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    Home » Recipes » Soup and Stew Recipes

    Ham and Bean Soup

    Apr 26, 2014 by Laureen King

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    A Best Ever recipe for Ham and Bean Soup! An all-time favourite recipe for leftover ham, so hearty and delicious. via @artandthekitchA Best Ever recipe for Ham and Bean Soup! An all-time favourite recipe for leftover ham, so hearty and delicious. via @artandthekitch
    A best ever recipe for Ham and Bean Soup! An all-time favourite recipe for leftover ham, so hearty and delicious.
    Black bowl filled with chunky soup of ham and beans with piece of garlic toast.
    Leftovers have to be the best thing about baking a delicious ham, because now you can make a savoury soup! Ham and Bean soup is awesome for lunch, yet so hearty if makes a great dish for dinner.
    Pot of ham and bean soup with ham bone.
    The challenge I have with blogging a soup recipe is that I never seem to make it the same way twice and I usually do not measure anything. It's always just a little of this and that and what ever I have on hand. I didn't have any split peas to make split pea soup, but I did have navy beans. I actually prefer beans as they are firmer and don't get mushy. While making this recipe I did measure everything so I could pass on this awesome recipe, but some great adaptations could be a variety of vegetables and  beans, or different herbs and spices. Experiment!
    Black bowl filled with chunky soup of ham and beans with piece of garlic toast.
    bowl of ham and bean soup with chunks of ham, navy beans, carrots and celery. Garlic bread on side of bowl, garnishes with thyme sprig.

    Ham and Bean Soup

    Laureen King
    An exceptional recipe for Ham and Bean soup. Family favourite!
    3.89 from 1347 votes
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    Cook Time 3 hours hrs
    Total Time 3 hours hrs
    Course Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10
    Calories 378 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ham bone I leave meat on the bone while it cooks
    • 4 cups leftover ham
    • 2 cups dry navy beans
    • 2 cups celery chopped
    • 2 cups carrots chopped
    • 1 large onion finely chopped
    • 3 cloves garlic finely minced
    • 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dry
    • ¼ cup fresh parsley or 1 tbsp. dry
    • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
    • 8-9 cups chicken stock
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing vegetables

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare dried beans by soaking them in cold water for 8-10 hours, then drain and rinse. (I do this the night before).
    • In large pan heat oil and sauté celery, carrots, onions and garlic until tender.
    • Add chicken stock, ham bone and ham. Transfer to larger pot if necessary.
    • Add beans, parsley, thyme and pepper.
    • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 2-3 hours.
    • Chop up large pieces of ham before serving

    Notes

    This recipe also work well in a slow cooker 6-8 hours on low.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 378kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 26gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 976mgPotassium: 1017mgFiber: 11gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 4520IUVitamin C: 6.3mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 3.5mg
    Keyword ham and bean soup, bean soup
    Tried this recipe?Mention @ArtAndTheKitchen or tag #ArtAndTheKitchen!

    Black bowl filled with ham and bean soup with garlic toast on side. Decorative spoon and wine bottle in background.

    I love soup and here are more of my favorite soup recipes to try!

    Italian Turkey Burger Soup

    Hearty Tortellini Soup

    Roasted Garlic Tomato Basil Soup

    Easy Hamburger Soup

    Homemade Mushroom Soup

    Italian Turkey Burger Soup

    Hearty Tortellini Soup

     

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    Ham and Bean Soup

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    photo of author laureen

    About Laureen

    I created Art and the Kitchen as a way to share many great, tried and true recipes. My collection of recipes include family favorites and those special recipes handed down from my Mom, Grandma and friends. My recipes range from good old homestyle cooking to exquisite gourmet meals. Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Stephanie

      April 14, 2020 at 6:05 pm

      5 stars
      Really good. Served with a toasted chibatta bun, very filling. I soaked and cooked my beans first, as I often do not have success with soft beans when the soup should be done. but that is usually just me being impatient.

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        April 15, 2020 at 3:36 pm

        Wonderful Stephanie, so happy you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply
    2. Jeri

      May 24, 2020 at 3:32 pm

      5 stars
      Best green bean soup I've ever had

      Reply
    3. Lynn O’Brien

      September 09, 2020 at 8:39 pm

      5 stars
      Was very yummy! Will make again! 🍲

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        September 24, 2020 at 8:12 am

        Thank you so much Lynn.

        Reply
    4. Erin

      October 18, 2020 at 2:44 pm

      5 stars
      Our whole family has loved this soup for years! We make double and triple batches to freeze. We've also varied it a few ways. Often we'll puree a small amount of the soup in a blender, then add it back into the pot for a thicker version. Recently we have used an Heirloom Bean Blend and added a splash or two of Oyster Sauce at the end of cooking, which makes it a rich, calico bean type of soup. This is such a great recipe as it is - or to play around with!

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        October 23, 2020 at 8:32 am

        Erin, thank you for trying my recipe. I love when we can take a recipe and add our own twist to it.

        Reply
    5. Sandy

      November 27, 2020 at 4:53 pm

      Why do we need to add broth if we’ve slow boiled the ham hock in water?

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        November 29, 2020 at 3:42 pm

        Sand, I find it add that extra bit of flavor.

        Reply
    6. Pam

      January 02, 2021 at 6:24 pm

      5 stars
      This soup was fabulous! I added 2 bay leaves. Didn’t have time to soak beans so I used canned great northern beans. So delicious! Cooked for 2hours.

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        January 03, 2021 at 6:12 pm

        Thank you Pam. Canned beans work great don't they, when you don't have time to soak beans.

        Reply
    7. Cynthia

      January 10, 2021 at 6:57 pm

      Didnt change a thing except to thicken it a bit a sprinkled in instant mashed potato flakes; maybe 1/3 cup.

      Reply
    8. Rose

      January 22, 2021 at 2:45 pm

      I used dried beans for years and I just switched to canned beans. I think that the soup has better flavor and takes much less time to prepare. Wish I would have discovered this years ago when my life was so much busier.

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        January 26, 2021 at 3:36 pm

        For sure Rose, canned beans work great for a quicker version.

        Reply
        • Karen Matevish

          November 23, 2021 at 1:00 pm

          I plan on using my slow cooker to make this soup. Do I still soak the beans overnight before adding to the cooker, or will the 6-8 hrs on low be sufficient to soften them. I would hate to end up with mushy beans!

          Reply
          • Laureen King

            November 24, 2021 at 11:13 pm

            yes, I would still soak the beans Karen.

            Reply
          • Penny

            November 26, 2021 at 9:57 am

            5 stars
            Personally, I have made this soup several times; once in the slow cooker. The beans were a bit mushy in the slow cooker. I have better control when making on the stove top. Stick to the recipe as written. Just my two cents.

            Reply
      • Penny

        January 26, 2021 at 3:47 pm

        5 stars
        We just had this for lunch today! One of my favorite soups. I have been using the dried beans too and I freeze most of the soup to have during the winter. I wonder how the canned beans would be after freezing? Would they be too mushy?

        Reply
      • Mary

        January 01, 2022 at 7:15 pm

        5 stars
        First time to make. Cooked in my crockpot on low for 6 hours. I added bacon bits and left my veggies chunky. Did not pre-cook them. Came out super great. Will certainly make again. Thank you

        Reply
      • Jackie Jesse

        November 13, 2022 at 6:07 pm

        I used your recipe and added two bay leaves plus used the immersion blender on about four cups of the soup. It is a recipe that I have added to my own recipe favorites. This recipe will become a staple in my dinners future!
        I’ve taken photos just haven’t been able to attach here!
        Thank you!!

        Reply
    9. Laurie

      January 27, 2021 at 1:42 am

      5 stars
      This is the best ham and bean soup I have tried. I’ve made it many times and always receive praises. One thing I do differently is add a can of diced tomatoes. We really enjoy that extra little pop of flavor.
      I have to admit something...the only reason I buy bone-in ham is so I can make this recipe - it’s THAT good! Thank y’all for a super-great recipe.

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        January 27, 2021 at 8:50 am

        Thank you Laurie, I also make a bone-in ham just to have leftovers for this soup!

        Reply
      • Sheila

        December 28, 2021 at 8:21 am

        Can you still make without bone in ham? Maybe add a ham hock?

        Reply
        • Laureen King

          December 28, 2021 at 4:21 pm

          Yes it will work without a bone in ham. The bone just adds extra flavor.

          Reply
    10. Nicole

      January 31, 2021 at 6:14 pm

      5 stars
      My family enjoyed this recipe immensely. I'm making it again just a few weeks after the last time I made it because I was craving it. The only change i make is to put it into my instant pot to cook. 25 minutes later, it's done. Thank you for a deliciously easy recipe.

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        February 01, 2021 at 8:52 am

        Thank you Nicole for taking the time to drop me a comment and rate my recipe!

        Reply
      • Brenda George

        February 07, 2021 at 11:11 am

        Did you use dry beans? do you need to soak them first? I'm going make this in my IP.

        Reply
        • Laureen King

          February 08, 2021 at 7:42 am

          Yes Brenda, I used dry beans and soaked them overnight.

          Reply
          • Tami

            September 20, 2021 at 7:10 pm

            Im going to do the slow cooker version. Do I need to fry up the veggies and garlic, or just add everything? It seems like they should soften in the ceock pot for 8 hours.

            Reply
        • Nicole

          February 08, 2021 at 11:11 am

          Brenda, I used dry beans like the recipe calls for. I tried both soaking for about 5 hours and not soaking and noticed a very slight difference in texture. I think I preferred the soaked bean version but both were good.

          Reply
    11. Maryhelen

      February 03, 2021 at 8:35 pm

      I am a soup lover and this soup recipe is definitely a keeper 😋 I also used canned beans, it was delicious. My husband and I both had a second helping and he's not a soup lover.

      THANKS for the recipe
      I'm now going to follow you 👍

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        February 05, 2021 at 9:00 am

        Thank you, thanks for following my blog. I hope you find more recipes to try!

        Reply
    12. Shelley

      May 23, 2021 at 5:29 pm

      5 stars
      Sooooo good!!! I didn’t have carrots, followed the recipe otherwise. Will make this again. So much flavor!!

      Reply
    13. Marian

      December 07, 2021 at 12:03 pm

      5 stars
      We buy a bone-in ham every winter so we have ham for this soup. It’s one of our very favorite soups and I don’t tweak the recipe at all. I soak the dry beans overnight and let it simmer on stove for 3 hours. The broth is absolutely delicious!!
      Thanks for such a wonderfully perfect soup recipe!! ♥️

      Reply
    14. Susan McDonald

      December 26, 2021 at 8:39 pm

      Can I use my left over ham, for this recipe ,unfortunately I don't have the bone?

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        December 26, 2021 at 9:36 pm

        yes left over ham without the bone will work. The bone just adds more flavor

        Reply
        • Teresa

          December 27, 2021 at 9:26 am

          5 stars
          Sounds great - I’ll be trying it out this week. Think I could use it with dried black-eyed peas for New Year’s?

          Reply
    15. Susan Hoover

      October 17, 2022 at 5:20 am

      5 stars
      We both agree that this is the best soup we’ve made. And we make a lot of soups in the fall and winter. We made it in the morning, let it simmer for 3 hours, and by supper time it was delicious.

      Reply
    16. Deborah Johnson

      October 29, 2022 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent soup recipe. I used canned navy beans (drained and rinsed) instead of the dry which I added to the soup the last hour of simmering. Thanks for posting, I’m glad I made it?

      Reply
    17. Deborah Johnson

      October 29, 2022 at 4:56 pm

      5 stars
      Oops, the last sentence on my previous comment should have ended with an explanation point NOT a question mark.

      Reply
    18. Janice Carter

      November 06, 2022 at 10:43 am

      Your Ham and Bean soup recipe looks delicious! I'm having my children and their spouses over for this meal and my question is how many will this recipe feed and secondly, what's the delicious looking bread in your photos?
      Thanks for the recipe! I don't usually use a recipe for this, but this meal is special having all three of my children home to feed, A mama's dream!

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        November 06, 2022 at 11:04 am

        Hi Janice, it really does depend on portion size, but I would say 8 should be a good number. The bread is just a simple oven baked garlic bread. Enjoy the time with your family, very special!

        Reply
    19. Cynthia Trowbridge

      January 31, 2023 at 2:11 pm

      Just got the soup in the crockpot and
      no room to spare.Well let you know how it came out, looks good.

      Reply
    20. Regina L Kamilar

      February 16, 2023 at 6:37 pm

      5 stars
      I like this soup. I used butter beans, pinto beans, navy beans, and canilli beans. The different beans made this soup even better.

      Reply
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    I am Laureen, creator of Art and the Kitchen. On my blog you will find a collection or amazing recipes from homestyle-comfort food, gourmet and exceptional baking recipes! Read more!

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