Smoked Ham and Bean Stew

Discover the ultimate comfort in a bowl with this incredibly easy, richly flavored, and deliciously satisfying Ham and Bean Soup. This hearty recipe is packed with tender beans and savory chunks of ham, slow-simmered to perfection alongside a medley of aromatic vegetables. It’s the kind of soul-warming meal that sticks to your ribs and fills your home with an irresistible aroma, all without breaking your budget! Perfect for a cozy evening, this classic soup promises to be a family favorite, delivering robust flavors and wholesome goodness in every spoonful.

We understand that sometimes you just want the recipe without all the extra details. For your convenience, we provide a “skip to recipe” button at the top of the page (if available), along with a clickable table of contents just below, designed to help you navigate our content with ease and find exactly what you’re looking for quickly.

Here at Sweet C’s, my approach to cooking is rooted in the passion of a home chef, not formal culinary training. This means I love to share extensive tips and insights within all my recipes, explaining not just what to do, but why each step and ingredient is important. My ultimate goal is to empower every home cook, regardless of their experience level, to feel confident and joyful in the kitchen, understanding how flavors develop and how simple techniques create delicious results. Let’s make cooking an enjoyable and accessible experience for everyone!

The Ultimate Classic Hearty Ham and Bean Soup

Embrace the comforting embrace of fall with our truly classic, incredibly hearty, and utterly delicious Ham and Bean Soup. This recipe is more than just a meal; it’s an experience, perfect for those crisp, cool days when you crave something warm and nourishing. Imagine snuggling up with a steaming bowl, perhaps dunking a freshly baked roll into its rich broth – pure bliss! Beyond its incredible taste, this soup is wonderfully gentle on your wallet and surprisingly filling, offering around 300 calories per serving while keeping you satisfied. It quickly becomes a go-to favorite, especially when you need a meal that delivers on both flavor and value.

What makes this Ham and Bean Soup a true lifesaver for busy households? Its simplicity. It’s remarkably easy to prepare, cooks without fuss, and reheats beautifully, making it an ideal candidate for meal prepping. You can whip up a large batch and feed a family of four for two nights, often for less than $15. This recipe is designed with versatility in mind, allowing you to adapt it to your cooking style and ingredient preferences. Feel free to use a slow cooker or an Instant Pot, or even enhance it with extra vegetables or different meats. And if you’ve recently enjoyed a holiday ham, don’t let that precious ham bone go to waste! Adding it to the simmering pot infuses the soup with an unparalleled depth of flavor, making it even more economical and delicious. We are confident that once you try this incredible ham and bean soup, it will earn a permanent spot in your recipe rotation, just as it has in ours!

Crafting the Perfect Ham and Bean Soup: Ingredients and Method

To embark on your journey to a truly delightful bowl of ham and bean soup, gathering the right ingredients is key. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and why each component plays a vital role in creating this flavorful dish:

• Ham: The cornerstone of this soup, ham provides a rich, savory, and often smoky depth of flavor. Typically, ham refers to the hind leg of a pig, cured with salt and frequently smoked. For this recipe, smoked ham is highly recommended as its distinct aroma and taste beautifully complement the earthy beans, creating a wonderfully complex profile.
• Dried Bean Soup Mix: This convenient mix is a fantastic shortcut to incorporating a diverse range of textures and flavors into your soup without having to buy individual bags of beans. Many mixes, like the one I prefer, include navy beans, split peas, black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans. The variety ensures a delightful mouthfeel and nutrient boost. Some mixes even come with a flavor pouch, which can significantly enhance the soup’s savory notes, especially when you’re not using a ham bone.
• Onions: A fundamental aromatic, onion is one of the three components of the classic mirepoix – a flavor base consisting of diced onions, carrots, and celery. When cooked down, onions release a hearty and subtly sweet flavor that forms a crucial foundation for the soup’s overall taste, balancing the richness of the ham and beans.
• Carrots: The sweet element of the mirepoix, carrots introduce a natural sweetness and pleasant texture to the soup. Their vibrant color and slightly firm bite provide a lovely contrast to the soft, starchy beans, adding both visual appeal and a layer of flavor complexity.
• Celery: Completing the mirepoix, celery contributes a fresh, slightly salty, and herbaceous note to the soup. The traditional mirepoix ratio is often 2 parts onion to 1 part carrot and 1 part celery, ensuring a balanced aromatic base that defines many Western culinary dishes.
• Olive Oil: Essential for sautéing your mirepoix, a good quality fat is crucial for building the initial flavor layers. Olive oil is an excellent choice for this dish due to its mild yet rich flavor profile, which harmonizes beautifully with the sweetness of the cooked vegetables and the wholesome richness of the beans.
• Garlic: Often added towards the end of the sautéing process, minced garlic delivers a pungent, aromatic, and umami-rich kick. It brightens the overall flavor of this hearty soup, adding a brilliant finishing touch that elevates the entire dish.
• Bay Leaf: A staple in a wide array of international cuisines, bay leaves contribute a subtle, herbal, and slightly floral aroma to the soup. They are typically used whole and removed before serving, imparting a mild earthiness that deepens the soup’s savory character without overpowering other flavors.
• Beef Stock: The liquid base is crucial for any soup, and beef stock is particularly well-suited for this recipe. Cooking the beans in beef stock ensures they absorb much of its robust, meaty flavor, making the final dish incredibly hearty and satisfying. For a less intense flavor or to control sodium, chicken or vegetable broth can also be used.

Once you’ve gathered your essential ingredients, follow these straightforward steps to create a truly memorable ham and bean soup:

• Prepare Your Ingredients (Mise en Place): Embrace the French culinary concept of “mise en place,” which means “everything in its place.” This crucial first step involves neatly dicing your onions, carrots, and celery, mincing your garlic, and cubing your ham. Having all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking not only keeps your kitchen cleaner but also makes the cooking process much more efficient and enjoyable.
• Sauté the Aromatic Vegetables: Begin by heating the olive oil in a sturdy Dutch oven or another large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add your diced onions, carrots, and celery to the hot oil. Sauté these vegetables for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and develop a beautiful light brown color, releasing their sweet aromas. Then, stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until it becomes fragrant and tender, being careful not to burn it. This step builds the foundational flavor of your soup.
• Simmer to Perfection: Once your aromatics are fragrant and soft, it’s time to bring the soup together. Carefully add the remaining ingredients: the dried bean soup mix (rinsed, if recommended on package), diced ham, rich beef stock, the bay leaf, and any seasoning packet included with your bean soup mix. Bring the entire mixture to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Allow the soup to cook uncovered for 45-65 minutes, or until the beans have become wonderfully tender and creamy, absorbing all the delicious flavors from the broth and ham. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
• Serve Hot and Enjoy: Once the beans are perfectly cooked and the soup has thickened slightly, remove the bay leaf. Ladle generous portions of this comforting Ham and Bean Soup into bowls. Serve it piping hot, ideally accompanied by freshly baked crusty bread or warm, fluffy rolls, perfect for soaking up every last drop of the rich broth. This soup is a complete meal in itself, promising warmth and satisfaction.

Expert Tips and Tricks for Your Best Ham and Bean Soup

This Easy Ham and Bean Soup is already remarkably simple to prepare, but these clever tips and tricks will make your cooking experience even smoother and the results even more delicious:

Make Use of Leftover Diced Ham: One of the best ways to infuse your soup with incredible flavor and make it incredibly economical is to utilize leftover ham. If you’ve recently enjoyed a holiday meal and have some diced ham from a spiral or roasted ham, don’t let it go to waste! Incorporating it into this soup adds a deep, smoky, and salty savoriness that truly elevates the dish, giving a second life to your holiday feast.

Opt for Pre-Diced Ham for Convenience: Short on time or don’t have leftovers? No problem! Many grocery stores offer pre-diced ham, usually in 8oz packages, which are often quite affordable (comfortably under $5 in most places). This is a fantastic time-saving option that allows you to skip the chopping and simply add the ham directly to your soup, making weeknight dinner prep a breeze without sacrificing flavor or budget.

Boost Flavor with a Ham Bone: For an unparalleled depth of flavor, especially if you have it available, toss a ham bone into the soup as it simmers. A ham bone, particularly one with a little meat clinging to it, will slowly release collagen and rich, smoky flavors into the broth, transforming your soup into an even more luxurious and complex creation. Just remember to remove it before serving, and optionally, shred any remaining meat from the bone to add back into the soup.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Ham and Bean Soup:

Perfect Pairings: What to Serve With Easy Ham and Bean Soup

A bowl of warm, hearty Ham and Bean Soup is truly satisfying on its own, but it becomes an even more incredible meal when paired with the right accompaniments. Here are some fantastic suggestions to complete your comfort food feast:

Artisan Breads: The classic duo of soup and fresh bread is undeniable. I highly recommend serving this ham and bean soup with a generous slice of my easy no-knead bread, which offers a perfectly crusty exterior and soft, airy interior. For those who enjoy a little kick and cheesy goodness, my cheddar-jalapeno bread provides a wonderful contrast with its savory and spicy notes. Both are excellent for dipping and soaking up every last bit of the flavorful broth.

Sweet and Savory Breads: For a delightful twist or to satisfy a sweeter tooth, consider pairing this robust soup with something a little unexpected. My delicious and moist pumpkin bread offers a subtle sweetness and warm spices that beautifully complement the savory soup. Alternatively, for a unique and rustic touch, my skillet Irish Potato Bread provides a dense, comforting texture that’s wonderfully satisfying.

Fresh, Vibrant Salads: To create a balanced meal, a fresh and bright salad offers a healthy and refreshing contrast to the richness and heartiness of the soup. I especially love pairing this ham and bean soup with salads featuring crisp vegetables and vibrant, vinegar-based dressings. Consider my easy coleslaw for a tangy crunch, the crunchy parmesan salad for a zesty and savory bite, or a refreshing garden vegetable Greek salad for Mediterranean-inspired flavors. These salads cut through the richness of the soup, leaving you feeling perfectly satisfied without being overly heavy.

For more of our popular bread and baked goods recipes that complement any meal, explore our recent favorites here:

Your Essential Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

If you’ve enjoyed this easy and comforting Ham and Bean Soup recipe, we would be incredibly grateful if you could take a moment to rate it with five stars below and leave a comment sharing your experience! Your feedback helps us improve and encourages other home cooks. Please also consider sharing your culinary creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest – don’t forget to tag @sweetcsdesigns so we can see your amazing dishes!

Only have 30 minutes to get dinner on the table? Sign up for our 30-minute dinner plans delivered directly to your inbox!

Explore and shop my curated selection of favorite kitchen products in my Amazon storefront here!

4.75 from 4 votes

Hearty Ham and Bean Soup

By:
Courtney O’Dell

Yields:

8
servings

Prep time:

10
mins

Cook time:

45
mins

Total time:

55
mins

This recipe delivers a truly delicious and hearty bean soup, loaded with tender diced ham and rich, savory flavors that everyone will adore!

Ingredients

• ▢
  2 tbsp olive oil
• ▢
  1 large onion, diced
• ▢
  3 stalks celery, diced
• ▢
  3 carrots, diced
• ▢
  Bay leaf
• ▢
  1 bag (1 pound) 15-bean soup mix
• ▢
  5 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢
  8 oz diced ham
• ▢
  15 oz beef stock (low sodium recommended)
• ▢
  2 cups water

Instructions

• Before you begin, rinse 1 pound of dried bean soup mix beans thoroughly under cold water.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers lightly.
• Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery to the hot oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes until the vegetables soften and become lightly browned and fragrant. Then, stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until it is aromatic and tender.
• Stir in the diced ham, the rinsed beans, the bay leaf, and the beef stock. Add 2 cups of water and any seasoning packet from your bean soup mix.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover partially and cook for 45-65 minutes, or until the beans are completely tender and soft. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size:
1g


Calories:
308kcal


Carbohydrates:
41g


Protein:
19g


Total Fat:
8g


Saturated Fat:
2g


Polyunsaturated Fat:
6g


Cholesterol:
18mg


Sodium:
2669mg


Fiber:
17g


Sugar:
8g

Please note: Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.

Additional Recipe Information

Course:
Soups, Main Dish

Cuisine:
American, Comfort Food

Tried this recipe?
Mention @sweetcsdesigns or tag #sweetcsdesigns!