Description
Hearty ham and bean soup delivers comfort in a bowl, packed with smoky flavors and tender ingredients. Warm winter nights become memorable when this classic soup graces your table, inviting you to savor each spoonful of deliciousness.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 cups diced ham (approx. two 8 ounces ham steaks)
- 1 ham bone (or smoked ham hock/shank)
- 1 pound dried navy beans, rinsed
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 2 cups carrots, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Liquid and Fats:
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Thoroughly cleanse navy beans under cold running water, ensuring no debris remains.
- Warm olive oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat until butter melts and becomes fragrant.
- Gently sauté diced onions for approximately 5 minutes, allowing them to soften and become translucent.
- Introduce chopped carrots, diced ham, and minced garlic to the pot, stirring and cooking for 1 minute to release aromatic flavors.
- Pour chicken broth and water into the pot, then add ham bone, rinsed beans, onion powder, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs.
- Increase heat to bring the mixture to a robust boil, then immediately reduce temperature to a gentle simmer.
- Cover pot partially with a lid, allowing steam to escape while maintaining consistent heat.
- Maintain a low simmer for 3 hours, occasionally stirring to prevent beans from sticking and ensuring even cooking.
- Verify bean tenderness and soup consistency, removing ham bone, bay leaf, and thyme stems.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle hot soup into bowls and serve alongside crusty bread or warm biscuits for a hearty meal.
Notes
- Soak beans overnight to reduce cooking time and improve digestibility, helping break down complex sugars that cause gas.
- Select high-quality, lean ham with minimal fat for a cleaner, more refined soup flavor without excess greasiness.
- Consider using a slow cooker for consistent, low-temperature cooking that allows flavors to develop deeply and prevents burning.
- Swap ham with smoked turkey or vegetable broth for vegetarian/kosher adaptations, maintaining rich umami depth through careful seasoning.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg