CHUNKY HAM & BEAN SOUP

Although soup season is over, I couldn’t resist another warm and comforting pot of soup goodness. This deliciously chunky Ham and Bean Soup is super easy and delicious. I used my Rosemary Garlic white bean soup to make it thicker. Then, I added a can of pureed beans to thicken the pot. This recipe is great for leftover holiday ham. Make sure to bookmark it for Easter!

What kind of beans should I use?

Because of their creamy texture and large size, I used cannellini beans to make this soup. Other white beans can be used, such as navy beans or great northern beans.

CAN DRY BEANS BE USED?

This recipe is for canned beans. Dry beans require different seasonings and methods. I will need to test this recipe before I publish it.

What kind of HAM can I use?

You can use almost any type of cooked ham. The ham I used was uncured, fully cooked, and thickly sliced. Pre-sliced ham works better than thin sandwich slices. This will give the soup a rich texture. This recipe can also use leftover cooked ham from Easter or other holidays.

DO YOU PERMIT ME TO FREEZE BEAN SOUP AND HAM?

This soup can be frozen! For long-term storage, chill the soup in the fridge overnight. Then transfer to the freezer (about 3 months). Soup can be divided into individual portions before freezing. This allows for easy reheating and storage. You can use the large blue-topped Ziploc food storage containers or the Quart-sized freezer bags for freezing soup.

CHUNKY HAM & BEAN SOUP

This deliciously chunky Ham and Bean Soup is easy and delicious. It features a variety of colourful vegetables, browned ham, and plenty of white beans.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 yellow onion (0.32)
3 carrots (0.30)
3 ribs celery (0.35)
2 cloves of garlic ($0.16)
1 lb. 1 lb.
1 Tbsp of cooking oil ($0.04)
3 15oz. cans cannellini beans ($1.47)
1/4 tsp dried rosemary ($0.02)
Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.03)
2 cups chicken broth, or more if needed ($0.26)

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice the onion and carrots. Cut the celery and mince the garlic.
Cut the ham into small pieces. In a large soup pan, combine the ham with the cooking oil. The ham should be browned for about 3-5 minutes on medium heat. Transfer the browned ham into a bowl.
In place of the ham, add the celery, carrots, celery and onion to the pot. Let the vegetables cook for 5 minutes on medium heat or until they are softened. As you stir, let the water evaporate from the vegetables. This will help to dissolve any browned bits of pork from the bottom.
While the vegetables are being sauteed, place one of the three cans of beans in a blender with the liquid from each can. Puree the mixture until smooth. The remaining bean cans should be drained.
All three cans of beans, one pureed and the other two drained, should be added to the soup pot and the vegetables. Add 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme and freshly cracked pepper (10 cranks with a pepper mill) to the soup pot and 2 cups chicken broth. Mix everything, then heat the soup on medium-high until it boils.
Once the soup has boiled, reduce the heat to medium and let it boil for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. The soup will thicken as it boils. To achieve the desired consistency, you can add more chicken broth to thicken the soup.
Stir the cooked ham into the soup after being boiled for 15 mins and thickened. Give the soup a taste, and adjust the salt and pepper to your preference. Although I didn’t add salt to the soup, I did sprinkle some fresh pepper in each bowl. Serve immediately!