STOVETOP: If you don’t have a crockpot, don’t worry. You can prepare this meal in a pot on the stovetop. You can follow step 1 cooking the onion in a large soup pan, then add everything to the a large soup pot and simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the more the flavors will meld together.DRIED BEANS: Can I use dried beans from scratch? Yes!