Easy Bean and Ham Soup {+ a Slow Cooker Option}

Smoky and rich this homemade, comforting bean and ham soup comes together quickly on the stovetop.

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

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A classic from my childhood, this Easy Bean and Ham Soup is a nourishing and satisfying supper that’s full of flavor! Smoky and rich, the homemade soup comes together quickly on the stovetop, but can also be prepared in the slow cooker. Just get it simmering and your work is done!

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 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!

As the Bean and Ham Soup simmers on the stove, 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!

If you have guests arriving for the holidays in a few days, this Bean and Ham Soup is the perfect lunch or dinner to throw in a pot while you go about your entertaining. With a warm loaf of crusty bread, it’s a delicious and satisfying lunch or dinner that will make your friends and family feel warm and cozy inside!

Tips For Making This Bean and Ham Soup;

• There’s also an option to make this ham soup in the slow cooker (check out the recipe below)
• I used chicken broth but you could also use vegetable
• You can use almost any beans in this soup such as cannellini beans and cranberry beans
• Mix it up with your favorite herbs
• Leftover roast chicken would work well in this soup too, add it as you would the ham.
• If you have leftovers this ham soup also freezer really well

If you’ve tried this Easy Ham Soup with Beans or any other recipe on The Seasoned Mom then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest to see what I’m getting up to.

Did you try this recipe? Don’t forget to rate it and leave me a comment below! You can follow me on Facebook, on Instagram, on Pinterest, and on Twitter!

5 from 3 votes

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Easy Ham Soup With Beans

Smoky and rich this homemade, comforting bean and ham soup comes together quickly on the stovetop.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword bean and ham soup, hearty soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 10 cups

Calories 164 kcal

Author The Seasoned Mom

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 northern beans drained and rinsed (about 5 ¼ cups total)
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 ½ lb. smoked ham hock
• 1 dried bay leaf
• Chopped fresh parsley or thyme for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat.
2. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Stir until vegetables are crisp-tender (about 5 minutes).
3. Stir in chicken broth, beans, thyme, ham hock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour.
4. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
5. 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.

Recipe Notes

Want to Make the Soup in your Slow Cooker? Place the sautéed vegetables in the bottom of your pot. Add remaining ingredients (as instructed through Step 3). Cover the pot and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours). Continue with instructions above from Step 4.

Have Leftovers? This soup freezes well!

Extra Tips; 

• There's also an option to make this ham soup in the slow cooker (check out the recipe below)
• I used chicken broth but you could also use vegetable
• You can use almost any beans in this soup such as cannellini beans and cranberry beans
• Mix it up with your favorite herbs
• Leftover roast chicken would work well in this soup too, add it as you would the ham.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Ham Soup With Beans

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 164 Calories from Fat 35

% Daily Value*

Fat 3.9g6%

Saturated Fat 1.7g11%

Cholesterol 15.1mg5%

Sodium 826.5mg36%

Carbohydrates 22.3g7%

Fiber 7.8g33%

Sugar 3.6g4%

Protein 12.4g25%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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