mixed dried beans for soup
Also known as: 15 bean soup mix, bean soup mix
A bagged blend of several kinds of dried beans and legumes (pintos, navy, kidney, black, lima, split peas, lentils, and similar, depending on the brand) sold together specifically for soup, so a single bag gives the varied texture of a from-scratch mixed-bean soup without buying and measuring each bean separately.
Buying guidance
Sold in the dried bean and legume aisle, often as a well-known brand like Hurst's 15 Bean Soup -- some come with their own seasoning packet, which a recipe with its own seasoning plan (like this one) can skip using.
Substitutions
- A homemade mix of several dried beans in roughly equal parts (kidney, black, navy, pinto, lentils, split peas) -- more measuring, but lets you choose the exact mix.
- Any single type of dried bean -- simpler and less varied in texture, but works if a specific blend isn't on hand.
- A different brand's mixed dried bean blend -- interchangeable, though the exact bean varieties differ.
Tips & common mistakes
Because the beans in the mix are different sizes and densities, they don't all finish cooking at exactly the same time -- a long, gentle simmer (rather than a fast boil) gives the slower beans time to catch up without the faster ones falling apart.
Storage
Keeps for a year or more in a sealed bag or container at room temperature -- like other dried legumes, an older bag takes noticeably longer to soften, so buy from a store with good turnover.