Here’s a simple and hearty ham and bean soup recipe that’s comforting and easy to make:
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried beans (navy, great northern, or cannellini), soaked overnight or quick-soaked
- 1-2 cups cooked ham, diced (or a ham bone for extra flavor)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme or rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: a splash of vinegar or lemon juice for brightness
Instructions
- Prepare the beans: Drain soaked beans and rinse. If using a ham bone, leave some meat attached.
- Sauté vegetables: In a large pot, heat a bit of oil and sauté onions, garlic, carrots, and celery until soft.
- Add liquids & ham: Add broth, beans, ham (or ham bone), bay leaves, and herbs.
- Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1–2 hours, or until beans are tender.
- Adjust seasoning: Remove bay leaves and ham bone, shred any meat from the bone, return to the soup. Add salt, pepper, and optional vinegar/lemon juice.
- Serve: Enjoy hot with crusty bread.
💡 Tips:
- For a creamy texture, mash some beans against the side of the pot before serving.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors meld.
If you want, I can also give you a quick 30-minute version that uses canned beans but still tastes homemade. Do you want that?
