Ham and Bean Soup
Old-fashioned ham and beans recipe made with navy beans and smoked ham using a crockpot or stove for true, homemade comfort. Ham & bean soup is an easy, delicious way to use leftover holiday ham or smoked ham hock.
Servings: 10 cups
Calories: 163kcal
Equipment
- 5 quart slow cooker or 4 quart soup pot
- potato masher (optional) to mash beans for thickening
Ingredients
- 1 (16-oz bag) Dried Navy Beans about 2 ½ cups, sorted and rinsed
- 1 Smoked Ham Bone or smoked ham hock
- ½ large Onion diced (1 cup)
- 1 large Celery Rib diced (1 cup)
- 5 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
- 6 cups Water or broth
- 1 large Carrot diced (1 cup)
Instructions
- (Recommended) Soak the beans overnight in 8 cups of water, then drain and discard the liquid. Alternatively, you can use unsoaked beans–I've included cooking times in the recipe.
Crockpot Instructions (see stove instructions below)
- Add NAVY BEANS, HAM BONE, ONION, CELERY, GARLIC, THYME, SALT, and BLACK PEPPER to a 5-quart slow cooker.
- Add enough WATER to cover the beans by 1 inch. You may need to add more during the cooking cycle.
- Set the slow cooker on LOW for 6 hours (for soaked beans) or 9 hours (for unsoaked beans).Note: Timing may vary; see the footnote about the final cook time.
- During the last hour of cooking, stir in the carrots and continue cooking until both the carrots and beans are tender.
- Once the beans are done, remove the ham bone and strip any edible ham from it. Discard any bones or gristle.
- For a creamier soup like you see in some of my recipe photos, use a potato masher to mash some beans in the pot to thicken the broth. Add the shredded ham back to the soup and serve warm.
- To store, cool the leftovers to room temperature and refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
White bean variety: I prefer navy beans for their size and quick cooking time, but cannellini, great northern, or small white beans work well too.
Water vs. Broth: While some recipes call for chicken broth, I find the bone provides enough flavor, so I use water. You can substitute with any broth or turkey stock if you prefer.
Add extra ham: If the ham bone doesn’t have enough meat, you can add extra ham for more texture, volume, and flavor.
Final cook time may vary: The age of the beans can affect cooking time, so it's best to allow extra time, especially on the LOW setting in a slow cooker. If the beans aren't noticeably soft after 5 hours, switch to the HIGH setting and monitor until they reach the desired softness.
Want thicker soup? Per step 6 above, if the beans are fully cooked and the soup isn’t thick to your liking, mash some beans or give it a few quick pulses with an immersion blender.
____________________________________ Stove instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons of OLIVE OIL in a 4-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the ONIONS, CELERY, and GARLIC until tender. Add the BEANS, HAM BONE, THYME, SALT, PEPPER, and 6 cups of WATER. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours (for soaked beans) or 6 hours (for unsoaked beans), covered with a loose-fitting lid. During the process, add enough WATER to keep the liquid just above the surface of the beans. During the last hour, add the CARROTS and continue cooking until they soften, stirring as needed. Proceed with step #5 above.
____________________________________ Stove instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons of OLIVE OIL in a 4-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the ONIONS, CELERY, and GARLIC until tender. Add the BEANS, HAM BONE, THYME, SALT, PEPPER, and 6 cups of WATER. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours (for soaked beans) or 6 hours (for unsoaked beans), covered with a loose-fitting lid. During the process, add enough WATER to keep the liquid just above the surface of the beans. During the last hour, add the CARROTS and continue cooking until they soften, stirring as needed. Proceed with step #5 above.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 603mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2061IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 3mg