Ham and Bean Soup (Printable Version)
Tender white beans and smoked ham slowly simmered with vegetables and herbs for a rich, comforting bowl of warmth.
# Everything You’ll Need:
→ Beans
01 -
1 pound (2 1/2 cups) dry white beans, like cannellini or Great Northern
→ Protein
02 -
2 to 3 pounds smoked ham shanks or ham hocks
→ Aromatics
03 -
1 cup diced onions (about 1 small onion)
04 -
1 cup chopped celery (about 2 to 3 ribs)
05 -
2/3 cup chopped carrots (about 1 medium carrot)
06 -
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
07 -
2 quarts water
→ Seasonings
08 -
2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence, or Italian seasoning
09 -
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
10 -
Tabasco sauce
11 -
Salt and pepper
12 -
Fresh parsley for garnish
# Steps to Cook:
01 -
Fill a pot large enough to hold the beans with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the beans and soak for about 2 hours. Drain the water.
02 -
While the beans are soaking, place ham shanks or ham hocks in a separate large pot and cover with 2 quarts of water. Add the herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer on high heat, then lower heat, partially cover and maintain the simmer for about an hour.
03 -
Heat olive oil in a small sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more.
04 -
Once the ham has been simmering for an hour, add the drained soaked beans, the cooked onions and garlic, and the chopped celery and carrots to the pot with the ham broth.
05 -
Cook for another 40 minutes, uncovered, until vegetables are soft and ham meat easily pulls away from the bone. Remove the ham bones from the soup, pull off any meat and return it to the soup. Discard the bones.
06 -
Add several drops of Tabasco to taste. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve with a pinch of chopped fresh parsley.
# Extra Suggestions:
01 -
Use ham shanks rather than hocks if you would prefer a meatier soup.
02 -
You can substitute 2 to 3 cans of drained and rinsed white beans instead of the dried beans. Add them during the 'Combine Ingredients' step.