Navy Beans
When my mother was growing up in Mississippi, lunch was called dinner and what we know as dinner was supper. Dinner, served around noon was the heaviest meal of the day. Quite a few European, Central and South American cultures still follow similar meal patterns, especially those that enjoy a siesta. I went to college in Guadalajara in the 80’s and as a multitasking American had a hard time adjusting to the midday break at first – I thought, oh I’ll do my banking or run some errand I need to complete, only to discover EVERYONE took the siesta. Once I resigned myself to the idea I must relax during this time, I actually came to relish the quiet hours. I would study and then read or nap in preparation for an evening out. I particularly loved going out to dinner every night in Guadalajara, and years later in Madrid, enjoying family, friends, food, music and meeting new people.
The productivity of the American worker has increased dramatically since 1970, meaning each of us are working longer and harder but our wages have not keep pace and increased. Spain on the other hand is home to the world’s largest worker owned cooperative – a $12 billion organization where the workers manage the company. In 2019, Spain was named the Bloomberg’s Healthiest Country in the world in part because they enjoy the highest life expectancy. I have to believe the time spent simply enjoying one another, luxuriating in life, something that has become elusive in the United States, is a strong contributing element. !Viva la siesta!
Navy Beans – a cup of these “soup” beans and a beautiful One Minute Spinach make a wonderful Summer supper. These beans are the base of the infamous Pork -n- Beans dish. Add my Light Creamy Coleslaw for an elevated BBQ experience.
- 7 to 9 Cups Water
- 3 Cups Navy Beans (or White or Great Northern Beans)
- 3 Edward & Sons Not-Chick’n Bouillon Cubes
- 2 medium sliced organic Carrots
- 2 organic Cloves Garlic
- 1 small finely chopped organic Celery Stalk
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1/2 Cup Organic Olive Oil
- 1/2 Tbs. crushed or rubbed Sage
- 1/2 Tbs. Rosemary
- 1 tsp. Spike Seasoning
- 1 tsp. Jane’s Krazy Mixed-Up Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Cumin
- 1/2 tsp. Oregano
- 1/2 tsp. Thyme
- 1/2 tsp. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
Rinse beans in a colander, place in a large pot and cover with approximately 5 to 6 cups of cold water. Because the beans will absorb some of the water, but not as much as red beans, make sure there is two inches of water above the beans and allow to soak overnight. In the morning, add 2 additional cups of water and all the ingredients except the carrots. Bring everything to a boil on high heat and then turn it down to low. (You can also use a pressure cooker, crock pot or instant pot but need to follow the directions for the specific device.) Add the carrots after 2 hours. Cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Serve with cornbread or brie and a baguette. Voila!
I love how lunch was called dinner and what we know as dinner was supper. These beans were so flavorful and delicious I had more serving than I would like to admit.
I don’t know why, but navy beans are the ones I make the least often. When I saw this recipe, I decided to make them just because. I loved the use of the chicken bouillon. It added tons more flavor.
I always buy canned beans, so thank you for this recipe! Didn’t have the bouillon cubes but used a chicken stock paste instead.
This recipe gave me an excuse to use those canned navy beans that have been in my pantry forever. This dish was delicious. The bouillon cube provided so much extra flavor. Thank you for this recipe!
Normally I take the easy route and make canned beans. I’m so glad I found your recipe and now know how to prepare beans (specifically navy) from scratch! I had all the ingredients except the sage but the recipe was still very delicious!
I served my navy beans with some bread rolls, I can’t tell you how delicious it was. Making this again soon!
These navy beans were amazing! The spike seasoning really took it up a notch in the flavor department. I’ve been eating these nonstop all week, we can’t get enough!
This is a fantastic recipe! These beans came out so perfectly seasoned and were so easy to make!
I have never tried navy beans before so I was excited about this recipe. It tasted delicious and was seasoned perfectly. I’ll definitely be making this one again.
The seasoning for these beans was absolutely immaculate!!! I will for sure be making these again and again!
I made these for “lunch” lol and served with rice and greens. Everyone requested the same meal the next day so this recipe is a keeper.
Here in Italy, we also have the heaviest meal in the afternoon. I made this navy beans to go with some veal and my Italian friend loved it!
Eating this way makes so much sense. Thanks Immaculate.
These navy beans are so flavorful! I could eat a large bowl of this all on my own! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!