Easy Ham and White Bean Soup
Simmer a pot of this super easy ham and white bean soup recipe to use up leftover ham in the most satisfying way.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter divided
- 3 medium carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- ½ medium yellow onion peeled and chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups cooked ham chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- kosher salt and black pepper
- fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Warm olive oil and 1 Tablespoon of the butter in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 6-8 minutes.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 2 Tablespoons butter, 3 medium carrots, 2 celery stalks, ½ medium yellow onion
- Stir in the garlic and thyme. Cook for 30-60 seconds more, just until fragrant.3-4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Add chicken broth and water, then bring the liquid to a boil. (Cover the pot if you want to make this go more quickly.)4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups water
- Once the liquid is bubbling rapidly, stir in the ham, beans, and bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium-low so it settles on a gentle bubble. Cover the pot, but leave the lid cracked open about one inch for some steam to escape. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. (Cook longer if you like; a longer simmer will just concentrate the flavors.)2 cups cooked ham, 2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed, 2 bay leaves
- At any point while the soup is simmering, melt the remaining 1 Tablespoon butter, then stir in the flour to make a quick roux. Stir this into the soup as it cooks.1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- When ready to eat, turn off the heat, fish out the bay leaves, and stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Sample and season with more lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. (Ham can be very salty, so season only after testing a bite.) Enjoy!kosher salt and black pepper, fresh lemon juice
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Notes
- Beans: My favorite is Cannellini beans; Great Northern or navy beans are good substitutes if those are hard to find.
- Yield: A batch of this soup typically offers my family enough for dinner one night (two hungry parents, two less hungry kids) and lunch leftovers for both adults. Your mileage will vary depending on appetite of course, but I would comfortably expect it to feed at least four adults.