Ham and Bean Soup
This ham and bean soup recipe turns a leftover ham bone and a bag of dried navy beans into a thick, gently smoky one-pot meal that thickens itself as it simmers.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot - 6 quart / 5.7 L or larger
- Sturdy cutting board
- Wooden spoon - for stirring and mashing beans
- Soup Ladle
- Colander - for draining the soaked beans
- Tongs or slotted spoon - for pulling out the bone
- Immersion blender - (optional) for a thicker, more velvety texture
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried navy beans - 450g, about 2 cups, rinsed, picked over, and soaked overnight
- 1 meaty ham bone - or 2 smoked ham hocks, about 1.5 lb / 680g; substitute smoked ham hocks if you have no leftover bone
- 2 cups diced cooked ham - 280g, plus any meat pulled from the bone
- 2 tbsp olive oil - 30ml, or butter
- 1 large yellow onion - about 1.5 cups / 200g, diced
- 2 medium carrots - about 1 cup / 130g, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery - about 1 cup / 100g, diced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 8 cups chicken broth - 1.9L, or ham stock; low-sodium recommended
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika - optional, for extra depth
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt - plus more to taste at the end
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar - 15ml, added at the finish
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley - chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Pour the overnight-soaked navy beans into a colander, drain off the soaking water, and rinse under cool running water. Discard any shriveled, discolored, or cracked beans along with any small stones.
- Set the Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil or butter. Once it shimmers, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Nestle the ham bone or ham hocks into the pot among the vegetables. Add the drained navy beans, pour in all 8 cups of chicken broth, and stir in the bay leaves, dried thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and just 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low. Cover partially and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes, until the beans are fully tender and creamy in the center.
- Use tongs to lift the ham bone or hocks out onto a cutting board and let them cool for a couple of minutes. Pull off any tender meat, chop it into bite-sized pieces, and return it to the pot along with the 2 cups of diced cooked ham. Discard the bone, fat, and skin.
- For a thicker soup, press a ladleful of beans against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon and stir them back in, or give the pot two quick pulses with an immersion blender. Fish out and discard the bay leaves, then stir in the apple cider vinegar and add remaining salt only if needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls while hot and scatter chopped fresh parsley over the top. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread alongside.
Notes
- Salt at the very end. Ham bones vary wildly in saltiness, so season up front with only 1/4 teaspoon and adjust after the ham has flavored the pot.
- Do not skip the acid. The final splash of apple cider vinegar cuts through the richness and makes every other flavor pop.
- Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil breaks the beans apart into mush and can toughen their skins; a lazy simmer keeps most beans intact while releasing enough starch to thicken.
- Mash for body, do not purée. Mashing just one ladle of beans gives a creamier broth while leaving plenty of whole beans for texture.
- Use low-sodium broth. Between the ham and the beans there is enough salt going on; low-sodium broth gives you room to season at the end.
- Soaking shortcut: If you forget to soak overnight, cover the beans with water, boil for 2 minutes, then let them sit off the heat for 1 hour before draining.
- Canned bean swap: Drain and rinse three 15 oz (425 g) cans of beans and add them in the last 20 to 30 minutes of simmering.
- Slow cooker: Combine everything except the vinegar and diced ham, cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, then stir in the ham and vinegar at the end.
- Instant Pot: Use unsoaked beans, pressure cook on high for 35 minutes, and let the pressure release naturally before stirring in the ham and vinegar.
- Storage: Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months; the soup thickens as it chills, so loosen with a splash of broth when reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 24gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 720mgFiber: 12gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 20mg
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