Ham and Bean Soup
A timeless comfort dish featuring smoked ham and tender navy beans, slowly simmered to perfection. Ideal for repurposing holiday ham or savoring smoky ham hock, this hearty soup can be prepared using a crockpot or stovetop, delivering warm, homemade flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
- 1 smoked ham bone or smoked ham hock
- 1 large celery rib diced (1 cup)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large carrot diced (1 cup)
- 6 cups water or broth
- 1 16-ounce bag dried navy beans (approximately 2 ½ cups), sorted and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt adjust to taste
- ½ large onion diced (1 cup)
- 5 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Soak the navy beans overnight in 8 cups of water, then discard the soaking liquid. Alternatively, unsoaked beans may be used—adjust cook times accordingly.
- Slow Cooker Method
- Place the navy beans, ham bone, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a 5-quart crockpot. Pour in enough water to submerge the beans by one inch, adding more water during cooking if needed. Cook on LOW for 6 hours if the beans were soaked, or 9 hours if unsoaked. In the final hour, stir in the diced carrots and continue cooking until both the beans and carrots are tender. Remove the ham bone, strip off any edible meat, and discard bones and gristle. For a thicker consistency, mash some of the beans with a potato masher directly in the pot. Return the shredded ham to the soup and serve hot.
- Stovetop Method
- Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, celery, and garlic until softened. Incorporate navy beans, ham bone, thyme, salt, pepper, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover loosely, and cook for 2 hours with soaked beans or 6 hours with unsoaked beans, adding water as needed to maintain coverage. Introduce carrots in the last hour and continue cooking until softened. Proceed with the final steps as outlined in the slow cooker method.
Notes
Navy beans are preferred for their small size and quicker cooking, but cannellini, great northern, or other white beans are suitable substitutes. While water is typically sufficient due to the ham bone’s flavor, broth or turkey stock can be used for added richness. Additional ham may be added if the bone yields little meat. Cooking times can vary depending on bean age. For thicker soup, mash some beans or briefly blend with an immersion blender. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days or freeze for 3 months.