Ham & Bean Soup
A deep mid-winter soup
Ham and bean soup isn’t, you know, frilly. But it’s pretty damn tasty. And it’s the perfect thing to have simmering on the stove when it’s cold outside!
This recipe comes from the New York Times, and I actually didn’t modify it much. The main change I made was to delete the ham hock/ham shank— it came out perfectly without, so you can save money if you don’t already have one waiting to be used, such as a leftover Christmas ham. (If you feel the soup is lacking in flavor, you can boost it with some chicken bouillon. I’ve cut down the salt from 1 tsp to 1/2 to accommodate for this possibility!) And then I added some lemon juice, because I like how a little acidity lifts the flavor.
This recipe calls for dried beans, which require a long soak, so make sure to start them the night before (or the morning of), though of course you can always substitute canned beans if you prefer (add them undrained, with 2 cups of water or broth instead of 7).
Ham and Bean Soup
Serves: 8
Cook time: 1 - 1 1/2 hours, plus at least 8 hours to soak the beans
For Dietary Restrictions
Gluten free: this recipe is gluten-free
Dairy free: this recipe is dairy-free
Kids Can Help
wash produce, peel carrots, onion, and garlic
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 ribs of celery
2 large carrots
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
7 cups of water
1 lb dried navy or great northern beans, soaked (or 4 15-oz cans)
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ground thyme
12 oz cooked ham
Tools
Cutting board
Chef knife
Large soup pot with a lid
Long wooden spoon or spatula
Large bowl, for soaking the beans
Blender or food processor (optional)
Directions
**Note: These directions assume you have already soaked the dried beans overnight (cover with 2 inches of room-temperature water and leave on the counter for a minimum of 6-8 hours, or use the quick-soak method— boil the water first before soaking for 1 hour.)
Step 1
Peel and chop the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery.
Step 2
In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery and cook until soft, stirring occasionally (reduce heat if they start to brown).
Step 3
Drain the beans of their soaking water, then add the beans, bay leaves, ground thyme, salt, and water to the soup pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer 1-1.5 hours until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. (If the pot is letting off a lot of steam, you may need to add a little water back to the pot— just enough to keep it brothy).
Step 4
Once the beans are tender, you can leave the soup as-is or remove about 2 cups of soup to puree, which will give the soup a thicker texture.
Step 5
Chop the ham into small cubes about 1/4-1/2 inch wide and add to the soup. Simmer for a few minutes and taste; adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with crusty bread.