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    Home » Dinner Recipes » Leftover Ham and Bean Soup

    Leftover Ham and Bean Soup

    604 words. About 4 minutes to read this article.

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    Savory ham and bean soup with onions, carrots, and celery. This is a must for that frozen ham and bone left in the freezer. Enjoy with crusty white bread!

    ham and bean soup in a white bowl with a glass of beer to the side

    After all the holiday parties this time of year, you're likely to have some leftover ham or a ham bone in the freezer. Well, this is the perfect soup recipe to use it with. It's super easy to make, and if you forget to soak the beans overnight (like I always do), you can let the soup simmer for another hour or you can use canned beans instead.

    The great thing is that you'll most likely have all the ingredients in your fridge and pantry already.

    How to make Ham and Bean Soup recipe

    1. Dice the onions, celery, carrots, and mince the garlic. Heat a large pot on medium and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and stir until softened, about 6 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
    2. Pour in the vegetable stock, water, ham bone, beans, and seasoning. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 1.5 - 2 hours, or until the beans are cooked through and soft.
    3. With 30 minutes left, stir in the chopped ham.
    4. Top with the chopped parsley and serve with crusty white bread and enjoy!

    It's that easy!

    The perfect side to all this deliciousness is thick crusty white bread. You can always buy a loaf from the supermarket, but I suggest getting one from a local bread store or making your own.

    While bread stores are amazing, finding one and making an extra trip with two kids in tow, is not my idea of a good time. On the other hand, I LOVE making bread in my beautiful bread machine.

    It's so much more cost-effective and the possibilities are endless. If you haven't spent much time on this, I suggest giving it a try!

    ham and bean soup in a white bowl with a glass of beer to the side

    Variations for easy ham and bean soup

    • Potatoes
    • Bacon
    • Greens
    • Cabbage
    • Spice ( to make the soup spicy)
    • Split peas
    • Lentils
    • Cheese

    Other options for the bone

    • Make ham stock and use it with other soups
    • Put it in a pot of beans to add a smoky flavor
    • Simmer with greens to enhance the flavor profile of the whole dish

    If you try it out, let me know how it goes in the comments or on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.

    ham and bean soup in a white bowl with a glass of beer to the side
    Print Pin

    Ham and Bean Soup

    Ham and bean soup with onions, celery, and carrots.
    Course Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Soup
    Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes
    Servings 6 people

    Equipment

    • Chef's knife
    • Cutting board
    • large pot

    Ingredients

    • 1 onion diced
    • 3 celery sticks diced
    • 3 carrots peeled and diced
    • 4 garlic cloves minced
    • 5 cups vegetable stock
    • 5 cups water
    • 1 pound dried white beans soaked overnight
    • 1 ham bone thawed if frozen
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 2 dried bay leaves
    • ¼ cup parsley chopped
    • 2 cups ham chopped

    Instructions

    • Dice the onions, celery, carrots, and mince the garlic. Heat a large pot on medium and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and stir until softened, about 6 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
    •  Pour in the vegetable stock, water, ham bone, beans, and seasoning. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 1.5 - 2 hours, or until the beans are cooked through and soft.
    • With 30 minutes left, stir in the chopped ham.
    • Top with the chopped parsley and serve with crusty white bread and enjoy!

    Notes

    * Soak the beans in water overnight
    * If you don’t soak the beans, expect to simmer for closer to 3 hours
    * You can use canned beans instead and cut the simmer time down to 1 hour.
    * Honey Baked Ham sells a soup mix with beans and a seasoning packet that is also great!

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    Hi, I'm Lindsey! Learn how to gain confidence in the kitchen with how-to tips and tricks, product reviews, and wellness articles to build a foundation of culinary skills. →

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