Ham and Bean Soup

This super easy ham and bean soup recipe has all the cozy, comforting flavors in each bowl.

Chock full of mixed beans, a ham bone, onions, and savory seasonings, this recipe for ham and bean soup is a cold-weather classic.

Beans are hearty, budget-friendly, and full of flavor.
The meaty ham bone adds a rich and smoky flavor to the soup.
The assortment of beans makes it filling and delicious.
The addition of tomatoes balances out the flavors with a slight acidity.

What You’ll Need For Ham and Bean Soup

Beans: I love a bean mixture such as Hurst’s HamBeens. However, you can use any variety of dried white beans, like navy beans, cannellini beans, or great northern beans.
Seasonings: I keep the seasoning simple, as I do with my Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup. You can add extra herbs, Italian seasoning, or a bay leaf if you’d like.
Ham: A leftover ham bone or smoked turkey leg adds flavor and protein to this soup. You can buy ham bones or ham hocks at the supermarket or use chopped ham or even smoked sausage.
Broth: If using ham, look for a reduced sodium broth or bouillon cubes so the soup isn’t too salty.
Tomatoes: Before adding the tomatoes, ensure the beans are fully cooked and tender. The acidity from the tomatoes can interfere with the cooking process, leaving you with unevenly cooked beans in your soup.
Vegetables: I like to stretch this soup (and my budget) further by adding celery and carrots. Feel free to add extra veggies you have in the produce drawer.

Holly’s Favorite Creative Combos

For a creamier soup, add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl.
Want it a little thicker? Mash or puree a cup of the cooked beans.
Toss in some chopped spinach, mushrooms, cauliflower, or leftover roasted veggies in your fridge!

ham and other ingredients in a pot for ham and bean soup

How to Make Ham and Bean Soup

Here are my tips for success for a delicious bean soup.

Soak: Soak the beans according to the full recipe below. This makes them quicker to cook and easier to digest.
Simmer: Simmer covered to soften and uncovered at the end to thicken or reduce if needed.
No acidity: Add the tomatoes after the beans are softened—acidic ingredients can keep the beans from softening.

Save the Best for Later

Keep leftover ham and bean soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat it on the stovetop.

Freeze ham and bean soup for up to 6 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. To save space, freeze soup in quart-sized zippered bags laid flat, then store it upright once frozen (like books on a shelf).

This Soup Goes Great With…

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Ham and bean soup is smoky, flavorful, and packed with hearty beans.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Soaking Time 8 hours

Total Time 10 hours 30 minutes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Rinse the beans and check for any debris. Add the beans into a large pot and cover with cool water. Soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain.
In a large pot, combine drained beans, broth, ham bone, and onion. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for 1½-2 hours or until beans are softened.
Remove the ham bone from the soup and remove the meat from the bone. Cut into bite-size pieces.
Add the ham back to the pot, celery and carrot if using, diced tomatoes with juices, chili powder, and parsley. Cover and simmer 30 minutes more.
Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Dried bean mixes are packaged in sizes from 15 to 24 ounces. If using a smaller package, reduce the broth by 1 ½ cups, if using a larger package, add extra broth or water as needed during the simmering.
For a thicker consistency, simmer uncovered for the last 45 minutes or mash some of the beans with a potato masher.
If your beans have a seasoning packet, it can be added with the diced tomatoes.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days and in the freezer for 6 months.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Pork, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine American

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