Ham and Bean Soup Recipe
This Ham and Bean Soup is perfect for a cozy winter lunch or dinner. Tender ham and great northern beans simmer together with savory herbs and vegetables in a deliciously rich broth.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon diced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 celery ribs thinly sliced
- 2 carrots sliced into thin coins
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons salt or to taste, the ham may already be salty, so don't start the soup with a lot of salt.
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon chili powder blend
- 2 cups cubed, fully cooked ham
- 2 cans (15.5-ounces each) great northern beans well rinsed and drained
- 6 to 8 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the diced bacon in a Dutch oven or soup pot set over medium-high heat to a desired crispness. Remove the cooked bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- To the bacon grease, add 1 tablespoon butter and melt it. To the melted butter, add sliced celery, carrots, and onion; cook for 4 minutes or until the veggies are crisp-tender.
- Stir in the garlic and season with salt, pepper, thyme, and chili powder. Stir in the ham and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until just heated through.
- Add the beans; stir and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a steady simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaf and stir in previously prepared bacon.
- Taste the soup for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
- Garnish with parsley, ladle the soup into bowls, and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 517mg | Potassium: 724mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2659IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 3mg
