winter squash and leeks would be good in it.

A strongly flavored herb canmake a good jumping off point. I like dill.

Or ginger.

You could easily go Mexican.

I make a delicious white bean with rosemary soup.

I like onion, celery, carrot, diced tomatoes, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, salt, pepper, jalapeno pepper and a finely chopped small potato.

Sheesh! I forgot to add that I also use red, pinto, and kidney beans in chili. I like the idea of something using Indian flavors. I also think rosemary is a nice idea. It’s different from oregano/basil combos. I finally was able to get some Italian and breakfast sausage, so using one of those as the meat would be a change of pace.

Thanks for the ideas.

What you have looks great. I've got to try that sometime.

You could add a cut of ham. I don't recall the details, but my Mother made a southern style ham and beans. All I remember was that it simmered on the kitchen stove all afternoon to be ready for the evening meal. If any other vegetables were added, it would have been potatoes. probably boiled separately. Boiling a potato all afternoon would turn it into mush.

A can of Rotel can make anything better.

Love a Portuguese caldo Verde.

for mixed beans, I do tomatoes, celery, onion, and a good squeeze of lemon....beans cooked in chicken stock>
but for white beans I like marjoram and bay.

I recently made some lentils with a tikka masala sauce and I just love them. This will become a new staple here.

Bumblebeez,

Thanks for sharing. I'm going to mix the sauce with black, pinto and red beans, bell pepper, carrots and serve over rice.

I don't want all that in my bean soup, but like onion, bacon or ham or smoked sausage, salt and pepper and that is it. I like Great Northern, Cranberry or Pinto.

Sue

I was told very recently about Ree Drummond's recipe for pinto beans. Haven't made it yet, but plan to. The seasonings would probably be good with other types of beans, too. The recipe has many good reviews. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/perfect-pinto-beans-3339174