Mostly Asian, Thoroughly American Home Cooking
  • Home
  • Main Meals
    • Chicken and Eggs
    • Pork and Spam
    • Seafood
    • Beef and Lamb
    • Mainly Meatless
  • Sides
    • Salads
    • Vegetables
    • Rice, Bread, and Noodles
  • Treats
    • Dessert and Snacks
    • Breakfast
  • About
  • Blog

my mom's portuguese bean soup

Picture
OK, in the case of soups, this--the secret ingredient is time. Soup does needs to sit. But on the plus side, you can make enough for an army and then freeze half of it. My Japanese mom's Portuguese bean soup is pure comfort food. Nothing like it when the weather is cold and miserable, even in Hawaii!

I make a ton of soup, but right before I add the macaroni, I'll divide it in half and freeze the soup without the macaroni. Macaroni most definitely does not freeze well.
When you defrost the soup, add another can of V8 if necessary, then add macaroni.

1 or 2 ham hocks
1 whole Portuguese sausage
1-2 cans diced or whole tomatoes
1 can of V8 juice (pop-sized can)
1-3 onions
1-2 carrots
2-5 stalks of celery
1 can dark red kidney beans
Black pepper
2-3 whole bay leaves
Marjoram
Parsley
Macaroni
Hawaiian Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

DAY 1 (See below)
Dice up Portuguese sausage and brown well. Add ham hocks and water and then boil until they fall apart. This takes about 4 hours, but it's a very low-maintenance process. Add sausage and boil until cooked. Add more water if necessary. Skim out the hocks, skin, fat, bones, marrow (i.e., everything except the meat). Refrigerate overnight.
Picture
DAY 2
Skim off the hard fat. This is a gross, but necessary step. 

Heat and add the onions, parsley, bay leaves, marjoram, and pepper. When the onions are soft, add carrots, celery, tomatoes, and V8. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Add kidney beans. Simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Bring to a boil, then add the macaroni last, and water with a little Hawaiian salt and pepper if necessary.  

Follow

Chicken and Eggs
Pork and Spam
Seafood
Beef and Lamb
Mainly Meatless
Salads
Vegetables
Rice, Bread and Noodles
Dessert and Snacks
Breakfast
Blog
Glossary
Contact
Picture

©2021-2025 Feeding My Ohana. All Rights Reserved
Legal and Privacy
  • Home
  • Main Meals
    • Chicken and Eggs
    • Pork and Spam
    • Seafood
    • Beef and Lamb
    • Mainly Meatless
  • Sides
    • Salads
    • Vegetables
    • Rice, Bread, and Noodles
  • Treats
    • Dessert and Snacks
    • Breakfast
  • About
  • Blog