Hearty Ham and Bean Soup is a perfect recipe to use up leftover ham. It is an easy, all-time family favorite soup recipe that I make often.
Whenever I cook a ham I always buy a large size just to have extra ham to make this savory bean soup recipe. Although boneless ham meat will work for this recipe, you will not get the same rich flavorful broth that a ham bone, ham hock or ham shank will add.
Can you make this recipe in a slow cooker or instant pot?
Absolutely, the cooking time if using your instant pot will be about 50 minutes. Cooking time for the slow cooker will be 8-10 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
Do you have to soak the dried beans?
I prefer the texture and have always soaked my beans for at least 8 hours or overnight. Alberta Pulse Growers has some great information about preparing dry beans. Whatever method you use be sure to discard any broken or shriveled beans. Store your beans in an airtight container in a cool, dry place and use within one year. Old beans can stay hard and chewy even after cooking.
How to thicken ham and bean soup
Once the soup has almost finished cooking, remove about 1 cup of the soup. Puree using an immersion blender and stir back into the soup.
Method for preparing the soup
How to store leftover soup.
Leftover ham and bean soup stores in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ingredients for ham and bean soup
Beans - I prefer to use dried Great Northern beans or Navy beans, but you can also use dried white beans or Cannellini beans.
Ham and ham bone - leftover ham has the best flavor, but any kind of ham will work.
Chicken stock or chicken broth - Try my Homemade Chicken Stock recipe or use your favorite brand and adjust the salt to taste.
Vegetables - celery, carrots, onion, and garlic.
Can you add potatoes? Potatoes do not work well in this recipe as they become too mushy. Try my Ham and Potato soup recipe instead.
Seasonings - fresh or dried thyme, parsley and ground black pepper. Add salt as needed.
As the weather turns cold and you start to crave comfort food, warm up with some of these best homemade soup recipes.
Post updated October 11, 2023. This post was originally published April 26, 2014. Occasionally I update with fresh tips, content, and photos.
Ham and Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups leftover ham cubed
- 1 ham bone
- 2 cups dry Great Northern beans or 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 tablespoon dry
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 8-9 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing vegetables
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the dried beans by soaking them in cold water for 8-10 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse, discarding any broken or discoloured beans.
- In large Dutch oven, heat oil and sauté celery, carrots, onions and garlic until tender.
- Stir in the chicken stock, ham bone and ham.
- Add the beans, parsley, thyme and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours until beans are tender.
- Chop up large pieces of ham before serving
- Once the soup has almost finished cooking, remove about 1 cup of the soup. Puree using an immersion blender and stir back into the soup.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Jodee Weiland says
This soup looks so hearty and delicious! I love the ingredients...thanks for sharing your recipe!
Laureen King says
Thank you Jodee!
Amanda says
Do you have the have the ham bone or is just ham ok? And you still have the bone in the crock pot? Take it out before serving I assume?
Laureen King says
The ham bone really does add some great additional flavour, but it can be made without. If you are using the ham bone, yes you would take it out before serving.
ELEANOR LAWSON says
The use of the HAM BONE is one example of good old fashioned cooking. Yes, this recipe can be made without the ham bone but it will be some much better if it is included.
Debbie C. says
I just made it and it is very good- I might thicken it just a bit but otherwise it went together great!!
Going to have cornbread with it and salad for dinner!! Yum!!
Laureen King says
Thank you Debbie, so glad you enjoy the recipe.
Danna Boos says
I agree!!! I followed it to the letter and it reminded me of my mother's and for that I thank you!!!
Laureen King says
Thank you Danna!
Sandra grimes says
To thicken bean or pea soup, mash a cup or two of the veggie (beans) and stir them into the soup for creaminess..
Sukay says
That’s exactly what I do. It’s wonderful . You can also add a few flakes if instant mashed potatoes
Laureen King says
Wonderful! and thank you very much for taking the time to drop me a note, I love to get feedback from people that have tried my recipes.
quinceyanderson says
Does it still need to simmer that long if I use canned beans?
Laureen King says
Hey Qincey, I would still simmer for an hour so the flavours meld together, carrots and celery are cooked. You can always taste test after 30 minutes to see if tastes good at that point even.
Becca says
Hi. I would like to try this recipe but in the crockpot. About how long do you think I should cook it if I make it in the crock pot?
Laureen King says
I would cook it in the crockpot 6-8 hours.
lindsey says
On high or low?
Laureen King says
Simmer on low, you want it to just simmer not boil.
michelle says
Are the beans presoaked before crockpot jacuzzi?
Laureen King says
Hi Michelle, yes you presoak the beans for either method crockpot or stovetop.
Janice says
If done in crockpot is the sauteing necessary? Are all the ingredients added at one time and cooked for 6-8 hours?
Laureen King says
Janice, I still saute as it brings out the flavour better.
Anonymous says
Can't wait to make this!! Thanks!! Jen
Laureen King says
Hope you enjoy the recipe Jen, love to hear back after you try it.
Krysty Kara says
Making this now...it's simmering as I type 😉
Laureen King says
Super Krysty, let me know how it turns out.
Anonymous says
yummy.going to make this
Laureen King says
That's great, I'm sure you will enjoy it!
Writer200 says
I may have to try this soup when we cook one of our hams soon. Yum, I like the celery in any soup.
One tip I found from the magazine Cook's Country is when you soak the beans to use a gallon of water and 3 tablespoons of salt. The salt actually helps to soften up the bean skins and it doesn't leave the beans salty tasting.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Laureen King says
thanks for the helpful hint Writer200
Dawn says
I always heard salt last it makes the beans tough
Heather says
Made this yesterday. Delicious and super easy. The only change I made was adding 2 bay leaf. Thank you for a keeper!
Laureen King says
Hey Heather, thanks for letting me know, so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Laureen King says
Susan, did you you pre-soak the beans for 8-10 hours as per step 1?
Laureen King says
umm, I'm puzzled, did you used navy beans? I've never had that problem and have make the soup quite often. Are you cooking on stove top or in a crockpot?
Unknown says
I'm old school but salting soaking beans hardens them, salt after beans have reached desired tenderness. Older beans can also become very tough. Baking soda in the water softens almost anything, including marinating chicken, rinse before cooking. Classic recipe, beans are soaking for the night but I forgot the celery at the store. Love your chunky looking soup. Cheers!
Laureen King says
Thanks for the info, I have also read that old beans can be a problem, as they may not soften.
mary bee says
Can't wait to try this. But don't have a ham bone.( christmas ham is long gone. ) I did buy smoked ham hocks today and plan to use those and will cut up a ham steak for the meat. Think this will be ok ?
Laureen King says
Hey Mary Bee, I think that should work just fine.
Mrs. Claus says
If you have a Honey Baked Ham store near you, you can buy just the ham bone and they usually have lots of meat left on them. I do that a lot, and they are cheap
Amber says
Thanks for this idea! There are only two of us, so a full ham is a lot for two meals (ham and ham soup). I’d freeze the leftovers, and we’d be eating it every couple days for weeks!
Laureen King says
Hi Amber, ham is so awesome for leftovers. I always buy one large enough to make sure I can whip up a batch of this soup!
Catherine says
Hi Lauren, I cook the way you do, no recipe and a little of this and a little of that and oh that sounds good..... Making the idea of repeating something I made out of my head very difficult sometimes... lol I make a similar navy bean soup. but I add some dried chili pepper (that we grew and dried) to give it another depth of flavor and I add a little Black Strap Molasses. I like Black Strap it is thicker and not as sweet as regular molasses, plus it adds a richness to the broth and cuts the heat of the spice a bit with out overly sweeting the broth, and it adds extra nutrition to the soup. You still taste the peppers but don't have to set your mouth on fire. It is kind of my secret ingredient in many things.
Laureen King says
Love the idea of adding a little heat with chili peppers, thanks Catherine.
Elyse says
Made this soup tonight and everyone loved it!!! For those who wrote about the hard beans...yes, you probably have old beans. That is exactly what happened to me one time and the beans were probably a year old. 🙂 Thanks for posting the recipe!!!
Laureen King says
Thank you Elyse for dropping me a note.
pat Leinen says
I usually add some ground ginger, it takes the "phoofs" out ! (Hint from my Gramma T)
Laureen King says
Thanks Pat for the "Gramma Hint"
Adriana says
I make this soup almost every week. Sometimes I just use whatever canned beans I have. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
Laureen King says
Adriana, thank you, when people take the time to drop me a note it inspires me to keep working hard at sharing great recipes. Have a great weekend.
Lisa says
This looks delish....I'm wondering if I could make this in a crockpot? If so, do I still need to soak the beans overnight?
Thanks
Laureen King says
yes you can make in the crockpot, and yes still soak the beans.
Ashley says
This soup is so good! I made a few alterations! I used some Bay leaves, 3 to be exact, I used extra Carrots (because they're my favorite), I added some potatoes, & I added some pinto beans too. Very good. My boyfriend doesn't like ham & even he loved it. Great with cornbread on the side. Thanks for this one!
Laureen King says
One of my favourite soups, love your adaptations!
Mariann says
Making this for the 2nd time since I discovered the recipe on Pinterest. Followed recipe exactly. So good! Taking it camping next week. Easy make ahead camping meal for cool nights.
Laureen King says
That is awesome to hear Mariann, thank you for letting me know.
Susan says
This is almost the same recipe as mine..but I use vegetable stock and a few drops of hot sauce
Laureen King says
Can't beat at great ham and bean soup, hot sauce sounds interesting.
Ina Eaves says
How much oil do you use for cooking veggies?
Laureen King says
Thanks Ina, I missed that in ingredients, I use about a tbsp.
CATHY MCKINNEY says
I'm kinda a new cook..can I use canned navy beans..can I omit the thyme without taking away from the flavor and also is chicken broth ok to use or just chicken stock..is one a better flavor than the other..thanks so much for any advise
Laureen King says
Hi Cathy, you can omit the thyme, but it does add great flavour. Chicken broth or stock will both work
Nicci says
I adapted this to go in the crock pot and it's currently filling my little apartment with an amazing aroma! Only things I changed were that I used peruano beans and veggie grill seasoning by weber. I'm sure it will turn out fantastic! I'll leave an update later if you'd like 🙂
Laureen King says
Awesome Nicci.
Nicci says
OMG, best ham and beans I've ever had! Will definitely be doing this again! Thanks for this!
Laureen King says
Hi Brenda, I would use 3 cans (15oz) and yes I would rinse them. If you like more beans add another can.
Sharon L says
I'm making this soup now and wonder what the bread is in your picture as it looks delicious. Thanks!
Laureen King says
Hi Sharon, hope you enjoy the soup, the bread is a simple garlic bread. Fresh minced garlic that is mashed into butter and mixed well. Spread on fresh cut french bread, then sprinkle with fresh cut chives (finely chopped green onion will work as well) then toasted under broiler until golden brown. Don't burn!! Enjoy!
Laureen King says
Awesome Lin!
Michelle says
Making my second pot now! My dad, my husband and even my 9 year old love this soup! Making the second pot for my husband who wanted to take it to the guys at work.
Laureen King says
That is wonderful Michelle, so glad you and you family enjoy the recipe. Thanks for dropping me a note.
Lisa Sawaia says
Trying this recipe tonight since I have a leftover ham bone from Christmas. I usually make split pea soup but this is a nice change. Was wondering if it makes a difference if I cooked it in a Dutch oven pot in the oven at 350 for same amount of time?
Laureen King says
Hi Lisa, I think that should work, just check it once in a while and give it a stir to make sure beans aren't sticking to the bottom.
JenJ says
I don't have a ham bone. Just left over ham I need to use up. Would the soup be as good without the ham bone??
Laureen King says
Hey Jennifer, they soup should turn out just fine without the ham bone.
Clarissa Stuart says
Did you know that you can buy ham soup stock? It comes in a jar, and is a thick paste, so it dilutes down into many quarts of soup. If you have ever seen the Better Than Bouillon soup bases, then you know what I am talking about. I use their chicken and beef soup bases a lot, and was delighted to find that a ham version was also available, although it is a different brand. A quick google search should reveal where to get some.
Gayle says
Excellent recipe. I used left over spiral cut ham with a maple glaze. I was thinking it may be too sweet, but it's not - just fine. I made sure to add celery leaves. Love their flavor. Thanks for the great recipe.
Laureen King says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Gayle.
jerry hughey says
Seen your recipe and thought I has to try it. Cooking now. Smells amazing. Thanks for posting it.
Laureen King says
Thats great Jerry, I'm cooking up a pot tomorrow with my leftover ham.
Laureen King says
The soup should be good in refrigerator for 3 days, 1-2 month in freezer.
Laureen King says
Wonderful idea Sharon.
Diane Gauthier says
Making this soup tonight for the second time, everyone loved it. Last time I added the meat off the ham bone and parsley for the last hour only. I used an immersion blended to purée about half the soup after cooking. Made it nice and thick, as we like it.
Laureen King says
Wonderful Diane, like the idea of puree some of the soup.
Ruthann says
Your soup looks amazing. I make just about the same recipe and love it. My hubby isn't real wild about it. Oh well. I make my stock first from the ham bone with carrots, celery and onion. When finished drain it and start the soup. It gives the soup a really rich ham flavor. Making ham tomorrow. Soup for the weekend!
Laureen King says
That is wonderful Ruthann, I can't believe some people actually throw the ham bone out.
Kelley A. says
Because it cooks for 2 1/2 hours plus , will it ever be necessary to add more chicken stock ? My house smells amazing right now ! ??
Laureen King says
Hey Kelley, I have never had to add more stock, it will reduce a bit but not that much as long as you simmer the soup not boil it.
Deidra says
inexpensive,, warming, delicious! I added a large bay leaf and doubled the garlic. Also, I brought the beans to a boil, let them simmer on med low for 2 hrs as a quick cook method. They were perfect. It is just wonderful! Thank You!
Laureen King says
Thanks Deidra, doesn't the house smell wonderful as it simmers.
Jen says
I love this recipe! Just made 2 changes. I didn't have a ham bone, so I chopped up a few pieces of bacon, sautéd then added the veggies. I also scaled back on the thyme a bit 🙂 Great soup, thanks for posting!
Laureen King says
Thank you Jen for taking the time to comment, glad you enjoyed the recipe
Brian says
One addition I do to make the soup a bit thicker in texture I take some of the beans and mix in a blender.
Barb Kimler says
I added some chopped up swiss chard, frozen, to this soup.
For beans, used 'rattlesnake variety beans' dried & also from our garden!
Delicious!! 🙂
Laureen King says
Great adaptation Barb
Carrie says
I preloaded the bean ten hours plus...came home tonight after cooking all in a slow cooker 8 hrs + still beans hard! Beans were in a sealed bag so don't know how old they were... if that was the problem. For goed that for dinner and have it cooking in slow cooker overnight to see to they will cook. If beans are hard still don't know how to salvage the soup... any ideas?
Laureen King says
Hi Carrie, sorry for not answering your question, but just got back from humanitarian trip to Mexico where I had very limited internet. I am only assuming the beans were probably old. The only was to salvage the soup may have been to use a emulsion blender to puree the beans.
Carrie says
I presoaked the beans ten hours plus...came home tonight after cooking all in a slow cooker 8 hrs + still beans hard! Beans were in a sealed bag so don't know how old they were... if that was the problem. For goed that for dinner and have it cooking in slow cooker overnight to see to they will cook. If beans are hard still don't know how to salvage the soup... any ideas?
Laureen King says
Hi Carrie, it probably was the beans, the only thing that may work is to use an emulsion blender to purée the soup
Marilyn says
This soup was delish. I added 2 bay leaves, a little fresh spinach, and some fresh green beans. Usually the first ime I make a recipe I follow it but after reading some comments I decided to add a few extras (needed to use). I will keep this recipe for a favorite. Thank you.
Laureen King says
Wonderful Marilyn, comments are so great for sharing tips and ideas.
cs3snyder says
I always put my herbs and stuff in a coffee filter and boil in 1/4 cup or so of water and add to taste
Peggy says
just a suggestion for those that forget to soak the beans overnight...they could be done in the pressure cooker to soften & then follow the recipe...[ I have done them in both an electric pressure cooker & a top of the range one & it works well with either method] I always mean to soak my beans the night before, ..sigh...but I almost always forget & have found that this works well for me. 🙂
Laureen King says
thanks Peggy for the useful tip!
Kathy says
With a hambone in the frig what a girl to do but to make Ham and Bean Soup!? I tried your recipe and it is wonderful! I did face the 9:00 pm, time to soak the beans, "on no I only have garbanzo beans" dilemma. They worked perfectly so if you're in a pinch give it a try. Thank you for sharing.
Laureen King says
Awesome Kathy,so glad you enjoyed the recipe. thanks for taking the time to comment
Julie Wein says
I made this soup for a party and though it took 3 hours to cook and make it was gone in about 5 minutes. Net time I make it I am going to have to double the recipe.
Laureen King says
I'M SO glad this was a hit at your party
Judi says
I just served the soup - delicious- loved the broth! Thanks for sharing!
Laureen King says
Thanks Judi!
Nancy says
any changes if you want to use split peas?
Laureen King says
HI Nancy, I have not tried this recipe with split peas, so sorry I have no idea how spit peas would work.
Lauren MacArthur says
Oh my gosh! This looks absolutely delicious! i can't wait to try it! Your picture has evoked the smells in my mind! Good job!
By the way, Laureen, it is your name that so many have called me over many decades. I am glad to see that a Laureen does exist.......though I am sure one didn't when I was young (I have several years on you). LOL!
Laureen King says
Hi Lauren, too funny I always get called Lauren, especially in letters and emails. Hope you enjoy the soup!
Clarissa Stuart says
Your soup looks absolutey wonderful . . . but my husband refuses to eat anything with thyme in it. What would you use instead? Open to suggestions!
Laureen King says
Hi Clarissa, I would eliminate the thyme and add a bay leave.
Kelly says
This has become one of my family's favorite recipes. I have two kids in college and occasionally make meals to send back with them for their freezers. This is one of the most requested from them! It is delicious and pure comfort. I just wanted you to know how much we love it!!!
Laureen King says
Thank you so much Kelly for taking the time to drop me a note. I bet your college kids love when they get to enjoy something made by Mom!
Joanne | No Plate Like Home says
I've made this recipe a few times and it is really great! Every time I make a ham, I save the bone and make this soup. It is very tasty. I had to come back and give credit where credit is due, especially now that I've started my own food blog. Great recipe!
Laureen King says
Congrats on starting your own blog, so glad you enjoy the recipe. Its my favourite recipe for leftover ham.
Nerissa Bauer says
Just made this and was a hit. I did. It personal the navy beans instead just cooked as directed and added in two bay leaves. It was a hit!!
Laureen King says
Thanks so much Nerissa for dropping me a comment. Happy you enjoyed the recipe.
Lola says
Winter is here mmm comfort soup is just perfect
Laureen King says
Agreed Lola, you can never have too much soup on those cold winter days.
Grace Behnke says
Making this soup now. Going to share it with the neighbors. Never put carrots in it before. Looking forward to tasting it. Thanks for the Recipe!
Laureen King says
Fantastic Grace, let me know how it turns out.
Ginger Messmer says
Just made soup and I used the left over ham without bone and my Aunt tried a bowl and said it had no taste. Put a lot of ham in it, carrots, celery, and onion. Used the crock pot, cooked 4 hours on high and 2 and 1/2 hours on low. Runny and needed salt, didn't put salt to start because ham has salt and can add after cooked. Just tried to put a little corn starch in to thicken it up. I haven't tried it yet. Wish me luck. Thanks, Ginger
Laureen King says
Hi Ginger, hope I can help you. I have received so many compliments on this recipe I'm not sure what didn't work for you. Firstly, did you pan fry the onions, carrots and celery before adding to the crockpot? This adds a lot of flavour. As for the salt, its always a season to taste thing as I have found hams vary so much in saltiness. Also the ham bone really does add a bunch of flavour. The soup itself is not a thick soup like split pea soup, but if you like it thicker I would after soup has cooked remove 1-2 cups and using an immersion blender, blend until smooth, then add back to soup. Another factor can be the freshness of your herbs. Hope this helps.
Kathy E. says
Laureen, this is a fabulous recipe! I made it tonight using some leftover Christmas ham that I had cubed and put in the freezer. I used white northern beans rather than navy beans because it's what I had in the cupboard. I didn't have a ham bone, but I did save the juice that the ham baked in, so that was added to the broth. Just delicious! Thank you.
Laureen King says
Thank you Kathy, I alway make an extra large ham just to have leftovers. Great idea with the ham juice.
Kathy C. says
This was wonderful! I used my left over ham from New Year's! Loved the veggies! The beans I rinsed and boiled them until tender in a separate pot, I did not want to soak the beans because when I saw this soup I wanted to make it right away! Then I did all steps and brought everything to a boil beans included and transferred it eto my crock pot on put it on keep warm. I made this soup at night so it stayed on keep warm all night.
DELICIOUS!
Laureen King says
Kathy, isn't that the best thing about making a ham, you can get a second meal out of it with soup! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Mary says
I tried this soup today and LOVED it! Just would really like the nutritional value to this soup!
Laureen King says
Hi Mary, I don't have the nutritional count, maybe there is some app that you can enter ingredients into to it.
Judi says
Making today. Soaked beans but I bought great northern beans instead of navy beans. Will that be a problem?
Laureen King says
Hi Judy, sorry late in getting back to you, I was out of town. Those beans should work fine.
Thomas Porter says
Could you use a slow-cooker?
Laureen King says
Absolutely Thomas, I have made it in the slow cooker and let it simmer 3-4 hours.
Jacqueline says
Hey!
Can't wait to try this recipe...is it okay if I use Black forest ham for the recipe? or is that way off?
Thank you,
Jacqueline
Laureen King says
Black forest ham with work just fine, although use the ham with bone does give some extra delicious flavour.
Jacqueline says
I see. Okay, great. Thanks for your help!
Cheers,
Jacqueline
LINDA says
Wonderful recipe!!! Made this just as it is written but with northern beans. I shared with a few people & they all loved it! Thank you so much for sharing! Looking forward to eating this again & again!
Laureen King says
Thank you so much Linda
Laureen King says
hi Catherine, I prefer the flavour of the chicken stock. Also sometimes the juice from the ham bone can be too fatty and salty.
Bethany Maple says
How do I go about freezing this? Do I make the soup ahead of time and freeze or put all ingredients in bag and freeze for crockpot later?
Laureen King says
Hi Bethany, I would make the soup ahead of time, then freeze it into what ever portions you like. Then all you have to do is reheat it and enjoy.
Maris says
Can you use canned beans
Laureen King says
Yes Maris, but your cooking time will be reduced. I'm guessing 1-1 1/2 hours stovetop, 3 in slow cooker .
Denise says
If you pre soak the beans and the soup cooks for 2-3 hours do you still need to physically cook the beans per the package? I just don't want any to screw it up or have hard beans. I just worry they may be overlooked if I pre-cook them.
Laureen King says
Hi Denise, just pre-soak the beans, then prepare soup. Cook on stovetop for 2-3 hours, longer if you find the beans a bit hard. If using slow cooker, I would pre-cook the beans. Make sure to use fresh beans as old beans sometimes never soften up.
Amy C. says
This couldn’t have been simpler or tastier. Brings back memories of what mom makes. Is a keeper! 5 stars !
Laureen King says
Thanks Amy, this is one of my favourite recipes for using up leftover ham.
ELEANOR LAWSON says
My father always made bean soup in the pressure cooker. It was his one and only dish.
Laureen King says
I bet it was terrific, my dad's one dish was a potato bacon casserole. (it was terrible lol)
Jeff says
Prepared this recipe this evening for a week's worth of lunches. Couldn't wait to taste it. I followed your recipe exactly. The soup is rich and incredibly flavorful. I froze seven portions. Not sure if I will share it with anyone!!! Thank you for posting.
Laureen King says
Thank you Jeff, so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Lynnette M. Keinath says
My husband couldn't find a bag of navy beans so he bought the Northern navy beans already cooked! I am preparing bean soup as I'm sending this to you..I was shocked to find 2 huge jars of beans ready to eat. Can I still make this taste good? I don't want mushy soup for dinner!!🙊Help ! Thank you..
Laureen King says
Hi Lynnette, sorry just saw your message, hope your soup turned out good. Probably just required less cooking time.
Kim says
This is my go to ham and bean soup, love it and would not change a thing!
Laureen King says
Thank you Kim, its one of my family's all time favourites!
Mary says
Hi, I was wondering....if I do those recipe in the crockpot do I still need to sautee the veggies first?
Laureen King says
Hi Mary, I always saute the vegetables, it brings out some great flavour.
Wendi says
I just inherited an Instant Pot. What do I need to do to make this.....I have canned beans and two small ham hocks. Thanks for the help!
Wendi
Laureen King says
Wendi, I do not own an Insta Pot so I have no idea
Kirsten says
Hi. I can't wait to try this recipe, it looks delicious. I have one question. How do your veggies turn out? I like mine, especially carrots, to be on the firmer side. I can't do mushy veggies. Should I cook for the time recommended or go more/less?
Laureen King says
The veggies are soft, but they do add flavour to the soup as it is cooking. Reducing the cooking time would not cook the beans sufficiently. You can always add extra fresh carrots the last hour of cooking for ones that are less soft.
Christina says
I was wondering if It’s possible to
Use canned beans? I. Have a lot of
Canned beans that i need to use up!
Also i would love if you shared the
Recipe to the biscuit shown with the
Soup! Looks so tasty!
Thanks! Happy new year!
Laureen King says
Happy New Year to you Christina. Yes you can used canned beans, the cooking time would be reduced to about 1 hour or less. You don't want to beans to become mush. The biscuit is actually just toasted garlic bread.
Pat says
This really is the best recipe for Ham and Bean Soup! So glad I tried it and it now is the only recipe I'll be using for bean soup in the future. My husband loved it! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Laureen King says
Thank you Pat, so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Laureen King says
Thank you Rose for taking the time to comment.
Cliff says
Hi Maureen, a really good soup. I followed the recipe with 2 differences. First, I sauted the veggies in bacon grease and used a small amount of liquid smoke. A nice mild Smokey flavor with a subtle bacon flavor.
Cliff says
Sorry Laureen, the irritating spell check decided your new name was Maureen. My phone apologizes.
Laureen King says
lol, I know spell checks is so irritating some times.
Laureen King says
Some great adaptations Cliff!
Brian says
It’s on the stove right now...... my wife thinks I’m Superman aka cooking talents....that too ! Wish me luck...
Laureen King says
Awesome Brian, hope you enjoy the soup!
Mary says
I don’t understand. Cooking with ham bone, don’t you have to strain the soup at the end? Is there not fat or oil build up after simmering? Thanks!
Laureen King says
Hi Mary, the ham bone adds great flavour to the soup. It is removed when soup has finished cooking. Using the ham bone and leftover ham, which I always cut most of the fat off, doesn't cause excess fat. If you find fat build up, you can always skim it off.
Lora says
HAM N BEAN SOUP ALMOST READY. CANT WAIT FOR DINNER MAKN CRESCENTS W GARLIC N HERB CHEESE SPREAD. AS A DIPPER FOR SOUP.
Mary Kay says
Made this soup today and am very happy how it turned out. I didn’t have a hambone but did add some really good ham. Perfect, hearty soup on a chilly February day in Michigan. YUM!!
Laureen King says
Thank you Mary Kay, nothing beats a great soup on those cold winter days.
Sherri says
Very good. I didn't have dry beans so I used canned. Just added towards the end to heat through. I also added a cubed sweet potato for some more thickening. Broth had a wonderful taste and nice that it wasn't a heavy soup.
Jeanne says
Does this freeze well? Thank you; looks good!
Laureen King says
Yes it freezes well. Beans may not be as firm, but still very tasty.
Sam Muldoon says
Terrific real world recipe. Only difference when I made it was that I used 2 meaty ham hocks. I removed the meat from the bones and added that to the finished soup. This is a solid recipe that can/should be passed on to your friends.
Laureen King says
Thanks Sam, the more ham the better I say!
Becky says
This soup can be made using turkey ham too. You don't get the exact depth of flavor as with the ham bone, but not everyone can have ham, and it still tastes delicious.
Laureen King says
That sounds great Becky, thanks.
Laureen King says
Hi Trish, did you use fresh thyme or dried?
Betsy says
When I was a child, my mom made this every Monday. She did the laundry on Monday and this was something she could make and still run downstairs and do the laundry in the Maytag wringer washer, rinsing in the laundry tub, put the wet clothes in a basket, run upstairs and out to the side yard to the clothes line to hang the clothes out to dry. I guess it would be called a solar dryer these days:) I'm a vegetarian now, but will make this for my sweetie, who is not:) I don't know what you did with the picture, but when I saw it, I could smell and taste my mom's ham and bean soup. That was over 60 years ago. Such a good memory. Thanks for the recipe and smiles from the past. I can hardly wait to make this! I miss my mom:(
Laureen King says
What a lovely story Betsy. I feel very touched that my recipe would bring back such happy memories. I have so very many memories as well cooking and baking with my Mom and Grandma. My Grandma passed over 25 years ago and my Mom has very advanced dementia now.
Mary says
How do you prepare your ham?
Laureen King says
Hi Mary, my favourite is using a crockpot. I have made this soup with leftovers from this recipe and it added some great extra flavour. https://www.artandthekitchen.com/slow-cooker-maple-and-beer-braised-ham/
Ernest Contreras says
you have some great dishes here I am a chef of over forty years now retired and my time is taken by blogging and scanning the internet for a site like yours, your photos very are good, soups are my favorite pass time I enjoy being creative, I just wanted to say how I enjoyed your recipes and your bean soup stopped me on my tracks, it is without a doubt my favorite, Thanks, I subscribed hope to get more nice recipes.
Chef Ernie
Tess says
This recipe is delicious! I served it last night and there wasn’t much left. Everyone loved it! It’s definitely a recipe to use again in the future!
Laureen King says
thank you so much Tess, this is one of my family's favourite soups.
Penny says
Have you tried freezing any of the Ham and Bean soup? It looks and sounds so good, but there are only two of us.
Laureen King says
Hi Penny, yes this soup freezes very well.
Penny says
Thanks for the response Laureen. It is simmering on the stove right now. I can't wait to try it!
Penny says
Hi Laureen,
I had to come back to tell you....I froze the leftover soup and we had some for lunch today. I think it was almost better after freezing it!! This is definitely going to be in my regular soup rotation! Thank you!
Wanda says
Delicious. We used chicken broth and vegetable broth. Thanks for the recipe. Whole family loved it.
Wanda says
Delicious. We used chicken broth and vegetable broth. Thanks for the recipe. Whole family loved it.
Laureen King says
thank you so much Wanda.
Sheri Thompson says
A beautiful as well as amazing ham soup. I had ham leftovers and am serving it along with cornbread for a bunch of ppl this sunday!!!!! tks for the receipe and i love the pictures so i can see how it should look.
Laureen King says
Thank you Sheri, cornbread sounds great to serve with this soup!
Robinn Poole says
How much is one serving? 1 cup?
Laureen King says
yes Robinn, about 1 cup. Although I can never have just one serving lol.
Debbie McFadden says
Can you use cans of great northern beans instead of dried beans? I wanted to try this recipe tonight and don't have time for the dried version. Thank you.
Laureen King says
yes but cook time would about 1- 1:30 minutes.
Debbie McFadden says
Thank you for the quick response. Can't wait to try it.
LAUREN CLEAR says
This soup smelled so good all day as it cooked in the show cooker. I added 2 bay leaves and a cubed potato while cooking, too, since it just made the soup more yummy. It was delish. My husband and sister and myself loved it.
Laureen King says
So awesome you and your family enjoyed the recipe. I just made a pot of this soup yesterday!
Stephanie says
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.
Laureen King says
Wonderful Stephanie, so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Jeri says
Best green bean soup I've ever had
Lynn O’Brien says
Was very yummy! Will make again! 🍲
Laureen King says
Thank you so much Lynn.
Erin says
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!
Laureen King says
Erin, thank you for trying my recipe. I love when we can take a recipe and add our own twist to it.
Sandy says
Why do we need to add broth if we’ve slow boiled the ham hock in water?
Laureen King says
Sand, I find it add that extra bit of flavor.
Pam says
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.
Laureen King says
Thank you Pam. Canned beans work great don't they, when you don't have time to soak beans.
Cynthia says
Didnt change a thing except to thicken it a bit a sprinkled in instant mashed potato flakes; maybe 1/3 cup.
Rose says
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.
Laureen King says
For sure Rose, canned beans work great for a quicker version.
Karen Matevish says
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!
Laureen King says
yes, I would still soak the beans Karen.
Penny says
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.
Penny says
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?
Mary says
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
Jackie Jesse says
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!!
Laurie says
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.
Laureen King says
Thank you Laurie, I also make a bone-in ham just to have leftovers for this soup!
Sheila says
Can you still make without bone in ham? Maybe add a ham hock?
Laureen King says
Yes it will work without a bone in ham. The bone just adds extra flavor.
Nicole says
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.
Laureen King says
Thank you Nicole for taking the time to drop me a comment and rate my recipe!
Brenda George says
Did you use dry beans? do you need to soak them first? I'm going make this in my IP.
Laureen King says
Yes Brenda, I used dry beans and soaked them overnight.
Tami says
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.
Nicole says
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.
Maryhelen says
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 👍
Laureen King says
Thank you, thanks for following my blog. I hope you find more recipes to try!
Shelley says
Sooooo good!!! I didn’t have carrots, followed the recipe otherwise. Will make this again. So much flavor!!
Marian says
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!! ♥️
Susan McDonald says
Can I use my left over ham, for this recipe ,unfortunately I don't have the bone?
Laureen King says
yes left over ham without the bone will work. The bone just adds more flavor
Teresa says
Sounds great - I’ll be trying it out this week. Think I could use it with dried black-eyed peas for New Year’s?
Susan Hoover says
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.
Deborah Johnson says
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?
Deborah Johnson says
Oops, the last sentence on my previous comment should have ended with an explanation point NOT a question mark.
Janice Carter says
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!
Laureen King says
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!
Cynthia Trowbridge says
Just got the soup in the crockpot and
no room to spare.Well let you know how it came out, looks good.
Regina L Kamilar says
I like this soup. I used butter beans, pinto beans, navy beans, and canilli beans. The different beans made this soup even better.
Suzanne says
First time making this soup. So easy and delicious!!!
Laureen King says
Thank you Suzanne, it is one of my family's favorites!
Lilly Arnold says
My mother-in-law was from Austria and taught me this recipe 50+ years ago. We always added potatoes cut in chunks a little bigger than cubes. Just add them last and cook about 20 minutes longer or until done.