Print

Hearty Ham and Bean Soup from a Leftover Ham Bone

A close-up of a steaming white bowl filled with thick, hearty ham and bean soup featuring chunks of ham and carrots.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Make a soul-satisfying ham and bean soup using your leftover holiday ham bone. This recipe transforms simple ingredients into a rich, comforting navy bean stew perfect for a cold day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large leftover ham bone (with meat attached if possible)
  • 1 pound dried navy beans or Great Northern beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 8 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (adjust after removing ham bone)

Instructions

  1. If you have time, soak the dried beans in water overnight. Drain them before starting the soup. If you skip soaking, you will need to increase the simmering time.
  2. Place the ham bone, rinsed beans, water or broth, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and pepper into a large stockpot or Dutch oven.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and let it simmer slowly.
  4. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until the beans are completely tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  5. Remove the ham bone from the pot. Once cool enough to handle, shred any remaining meat from the bone and return the meat to the soup. Discard the bone and bay leaves.
  6. Taste the soup. Ham bones add salt, so add salt only as needed now. If you prefer a thicker soup, mash about 1 cup of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon and stir them back in.
  7. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve hot with cornbread.

Notes

  • For a quicker cooking time, use an electric pressure cooker set to high pressure for 30 minutes (after soaking the beans). Allow for a natural pressure release for 15 minutes before venting.
  • This leftover ham bone soup freezes well for future meals.
  • If you do not have a ham bone, substitute 1 pound of cubed smoked ham and 6 cups of broth, reducing the added salt significantly.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://alchemychef.com/ham-and-bean-soup/