Ham and Bean Soup: Cozy Comfort in Every Bowl
This hearty ham and bean soup brings together tender white cannellini beans, savory diced ham, and aromatic vegetables in a rich, flavorful broth. It’s comfort food at its finest—budget-friendly, freezer-friendly, and ready in under an hour.
- Total Time55 minutes
- Yield6 servings 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 3 medium carrots (diced)
- 3 stalks celery (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 cups diced ham
- 3 cans white beans (cannellini) (drained and rinsed)
- 5 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 0.5 tsp paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté until they begin to soften, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add Garlic and Spice: Stir in minced garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for about one minute until fragrant.
- Build the Soup: Add diced ham, drained white beans, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, paprika, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Simmer: Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Continue simmering for at least 30 minutes (longer for deeper flavor development).
- Finish and Serve: Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Notes
The longer you simmer this soup, the better the flavors develop. Some beans will naturally break down and thicken the broth—that’s exactly what you want! Always drain and rinse canned beans before adding.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Soup
- Cuisine: American, Southern
Nutrition
- Calories: 320
- Sodium: 950
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 9
- Protein: 22
