Ham and Bean Soup

This mouthwatering ham and Bean soup is made easily with a simple, tender ham steak and canned white beans. Add fresh onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and a few key spices you probably already have on hand, and you have a fantastic meal.

Nothing beats a warm bowl of ham and bean soup on a chilly day. This easy and comforting recipe combines hearty beans, savory ham, and flavorful spices for a delicious and satisfying meal.

This quick and easy soup is one of my favorite fall and winter weeknight meals. Serve it in big bowls with fresh corn muffins or sweet potato cornbread. The leftovers are even tastier on the second or third day, as all the flavors have had time to meld together.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.

• Canola oil: or vegetable oil
• Seasonings: fresh thyme, ground cumin, ground white pepper, and red pepper flakes
• Chicken broth: low sodium is best
• Beans: Great Northern Beans, Cannellini Beans, Pinto Beans, or Navy Beans
• Ham: Pick a ham steak with a bone in it. You can substitute ham shanks or ham hocks for the ham steak, but they have less meat. Leftover holiday ham also works great.

How to make Ham and Bean Soup

This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.

Start by heating a little oil in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and cook until the onion and celery have softened. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme leaves, cumin, white pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly.

Stir in the chicken broth, brown sugar, white beans, and bay leaves. Add the ham steak by slicing it into sections that fit in the pot. Don’t forget to include the ham bone. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and let everything simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

Remove the ham from the pot and cut it into bite-size pieces. Discard any fat, skin, ham bone, and bay leaves. Then, return the ham to the pot and simmer for a few minutes. Season to taste with additional black pepper, crushed red pepper, or fresh herbs like thyme and parsley if desired.

Preparation Tips

• Drain and rinse your beans to remove the additional sodium.
• Great Northern Beans, Cannellini Beans, Pinto Beans, or Navy Beans can be substituted for white beans.
• If you prefer to use dried beans, I recommend soaking overnight. Then rinse well under cold water. Proceed with the rest of the recipe, but simmer the soup for 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender.
• You can substitute dried thyme leaves for fresh ones. Substitute 1 teaspoon in place of 1 tablespoon.
• I recommend not adding any salt to this recipe. Ham and canned beans add plenty of salt.
• Before serving, don’t forget to remove the ham bone and bay leaves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Store and Reheat

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This delectable soup reheats very well on the stovetop or microwave at reduced power so the beans don’t explode.

To freeze, cool the soup to room temperature and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or freezer zipper bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

More Soup Recipes

Creamy Tortellini Soup

Meatball Soup

Egg Drop Soup

Navy Bean Soup

Tortellini Soup

Creamy Chicken Soup

Sausage Potato Soup

Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

This simple yet delicious Ham and Bean Soup is made using a bone-in-ham steak, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, canned white beans, and a handful of common pantry spices.

5 from 36 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Southern

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 serving

Calories: 156kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• ½ tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 3 ribs celery chopped
• 3 carrots peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 15.5 ounce cans white beans rinsed and drained
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 ¼ – 1 ½ lb bone in ham steak

Instructions

• Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook until the onion and celery have softened; 6-7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme leaves, cumin, white pepper, and crushed red pepper cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.  Stir in the chicken broth, brown sugar, white beans, and bay leaves.  Add the ham steak by slicing it into sections that will fit in the pot. Don’t forget to include the ham bone. Let everything simmer for 20-30 minutes.
• Remove the ham from the pot and cut it into bite-size pieces.  Discard any fat, skin, ham bone, and bay leaves.  Return the ham to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes.  If desired, season to taste with additional black pepper, crushed red pepper, or thyme.
• For a creamy texture and if you prefer thicker soups, puree a small portion of the soup with a handheld immersion blender or in a stand blender.  Always remove the inner cap when blending hot liquids.

Notes

• Drain and rinse your beans to remove the additional sodium.
• Great Northern Beans, Cannellini Beans, Pinto Beans, or Navy Beans can be substituted for white beans.
• If you prefer to use dried beans, I recommend soaking overnight. Then rinse well under cold water. Proceed with the rest of the recipe, but simmer the soup for 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender.
• You can substitute dried thyme leaves for fresh ones. Use 1 teaspoon instead of 1 tablespoon.
• I recommend not adding any salt to this recipe. Ham and canned beans add plenty of salt.
• Before serving, don’t forget to remove the ham bone and bay leaves.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 983mg | Potassium: 541mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3950IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @smalltownwomanfoodnut or tag #smalltownwomanfoodnut!

Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.