I know soup isn’t something most people are dying for during the summer months, but this is a recipe I just can’t stay away from. It’s easy, light and really versatile.

To ease myself back into blogging and food photography, I went through my little black notebook that is my life and found a simple recipe idea I came up with months ago.

The idea actually came from my sister. We both love soup, but we don’t love spicy foods. She asked if I could make one that “isn’t so spicy.” I got, like, super creative with the name of the soup…

It’s quite simple, really. It’s adding stuff to a pot at different times. That’s what I love about soup. Even if you have nothing in your fridge, you almost always have enough stuff to make soup.

You can absolutely add carrots to this, but I didn’t have any when I created this recipe, and I was NOT going to the store just for carrots. What you can’t skip out on is the onions. You don’t get a ton of flavor from the ingredients here, so the onions and garlic are crucial in creating a deeper sort of depth.

As for the beans, you can use any kind you want. I haven’t made it with red kidney beans, but if that’s all you have, I say go for it! This can easily be made vegetarian by replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock and omitting the bacon grease. Hey let’s talk about that bacon grease while we’re here..

I was born and raised in the South, and you probably think I’m out of my pea pickin’ little mind because I’m telling you to pour leftover bacon grease in a coffee mug and save it. Well, you might be right, but bacon grease is the reason my recipes turn out so well. It adds an irreplaceable saltiness that cuts through the heavy cream. And, honestly, how bad can vegetables sautéed in bacon grease be?

Since this is such a simple soup, nothing much more than a base, try adding kale, spinach or some rustic, shredded chicken. Or chunks of ham. The parmesan on the top isn’t…well, actually, it is rather necessary. Parmesan makes anything better!

I like my soup on the thicker side, so if you like yours thinner, adjust accordingly.

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So, here it is. One of the easiest pull-together soup recipes on the planet.