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
For a creamy texture and thicker base, puree a small portion of the soup with a handheld immersion blender, food processor, or stand blender. Always remove the inner cap of a stand blender when blending hot liquids so the heat does not build up inside, which could result in the lid flying off and burning you.
Start by cooking the vegetables and spices on the stovetop. Then transfer to a slow cooker, and add the chicken broth, brown sugar, white beans, bay leaves, and ham steak. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Then, remove the ham from the pot and cut it into bite-size pieces. Discard any fat, skin, ham bone, and bay leaves. Return the cut ham to the crock pot, cover, and heat for 20-30 minutes.
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
Ham and Bean Soup Recipe
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
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Jeremy
Best bean and ham soup ever. I took your advice and pureed a few cups. The whole family loved it and I will make it again.
Zab
This recipe was absolutely delicious and easy to make, and I am looking forward to making it again soon.
Ivan
Thanks for sharing the recipe. We loved it. It was hearty, flavorful, and easy to make.
Mary
This looks like some great comfort food! I am hoping to make lots of soups this winter, and freeze a bunch as well to make busy evenings easier.
Edgar
This is a new combo for a soup! The bean lover in me says we must give it a try soon enough.
Ebony
I made this for my family today for dinner and OH MY GOODNESS! This recipe is an absolute keeper! It’s so full of flavor, and true comfort food! I am going to make another batch today and freeze to enjoy again!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much, Ebony! I am so glad that everyone loved the bean and ham soup.
Nyxie
I have never seen something like this! This looks and sounds gorgeous, though!
Rich
This is by far the best bean and ham soup I have ever had. I will make this again and again.
Ben
This is what I’m talking about! I made this last night, and it was amazing. One of the best ham and bean soups I’ve made in quite a while, and I make A LOT of them when the weather gets cool
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ben! So glad that you enjoyed the ham and bean soup.
Debbie
This is the perfect soup recipe for the upcoming chilly, winter season. I love a good ham and bean soup and really excited to try this in my slow cooker.
Anna
Made this soup today & it was delicious! I used left over mashed potatoes to thicken the soup. Also added a bit of Cajun seasoning. Loved it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Anna! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Darlene Justus
Thanks so much for the tip of using leftover mashed potatoes. I just made it but I didn’t have an immersion blender to give it the creamy look. Then I saw your comment and I just happened to have leftover mashed potatoes so I went for it and it turned out perfect. I tried to purée some beans before I added them to the pot but I didn’t use enough. Great tip!
Darlene
Mahy
Ham and beans – fantastic combo! I just love the flavors – they never disappoint 🙂
Farah Abumaizar
I like a good soup or stew year round, and this definitely looks so comforting! Thanks for the beautiful photos and recipe!
Alex
Yesss!!! You took me back to my granny’s house. I’m going to try this tomorrow. Looks delicious!!
Dannii
This looks super comforting. And a great way to use up whatever is in the fridge too.
Sandra
This soup was so hearty and satisfying! It was a super easy one pot meal for me and my family! 🙂