I was looking for a no fuss way to use up the last little bits of our holiday ham and decided a quick white bean and ham soup would do the trick. My favorite part about this meal was not only did I already have everything sitting in my fridge and cupboards, but it was so incredibly easy to make. I think we often forget how simple dinner can be sometimes. Cooking should be fun… not a chore.
Ingredients
1 lb of small white beans
8 cups of water
1 smoked ham hock
1 – 2 cups ham, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon bacon fat or olive oil {I prefer using bacon fat when I have it}
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste.
Directions
Place 1 cup dried white beans in a bowl and cover with 8 cups boiling water, cover and set aside. In a large stockpot toss in a ham hock, 8 cups of water, spices and bring to a bowl. Reduce heat and simmer for about an hour.
Just before the ham broth is finished cooking, saute the onions, carrots in olive oil {or bacon fat if you have it} and cook until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook an additional minute.
Remove the ham hock from the ham broth. Drain and rinse the beans. Then add the sauteed vegetables, beans and chopped ham to the ham broth and give it a stir. Cook on low for an additional hour or until the beans are nice and tender and then serve with a nice hunk of bread.
~Mavis
Angela says
You could cut your kitchen time and make this a one pot dinner by throwing it all in the crock pot and letting it cook all day instead of making it on the stovetop. Rinse and soak your beans overnight and chop your veggies and meat the night before and it’s all ready to go in the crock pot before leaving for work in the morning.
janice degraw says
I made my version of this soup today. It’s sitting on my stove cooling so that I can put the cooled soup is n ccontainers.
Practical Parsimony says
Are these Great Northern beans or Navy beans? Or, something else The soup looks delicious!
Mavis Butterfield says
Great Northern beans. 🙂
Krista G says
Bean lesson, after much inquiry. Dried beans cannot be softened by hard water, the skins end up tough….same with acidic and salty water. I wonder if this is where the phrase, “you don’t know beans” came from?!
Tracie says
Two things, to soften beans add 1 tsp. baking soda to water and use a pressure cooker. Done in 25 minutes, perfect dried beans to soup, pressure cookers are awesome.
Helen in Meriedian says
I made this soup yesterday in my electric pressure cooker in 24 minutes. We just had some leftovers for supper tonight. Bean soup tastes even better the 2nd day out.