1. Gather ingredients: To begin making bean soup, first gather all of your ingredients. You will need the following:

– 2 cups of dried beans (such as navy, pinto, kidney, or great northern beans)

– 8 cups of water or broth

– 2 tablespoons of olive oil

– 1 large onion, diced

– 2 cloves of garlic, minced

– 2 carrots, chopped

– 2 celery stalks, chopped

– 1 small bell pepper (red or green), diced

– 2 bay leaves

– Salt and pepper to taste

– Optional: fresh herbs like thyme or parsley for garnish

2. Rinse beans: Rinse your chosen dried beans thoroughly under cold running water, using a fine mesh strainer.

3. Soak beans: Place the rinsed beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water so they are fully submerged. Allow them to soak overnight or for at least 8 hours.

4. Drain beans: After soaking, drain the beans and set aside.

5. Heat olive oil: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil.

6. Sauté onion and garlic: Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the heated olive oil and sauté until softened and fragrant (approximately 5 minutes).

7. Add vegetables: To the pot with onions and garlic, add the chopped carrots, celery stalks, and diced bell pepper. Sauté for about 5 more minutes.

8. Combine ingredients: Add the soaked and drained beans to the pot with the vegetables.

9. Stir in water/broth: Pour in 8 cups of water or broth; whichever you prefer for a base in your bean soup.

10. Add bay leaves: Toss in two bay leaves to help enhance the flavor of your soup.

11. Season the soup: Add salt and pepper to taste. You can always adjust seasoning as needed towards the end of the cooking process.

12. Simmer soup: Bring the bean soup to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and let it cook for approximately 1½ to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender.

13. Check doneness: Taste test your beans to ensure they are cooked through and tender. If necessary, continue simmering until desired texture is achieved.

14. Discard bay leaves: Before serving, remove and discard the bay leaves.

15. Serve and garnish: Ladle the bean soup into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs like chopped thyme or parsley, if desired. Enjoy your homemade bean soup with some warm crusty bread on the side!