Ham and Bean Soup {Quick and Easy!}

A classic from my childhood, this easy Ham and Bean Soup recipe is a nourishing and satisfying supper that's full of flavor! Smoky and rich, the homemade soup comes together quickly on the stovetop (no soaking the beans!), but can also be prepared in the slow cooker. It's perfect alongside a loaf of crusty bread or a pan of cornbread. Just get the pot simmering and your work is done!

Old Fashioned Ham and Bean Soup

I have vivid memories of my dad's ham and bean soup from my childhood. As soon as the temperatures drop or life gets busy, I find myself craving the comforts of home and a warm bowl of soup for the soul!

This white bean and ham soup (and really, soup in general) is like the workhorse of the food world. It's easy, it's economical, it's nutritious, and it can be prepared in advance and kept on hand for busy days. Plus, the leftovers are even better! Keep this soup in the fridge or freezer and you've got an easy lunch or dinner on hand that you can reheat in a matter of minutes!

What Ham To Use

Be sure to use a smoked ham hock (not a fresh ham hock) for this recipe, because the smoked meat gives the soup all of its flavor! I find the smoked ham hocks in my grocery store near the sausage and bacon, but you can also check near the pork products. Just about every store carries them!

Reader Tip: Others have prepared the soup using a 1-2 lb. ham shank, and that works well, too. A leftover ham bone will do the trick as well -- just make sure that you have some leftover chopped ham to add to the soup as well!

As the bean and ham soup simmers on the stove top, the meat becomes very tender and can easily be pulled off of the bone. Then you just discard the fat and bone from the ham hock and add the tender meat back into your pot. You keep the smoky flavor and the meat, and you get rid of the stuff that you don't want!

What Kind of Beans in Ham and Bean Soup?

This recipe works well with any canned white beans, such as Great Northern beans, navy beans (also called Yankee beans), or cannellini beans (white kidney beans). The canned beans do not need to be pre-soaked in water, so this is a quick and easy version of the classic soup. If you prefer to start with dried beans, use this recipe.

Ingredients

This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need for a pot of ham and bean soup. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Butter: to sauté the vegetables. You can substitute with olive oil, if you like.
• Carrots, celery, onion and garlic: aromatics that add tons of flavor to the soup.
• Chicken broth: I prefer less-sodium chicken broth (since the ham hock adds a good amount of salt to the soup on its own), but you can substitute with regular chicken broth or vegetable broth as well. For a real treat, use homemade chicken broth or chicken stock!
• Canned white beans: use navy beans, cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, or just about any other variety that you prefer.
• Fresh thyme: for savory flavor. If you don't have fresh thyme, you can substitute with a smaller amount of dried thyme (about ½ teaspoon).
• Smoked ham hock: for rich, smoky flavor. Readers have successfully used ham shanks, too!
• Bay leaf: makes the soup taste like it's been simmering on the stovetop all day long!

How to Make White Bean and Ham Soup

This bean and ham soup is the perfect lunch or dinner to throw in a pot while you go about your day. With a warm loaf of crusty bread, it's a delicious and satisfying lunch or dinner that will make your friends and family feel cozy inside!

1. Sauté garlic and veggies in butter.
2. Add chicken broth, beans, thyme, ham hock, and bay leaf.
3. Boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 hour.
4. Pull out the bay leaf and the ham hock.
5. Remove the meat from the ham bone, chop the meat, and then return the diced ham to the pot. Discard the bone and fat.
6. Season with salt and pepper so that the soup tastes exactly how you like it.
7. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley or thyme, and serve!

How to Thicken Ham and Bean Soup

For a thicker soup, mash or puree some of the beans at the end of cooking. You can do this with a potato masher, or you can use an immersion blender. The pureed beans will add texture to the dish and thicken the soup. Just be careful not to puree all of the soup!

Another easy way to thicken the soup is to continue simmering the pot with the lid off until it reduces.

What to Serve with Easy Ham and Bean Soup

Here are a few simple options to eat with navy bean and ham soup:

• Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
• Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, Aunt Bee's 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
• Cranberry Muffins or Cranberry Bread
• Skillet Cornbread, Jalapeño Cheddar Mexican Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, Honey Cornbread, Sweet Cornbread Muffins with Brown Sugar, or Corn Muffins
• Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
• Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
• Easy French Baguette, Jalapeño Cheddar Bread, or No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread
• Cheddar Chive Beer Bread {No Yeast, No Knead}

Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup

If you prefer the convenience of the slow cooker, you can also prepare this soup in the Crock Pot! Simply sauté the vegetables and garlic in butter, as instructed, then transfer them to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients as instructed in Step 3, cover, and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Pull the meat from the bone, return it to the pot, and serve!

Storage

Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It's a great make-ahead option for busy weeks.

How to Freeze

This is a great freezer meal, so prepare a big pot and stick any leftovers in the freezer for a quick-prep lunch or dinner option. Allow the soup to cool to room temperature. Stored in an airtight container, the soup will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat

Place the soup in a pot and warm over a low flame, just until heated through. You can also microwave individual bowls for about 1-2 minutes.

Recipe Variations

• If you prefer a dried bean soup that starts with soaking the beans, try this recipe.
• Instead of a smoked ham hock, use a leftover ham bone from a Christmas or Easter ham, or use a ham shank. If using a leftover bone, make sure that you have some leftover ham to add to the soup as well.
• Add a can of petite diced tomatoes.
• For extra veggies, add fresh spinach at the very end or kale when there's about 10 minutes left so that it has time to wilt in the hot soup.
• Use even more fresh herbs. In addition to thyme, try parsley, rosemary, chives, basil, or oregano.
• I used chicken broth, but vegetable broth will also work well.
• Leftover roast chicken would also work well in this soup. Stir it into the soup, just like you would the ham.
• Spicy: add a dash of cayenne or garnish with crushed red pepper flakes.

Tips For Making the Best Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

• Ham hocks can be quite salty, so I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth and seasoning with herbs. You can always season with salt and pepper to taste at the end.
• Puree or mash some of the beans (and veggies) to thicken the soup. You can use a potato masher or an immersion blender.
• The soup just gets better as it sits in the fridge, so feel free to make a pot in advance and reheat the ham and bean soup the next day. It will have great flavor and texture!

More Bean Soup Recipes to Try

• Minestrone Soup
• Lentil Soup
• 15 Bean Soup {Slow Cooker, Stovetop or Instant Pot}
• Tuscan White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale

Print Pin

5 from 4 votes

Ham and Bean Soup

Smoky and rich, this homemade, comforting ham and bean soup recipe comes together quickly on the stovetop or in the slow cooker!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword bean soup, crockpot ham and bean soup, ham and bean soup, navy bean and ham soup, white bean and ham soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 10 cups

Calories 164kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cans white beans, drained and rinsed (about 5 ¼ cups total) (use navy beans, Great Northern beans, or cannellini beans, for instance)
• Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 ½ lb. smoked ham hock
• 1 dried bay leaf
• Optional: chopped fresh parsley or thyme, for garnish

Instructions

• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat.
• Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Stir until vegetables are crisp-tender (about 5 minutes).
• Stir in chicken broth, beans, thyme leaves, ham hock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour.
• Discard bay leaf.
• Remove ham hock; pull meat off the bone and discard fat. Cut ham into bite-sized pieces and stir into the pot. Garnish with parsley or thyme, just before serving.

Notes

• Ham hocks can be quite salty, so I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth and seasoning with herbs. You can always season with salt and pepper to taste at the end.
• Puree or mash some of the beans (and veggies) to thicken the soup. You can use a potato masher or an immersion blender.
• The soup just gets better as it sits in the fridge, so feel free to make a pot in advance and reheat the ham and bean soup the next day. It will have great flavor and texture!
• If you prefer a dried bean soup that starts with soaking the beans, try this recipe.
• Instead of a smoked ham hock, use a leftover ham bone from a Christmas or Easter ham, or use a ham shank. If using a leftover bone, make sure that you have some leftover ham to add to the soup as well.
• Add a can of petite diced tomatoes.
• For extra veggies, add fresh spinach at the very end or kale when there's about 10 minutes left so that it has time to wilt in the hot soup.
• Use even more fresh herbs. In addition to thyme, try parsley, rosemary, chives, basil, or oregano.
• I used chicken broth, but vegetable broth will also work well.
• Leftover roast chicken would also work well in this soup. Stir it into the soup, just like you would the ham.
• Spicy: add a dash of cayenne or garnish with crushed red pepper flakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.3g | Protein: 12.4g | Fat: 3.9g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Cholesterol: 15.1mg | Sodium: 826.5mg | Fiber: 7.8g | Sugar: 3.6g

This recipe was originally published in December, 2017. The photos were updated in December, 2021.