Description
This comforting Ham and Bean Soup recipe features tender white beans slow-cooked with a flavorful ham bone and fresh vegetables. Perfect for a hearty meal, it offers rich taste from simmered ham and aromatic herbs, with options to customize thickness and flavor using broth or water. Ideal for a cozy family dinner or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 (16-oz bag) Dried Navy Beans (or other white beans), about 2 ½ cups, sorted and rinsed
- 1 Ham Bone, or ham hock, ham steak, or leftover ham
- ½ large Onion, diced (1 cup)
- 1 large Celery Rib, diced (1 cup)
- 5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme, or ¼ teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt, add to taste if using salted broth
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper, or to taste
- 6 cups Water, or broth
- 1 large Carrot, diced (1 cup)
Instructions
- Soaking Beans (Optional): Soak the beans overnight in 8 cups of water, then drain and discard the soaking liquid. This reduces cooking time but you can also cook unsoaked beans with longer cook time.
- Prepare Slow Cooker: Add the navy beans, ham bone, diced onion, celery, minced garlic, thyme, salt, and black pepper to a 5-quart slow cooker. Add enough water or broth to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Note: You may need to add more liquid during cooking to keep beans submerged.
- Cooking Beans: Set the slow cooker on LOW for 6 hours if using soaked beans, or 9 hours if using unsoaked beans. This slow cooking tenderizes the beans and infuses flavor from the ham bone.
- Add Carrots: During the last hour of cooking, stir in the diced carrots and continue cooking until both carrots and beans are tender.
- Remove Ham Bone: Once beans are fully cooked, remove the ham bone along with any bones or gristle from the pot.
- Thicken Soup (Optional): For a creamier texture, use a potato masher to mash some beans directly in the pot to thicken the broth according to your preference.
- Add Leftover Ham: Shred or dice any leftover cooked ham and stir it back into the soup just before serving to keep the ham tender.
- Storage: To store, let the soup cool to room temperature. Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months for meal prep convenience.
Notes
- White bean variety: Choose any white bean such as navy, cannellini, or great northern. Smaller beans like navy tend to cook faster but soak and bean age affect timing.
- Water vs. broth: Using a ham bone means water suffices for flavor; without it, use chicken or turkey broth and reduce added salt accordingly.
- No ham bone? Use broth and add leftover ham in the last 30 minutes to keep it tender and prevent overcooking.
- Final cook times vary: Bean age, size, and soaking impact cooking time. Taste beans early and adjust heat/time as needed to avoid under or overcooking.
- Want thicker soup? Mash beans with a potato masher or pulse briefly with an immersion blender after cooking.
- Using canned beans: Add 4 cans (15 oz each) rinsed and drained during the last hour of slow cooking to avoid overcooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
