Calico Bean Soup Mix

If you want a hearty soup mix that actually looks gift-worthy and still cooks into a real meal, this Calico Bean Soup Mix does the job nicely. The layered jar packs six kinds of dried beans and peas with onion, bouillon, cumin, and garlic, so you get a soup base that already has a head start on flavor.

Once you add water, carrots, celery, and ham, it turns into a thick, old-fashioned bean soup with plenty of body. It is inexpensive pantry cooking at its best, which is usually where the smartest meals live.

What You’ll Need

For the jar, you’ll layer yellow split peas, green split peas, lima beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and great northern beans with instant minced onion, chicken bouillon granules, cumin, and garlic powder. That mix gives you color in the jar and a richer, deeper pot of soup later.

To cook the soup, add the jar mix to water, then finish it with chopped carrots, sliced celery, and ham pieces. The beans do the heavy lifting, but the ham and vegetables round it out so it tastes like supper instead of a pantry emergency.

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Layer the Jar

Use a clean, dry quart jar and add the ingredients in the order listed so the colors stay distinct. Dry ingredients need a moisture-free container, so do not rush this part unless you enjoy surprise clumps.

1. Add 1/3 cup yellow split peas to the jar.
2. Add 1/3 cup green split peas.
3. Add 1/3 cup lima beans.
4. Add 1/3 cup pinto beans.
5. Add 1/3 cup kidney beans.
6. Add 1/3 cup great northern beans.
7. Top with 1/4 cup instant minced onion, 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules, 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
8. Seal the jar tightly and store it in a cool, dry place.

If you’re giving it as a gift, tuck the cooking directions onto a tag so nobody has to guess what happens after the pretty part. For more layered dry mixes, take a look at Layered Bean Soup Mix or Rainbow Bean Soup Mix.

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How to Make the Soup

This method uses a quick hot soak first, then a long simmer to finish the beans and build flavor. It takes time, but very little of that time requires you to stand there staring at the pot like it owes you money.

1. Bring 8 cups water and 1 package of soup mix to a boil for 2 minutes.
2. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let it stand for 60 minutes.
3. Add 2 medium chopped carrots, 2 sliced celery stalks, and 1 cup chopped ham pieces.
4. Return the pot to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 2 additional hours, or until the beans are tender.

You’ll end up with about 10 cups of finished soup, which works out to roughly 10 servings at 1 cup each. If you want it even thicker, simmer it uncovered for the last 15 to 20 minutes.

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Helpful Tips

Sort through the dried beans before layering the jar. It only takes a minute and helps you catch the occasional pebble or broken bit that likes to sneak into dried legumes.

Keep your simmer gentle once the ham and vegetables go in. A rolling boil can split the beans too aggressively and leave you with mushy outsides before the larger beans fully soften.

If your beans are older pantry stock, plan on the full cooking time and possibly a little longer. Dried beans soften best when they haven’t been sitting around since who-knows-when.

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Easy Variations

Swap the ham for smoked sausage or leftover diced turkey if that is what you have on hand. You’ll still get a hearty soup, just with a slightly different finish.

Want a meatless pot? Skip the ham and use a vegetable bouillon in the jar instead of chicken bouillon. Then add a little extra salt at the end if needed, since bouillon brands vary more than they like to admit.

For a slightly Southwestern twist, stir in a can of diced tomatoes near the end and serve it with warm tortillas. If you like bean-forward soups, Tortilla Soup w/ Black Beans is another practical pantry dinner.

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Serving Suggestions

Serve this soup with cornbread, crackers, or a plain slice of buttered bread. It is filling enough on its own, but a simple starch on the side makes it feel like a complete cold-weather supper.

A little chopped parsley on top freshens it up, and a few grinds of black pepper wake up the ham nicely. If the soup thickens as it sits, just loosen it with a splash of hot water or broth before serving again.

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Storage and Shelf Life

Store the dry soup mix in an airtight jar in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 12 months for best quality. That is a practical estimate based on dried bean storage guidance and the shortest-lived seasoned ingredients in the jar. For the best shelf life, keep the container tightly sealed and away from humidity and direct light. General dried-bean storage guidance from Utah State University Extension supports cool, dry storage and notes that dried beans stored in food-grade packaging keep at least a year or more under good conditions.

Store the prepared soup in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking and use it within 3 to 4 days. Freeze cooled leftovers in airtight containers for up to 3 months for best quality.

For easier reheating, portion the soup into meal-size containers before chilling. Bean soups thicken as they stand, so add a little water or broth when reheating to bring the texture back where you want it.

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💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Calico Bean Soup Mix

🛒 Walmart Grocery List

• Yellow Split Peas, 16 oz
• Green Split Peas, 16 oz
• Lima Beans, 16 oz
• Pinto Beans, 16 oz
• Red Kidney Beans, 16 oz
• Great Northern Beans, 16 oz
• Minced Onion, 7 oz
• Chicken Bouillon Granules, 7.9 oz
• Ground Cumin, 1.5 oz
• Garlic Powder, 3.12 oz
• Whole Carrots, 1 lb
• Celery, 1 bunch
• Diced Ham, 8 oz

Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.

Frequently Asked Questions about Calico Bean Soup Mix

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Calico Bean Soup Mix

Article or recipe authorAuthor: Melissa 'Liss' Burnell

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preparation timePrep 15 minutes mins

cook timeCook 2 hours hrs 2 minutes mins

total timeTotal 2 hours hrs 17 minutes mins

This layered bean soup mix combines six kinds of dried beans and peas with onion, bouillon, cumin, and garlic for a hearty homemade soup starter. One batch makes about 10 cups of soup, or 10 servings, at an estimated total cost of $6.49, about $0.65 per serving.

ServingsServings 10 servings

CourseCourse Dessert, Dinner, lunch, Soup

CuisineCuisine American

Budget101 Price BreakdownApprox Cost: $6.49

Ingredients

1/21x2x

• ▢ ⅓ cup yellow split peas uncooked
• ▢ ⅓ cup green split peas uncooked
• ▢ ⅓ cup lima beans uncooked
• ▢ ⅓ cup pinto beans uncooked
• ▢ ⅓ cup kidney beans uncooked
• ▢ ⅓ cup great northern beans uncooked
• ▢ ¼ cup instant minced onion
• ▢ 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 8 cups water
• ▢ 2 medium carrots chopped
• ▢ 2 stalks celery sliced
• ▢ 1 cup chopped ham pieces

Equipment

1 quart jar with lid

Large stockpot

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons

Knife

Cutting Board

Instructions

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1. Layer the yellow split peas, green split peas, lima beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, great northern beans, minced onion, chicken bouillon granules, cumin powder, and garlic powder in a clean 1 quart jar.
2. Seal the jar tightly until ready to use.
3. To prepare the soup, bring 8 cups water and 1 jar of soup mix to a boil for 2 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 60 minutes.
5. Add the chopped carrots, sliced celery, and chopped ham pieces.
6. Return to a boil.
7. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 2 additional hours, or until the beans are tender.

Recipe Size Alteration

💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.

Notes

Yield is estimated at about 10 cups, based on the added liquid and the volume of cooked beans and vegetables.
Prep time is estimated and includes layering the jar plus chopping the vegetables and ham.
Dry mix shelf life is an estimate of up to 12 months in an airtight jar stored in a cool, dry, dark place.
Prepared soup keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated and up to 3 months frozen for best quality.

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