Our Green Bean Soup is actually inspired by green bean casserole: It’s got a rich cream of mushroom soup base with beans added at the end. It’s a great cozy soup, especially for winter. We recommend using frozen green beans instead of fresh, as the fresh beans will take on an unpleasant texture. Serve it topped with crème fraiche, crispy fried onions, shredded cheese, and shredded chicken.
How to Make It
Cook bacon in a large deep skillet over medium, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels; reserve drippings in skillet. Add mushrooms, onion, salt, and pepper to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned, about 12 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme; cook, stirring often, until garlic is slightly softened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mixture, stirring constantly until no white flour spots remain. Stir in chicken stock, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, stirring occasionally, until soup is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer 3 cups soup to a blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process until smooth, about 15 seconds; stir back into skillet.
Stir potatoes into soup in skillet; return heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in green beans and cream; cook, undisturbed, until green beans are evenly cooked through, about 3 minutes. Divide soup evenly among 6 shallow bowls; sprinkle with cooked bacon.