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3.7 from 405 votes

White Bean and Ham Soup

This is the best ham and bean soup! It's made in just a few hours on the stove top with minimal work and is always a hearty and satisfying dinner. Serve with homemade cornbread.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 321 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 20 ounces dried Great Northern beans
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium sweet onion
  • 3 talks celery
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 cups cooked diced ham
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Rinse and sort through the beans, discarding any rocks or debris. Set aside.
  2. Dice the onion, celery, and carrots. Mince the garlic.
  3. Add the oil to a large stock pot over medium heat. When hot, stir in the onion, celery, and carrot. 
  4. Cook vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 more seconds.
  5. Add the water and Italian seasoning to the pot along with the dried beans. 
  6. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to a simmer, and cover with a lid. Cook, stirring every 30 minutes, for 2 hours or until beans are mostly tender. 
  7. Add the ham, salt, and pepper to the soup. Continue simmering for 30 minutes to an hour more, or until beans are fully cooked.
  8. Add additional water or chicken stock to the pot to thin the soup to your desired consistency just before serving. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Notes

  • If your soup is thicker than you'd like, add additional water or broth as needed to reach your desired consistency.
  • We like to use leftover ham in this recipe, but the refrigerated diced ham from the grocery store works well too.
  • We originally called for Hurst's Beans in this recipe, which comes with a little packet of seasoning. Many readers were having trouble finding that specific brand, so we've changed the recipe a bit. To add more seasoning to the soup, add 2 teaspoons each of garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika along with the Italian seasoning and salt to taste once cooked.

Nutrition Information

Calories 321kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 51g (17%) Protein 22g (44%) Fat 4g (6%) Cholesterol 15mg (5%) Sodium 1558mg (65%) Potassium 1308mg (37%) Fiber 15g (60%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 2615IU (52%) Vitamin C 23.8mg (26%) Calcium 159mg (16%) Iron 4.7mg (26%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 321

% Daily Value*

Calories 321kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 51g 17%
Protein 22g 44%
Fat 4g 6%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 1558mg 65%
Potassium 1308mg 28%
Fiber 15g 60%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 2615IU 52%
Vitamin C 23.8mg 26%
Calcium 159mg 16%
Iron 4.7mg 26%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.