Quick and easy Ham and Bean Soup recipe is ready in 15 minutes. Loaded with cannellini or navy beans and tender leftover ham in every bite!
Ham and Bean Soup recipe is a fast and filling delicious weeknight dinner that smells heavenly. Perfect if you have any ham leftover from Christmas dinner!
HAM AND BEAN SOUP
If you’re anything like me and have no idea what to do with leftover ham except grilled cheese, then this soup is for you. Most ham and bean soup recipes take anywhere from 6-8 hours to cook, all from scratch. As delicious as they all sound, I found myself staring at my ham just an hour before dinner with nothing else on offer in the house.
Enter 15 minute ham and bean soup.
This soup is to die for…Â even better when you need something FAST, comforting, hearty AND FILLING!
LEFTOVER HAM RECIPE
If you don’t have any leftover ham but you really want to try this, you can buy cooked ham (you’ll need about 10 oz or 300 g) from your deli or grocery store.
HOW DO YOU MAKE HAM AND BEAN SOUP?
This Ham and Bean Soup recipe is so easy and ready in a pinch without much to it at all.
You’re going to start with a Soffritto (sautéing onion, carrots and celery), like we did here in this creamy ham and potato soup. Cook until soft, then sauté the garlic.
The ham is added and fried in all of those flavours before the stock is poured in. Then bring to a boil.
Stir in the beans, taste test and season with salt in the last minute of cooking. You want to make sure you’re seasoning your Ham and Bean Soup with the perfect amounts of salt to suit your tastes.
WHAT BEANS DO YOU USE FOR HAM AND BEAN SOUP?
Cannellini beans are white Italian kidney beans, which is what we have used in this Ham and Bean Soup. You can also use great northern beans or navy beans.
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS:
You can add in other veggies, like spinach, kale, zucchini, shredded cabbage or frozen peas.
If you’d like to add in potatoes, sweet potatoes or pumpkin, you will need to simmer the Ham Bean Soup for about 5-10 minutes longer, until fork tender.
LOOKING FOR MORE SOUP RECIPES? TRY THESE!
Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Soup
Ham Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and diced
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups shredded cooked ham
- 1 ½ quarts (1 ½ litres) chicken stock or broth (you can use beef)
- 2 bay leaves (or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 4 (15 ounce) canned white beans (cannellini beans) -- no salt added, rinsed and drained
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- pinch of salt, if needed
Instructions
- In a large pot or saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook until onions are softened (5 minutes). Sauté the garlic until fragrant (30 seconds - 1 minute).
- Add the ham and cook for a further 2 minutes, then pour in the stock. Add the bay leaves (or thyme) and parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to combine all of the flavours together.
- Stir in beans and season with pepper. Let simmer for 2 minutes, taste test and season with salt if needed.
- Serve warm.
Notes
HAM BROTH FOR HAM SOUP USING LEFTOVER HAM BONE:
- Simmer the ham bone in a stock pot filled with enough water to cover the bone halfway (about 2 quarts/litres, depending on size of bone).
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid and let simmer until very fragrant (about 1 hour).
- Discard hambone
- Replace the chicken stock with your ham broth.
Mary Wehler says
We spent our Christmas with our family in our hometown. My sister and I cooked together for the whole family and we had a great time around the table. We do exchange gifts but the time around the table enjoying the wonderful food and remembering the family members who are no longer with us to enjoy the festivities is what is most important to me. It’s worth the 18 hours on the road to get there!
Denise McLeod says
The first time in 35 years I have had five consecutive days off, as I work two jobs, and still do! I had all shopped and wrapped by the middle of December (never before), and I baked the weekend before Christmas (that has been hit or miss). I was so relaxed and rested to really enjoy my family during the holidays (missing mom for the second Christmas). The weekend for New Year’s Day, I will be making the ham and bean soup which is another family tradition. Happy New Year’s to you and your family!
Jenn says
My Christmas was spent with family and friends enjoying the spirit of this magical holiday.
Julieann Newill says
This Ham & Bean Soup recipe tasted so much like my grandmother’s version. My family enjoyed it a lot!
Karina says
I’m so happy to hear that Julieann!
Kristina Edmark-Cargill says
The simplicity of our Christmas was what I had hoped for. With all the chaos of this year, it was wonderful to have the quiet of the day unfold with Christmas carols playing, a fire bringing warmth, a breakfast casserole in the oven and my family together opening presents and enjoying each other’s company.
Kay Hutchinson says
I had an amazing Christmas Day. I had breakfast of cinnamon raisin bagels and a homemade chai latte with my life partner. Then I traveled 100km and had second breakfast of homemade egg and bacon muffins with my beautiful daughter and son in law and their 4 children. After breakfast gifts and preparing the children for their day I traveled to my BFFs house for an amazing 4 course smorgasbord traditional lunch with her family. Finally I got into the car again and drove it off town to my parents home where we had a cold tea of beef, turkey, prawns, salads and eggnog all topped off with pudding, custard and icecream. Best Xmas ever: 4 meals at 4 different places all different with people who I love and who love me…Food, Friends, Family, Festive and Fantastic!!!
Edward Pluhar says
Had a wonderful Christmas with my wife, two sons, and two of the most wonderful women any parents will love to see become part of our family soon. We spent the evening with dinner and opening gifts laughing and enjoying the company of our family – what else could any parents ask for. . .
Rosemary O'Connor says
Haven’t been able to make any of your yummy recipes since Thanksgiving because a kitchen water pipe broke while we were sleeping, flooding the kitchen, part of dining room and lower level of our split- level home. Kitchen has only a microwave, no other appliances or lower cabinets. We spent Christmas alone with the dog but looked forward to going to our daughter’s on Boxing Day to celebrate with her returning children. So blessed !!
Lia Ducedre says
Love bean soup…love your recipes.
Thank you, my family thinks I am an amazing in the kitchen
Catherine Rivera says
Spent Christmas cooking and celebrating with family. Had a lovely day. Tried your Churro Nutella Christmas tree pastry for the first time and it was a success. Hope your family enjoyed the holidays as well.