How To Make Easy Ham And Bean Soup

Sharing is caring!

You'll Love This Soup — It's Ready In Less Than 1 Hour

I call this semi-homemade ham and bean soup “half-fast” because it's quick to make but tastes like it simmered all day. 😉 Some prep is required, but it's minimal, especially for such an amazing soup.

This easy ham and beans soup uses canned beans and pre-cooked ham, making it perfect for a cozy meal when you're short on time.

It’s a great way to use leftover holiday ham; if you don’t have any, I recommend choosing high-quality ham. I used part of a small, pre-packaged Cure 81 cherrywood-smoked ham. It is excellent.

It’s especially tasty when paired with my “crazy delicious cornbread” recipe, which you can mix and bake in a cast-iron skillet.

Great Ham and Bean Soup Starts Like This

Almost any great soup starts with a few simple vegetables sautéed in olive oil. This step is the foundation of a good base or broth.

Don't rush it. Use medium heat. You want the onion, garlic, and celery to soften and release their flavor without getting brown. Stir it all from time to time as it cooks.

Humble Beans Are Delicious Nutritional Superstars

While everything sautés, let’s talk about the lowly bean for a minute. Beans are unsung nutritional heroes. They are good for us, "human beans."

• Beans are a cheap, nutrient-dense protein source. They cost less and pack more nutrients than meat. Our bodies need a continual source of protein every day. Protein helps repair and build bones, cartilage, muscles, skin, and blood.
• Protein benefits our entire body. In this recipe, 2 cups of ham, boosted by the beans, make 10 servings of protein-packed soup.
• Beans have lots of fiber. Ideally, our diet should include 25-35 grams of fiber daily. Fiber helps with weight loss because it helps you feel full longer. Fiber helps you process and digest the food you eat more efficiently. It can reduce cholesterol levels and improve blood pressure.
• Beans help regulate blood sugar. Fiber can help improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes. Beans also have a low glycemic index rating, so they won’t cause a blood sugar spike. Beans' high fiber content slows digestion, so glucose enters the bloodstream more slowly.

Chop The Colorful Ingredients

While you wait, peel the other veggies. Slice the carrots, dice the ham, and cube the potatoes. I like to add even more celery, but you can skip it if you prefer.

Everything goes together quickly once the celery, garlic, and onions are transparent, tender, and fragrant! Add water, the soup base, bouillon paste, potatoes, carrots, and any other vegetables you want, then simmer.

I am a raving fan of Knorr products. Knorr has made soup bases and seasonings since 1873 and bouillon cubes since 1912, so they know a thing or two about flavor. In my opinion, nothing compares to their vegetable bouillon cubes or soup base.

While that simmers, drain and rinse the beans. Chop the ham. Then, once the carrots and potatoes are tender, add the beans and ham to the broth and simmer until everything is hot.

Add a shake of seasoned pepper or a good crack of fresh ground pepper if you like. Toss in some parsley for a beautiful, professional touch on your tasty ham and bean soup.

Cornbread or corn muffins pair perfectly with ham and bean soup, which is a complete meal on its own. The slightly sweet bread crumbled into the somewhat salty soup is a marriage made in heaven!

The soup makes a big batch. It reheats beautifully, so you’ve just scored a bonus night with very little time in the kitchen! And that’s what I call a win/win!!

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

Continue to Content

Yield: 10 servings

Ham and Bean Soup

No Ratings

Print

I call this delicious soup "semi-homemade." It goes together very quickly using canned navy beans or Great Northern beans and ham, along with fresh vegetables in a hearty, savory broth. A great way to use leftover ham from the holidays!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 T olive oil
• 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cups celery, sliced. Include the flavorful leaves.
• 2 quarts water
• Four large cubes Knorr vegetable bouillon cubes or scant 1/4 cup Knorr vegetable base in restaurant pack
• 2 Tbsp paste type chicken base like Better Than Bouillon
• 2 or 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
• Three 15.25-ounce cans of white beans, navy beans preferred, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups good quality ham, diced
• Seasoned pepper to taste we like Lawry's brand
• 1 Tbsp parsley

Instructions

1. Saute onion, celery, and garlic in olive oil until transparent and fragrant.
2. Add water, bouillon paste and bouillon cubes, potatoes, and carrots.
3. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.
4. Add drained beans, seasoned pepper, parsley, and chopped ham, heat through.
5. Awesome served with cornbread!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 258Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 1175mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 8gSugar: 4gProtein: 16g

That might be my favorite thing about soup and soup weather: Cook once, eat twice, or more! Try some more of our favorites: 

Instant Pot Beef Noodle Soup - Tender beef, celery, and carrots simmer in a rich, hearty beef broth with noodles.

Easy Italian Sausage Soup - This hearty, flavorful soup tastes like it simmered all day, but it's ready in 30 minutes, so it's perfect for a weeknight meal! Brimming with tasty sausage, creamy white beans, spinach, and tomatoes for a taste of Tuscany!

Easy Split Pea and Ham Soup - Here is a recipe for a simple, hearty soup that's meaty enough to be a main-dish entree. It tastes amazing, and it's loaded with protein and fiber. An excellent use for leftover ham!

Looking for something sweet to finish off the meal? Try my easy cake mix lemon bars or pumpkin dump cake- both are quick, easy, and yummy!

If you enjoyed a post, I'd love it if you would leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review or a comment. It really helps my little business connect with folks who cook like we do- simple but tasty!

Love, GB (Betty Streff)

Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.

Sharing is caring!