Ham and Bean Soup
A best ever recipe for Ham and Bean Soup! This is my all-time favorite recipe for using up leftover ham. Your family will love this hearty and delicious soup.
Whenever I cook a ham I always buy a large one 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.
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.
Method for preparing the soup
How to thicken ham and bean soup
When the bean soup has almost finished cooking, remove about 1 cup of the soup. Puree using an immersion blender and stir back into the soup.
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 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.
The Best Homemade Soup Recipes
As the weather turns cold and you start to crave comfort food, warm up with some of these delicious homemade soup recipes.
This post was originally published April 26,2024. 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
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dry
- 1/2 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
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.
Thank you Kathy, I alway make an extra large ham just to have leftovers. Great idea with the ham juice.
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!
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.
I tried this soup today and LOVED it! Just would really like the nutritional value to this soup!
Hi Mary, I don’t have the nutritional count, maybe there is some app that you can enter ingredients into to it.
Making today. Soaked beans but I bought great northern beans instead of navy beans. Will that be a problem?
Hi Judy, sorry late in getting back to you, I was out of town. Those beans should work fine.
Could you use a slow-cooker?
Absolutely Thomas, I have made it in the slow cooker and let it simmer 3-4 hours.
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
Black forest ham with work just fine, although use the ham with bone does give some extra delicious flavour.
I see. Okay, great. Thanks for your help!
Cheers,
Jacqueline
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!
Thank you so much Linda
hi Catherine, I prefer the flavour of the chicken stock. Also sometimes the juice from the ham bone can be too fatty and salty.
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?
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.
Can you use canned beans
Yes Maris, but your cooking time will be reduced. I’m guessing 1-1 1/2 hours stovetop, 3 in slow cooker .
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.
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.
This couldn’t have been simpler or tastier. Brings back memories of what mom makes. Is a keeper! 5 stars !
Thanks Amy, this is one of my favourite recipes for using up leftover ham.
My father always made bean soup in the pressure cooker. It was his one and only dish.
I bet it was terrific, my dad’s one dish was a potato bacon casserole. (it was terrible lol)
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.
Thank you Jeff, so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
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..
Hi Lynnette, sorry just saw your message, hope your soup turned out good. Probably just required less cooking time.
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?
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.
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.
This is my go to ham and bean soup, love it and would not change a thing!
Thank you Kim, its one of my family’s all time favourites!
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!!
Thank you Debbie, so glad you enjoy the recipe.
I agree!!! I followed it to the letter and it reminded me of my mother’s and for that I thank you!!!
Thank you Danna!
To thicken bean or pea soup, mash a cup or two of the veggie (beans) and stir them into the soup for creaminess..
Hi, I was wondering….if I do those recipe in the crockpot do I still need to sautee the veggies first?
Hi Mary, I always saute the vegetables, it brings out some great flavour.
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
Wendi, I do not own an Insta Pot so I have no idea
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?
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.
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!
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.
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.
Thank you Pat, so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Thank you Rose for taking the time to comment.
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.
Sorry Laureen, the irritating spell check decided your new name was Maureen. My phone apologizes.
lol, I know spell checks is so irritating some times.
Some great adaptations Cliff!
It’s on the stove right now…… my wife thinks I’m Superman aka cooking talents….that too ! Wish me luck…
Awesome Brian, hope you enjoy the soup!