🥣 White Bean and Ham Soup

Serves: 6–8
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45–50 minutes

🧾 Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) dried white beans (or 3 cans, drained and rinsed)

• 1 lb (450g) cooked ham, diced (or ham bone for extra flavor)

• 1 large onion, diced

• 2–3 carrots, diced

• 2–3 celery stalks, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken or vegetable broth

• 2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh)

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• 2 tbsp olive oil or butter

• Fresh parsley for garnish

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1️⃣ Prepare Beans

• If using dried beans: soak overnight or use quick-soak method (boil 2–3 minutes, then sit covered for 1 hour).

• Drain and rinse before cooking.

2️⃣ Sauté Veggies

• In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.

• Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened.

• Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.

3️⃣ Add Ham and Broth

• Stir in diced ham (or ham bone) and beans.

• Pour in broth and add thyme and bay leaf.

• Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

4️⃣ Simmer

• Cover and simmer 40–45 minutes (or until beans are tender if using dried).

• If using canned beans, simmer 15–20 minutes.

5️⃣ Season & Serve

• Remove bay leaf and adjust salt and pepper.

• Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

• Serve hot with crusty bread.

✨ Tips

• For a thicker soup, mash a cup of beans and stir back into the pot.

• Add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar at the end for brightness.

• Leftovers taste even better the next day — flavors deepen overnight.

If you want, I can also give you:

• A slow cooker version

• A low-sodium version

• Or a southern-style version with smoked ham hock 🐖