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Hearty Ham and White Bean Soup

Close-up of creamy ham bean soup topped with shredded ham and carrots in a rustic blue bowl.
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Make a satisfying, classic soup using dried white beans and leftover ham. This recipe is simple and yields a thick, comforting meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound dried Great Northern or Navy beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 8 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 pound smoked ham hock or leftover ham bone with meat
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (adjust after removing ham hock)
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar (optional, for brightness)

Instructions

  1. Place the rinsed beans in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain the beans.
  2. In the same large pot, combine the drained beans, broth, ham hock, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender.
  3. While the beans simmer, prepare the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  4. Add the cooked vegetable mixture to the soup pot. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Remove the ham hock and bay leaf from the pot. Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone, shred or chop it, and return the meat to the soup. Discard the bone and bay leaf.
  6. Taste the soup and add salt if needed. Stir in the white vinegar, if using. Simmer for 5 more minutes before serving.

Notes

  • For a quicker method, use 4 cups of water and 4 cups of canned, drained white beans added during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
  • If you do not have a ham hock, use 1 cup of diced smoked ham or bacon cooked in the skillet before adding the vegetables.
  • For a thicker soup, mash about 1 cup of the cooked beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sundayflavor.com/bean-soup-ham-and-white-bean-soup-recipe/