Ham and Bean Soup – Lauren’s Newest

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Ham and Bean Soup is a straightforward and scrumptious means to make use of up leftover ham for a hearty chilly climate consolation meal. Loaded with greens, seasonings, navy beans, ham and ham shank…this soup is bound to fill hungry bellies! Serve with toasted French bread, my Garlic and Herb Pull Aside Biscuits or my Cornbread recipe.

What are Navy Beans?

Navy beans, aka Boston beans (sure those utilized in Boston Baked Beans dishes), are a kind of small white bean generally utilized in soups and stews. These scrumptious little beans are small and oval-shaped, with a light, nutty taste and creamy texture. They’re an excellent supply of protein and fiber, so you’ll be able to be ok with consuming which is all the time a bonus!

Navy Bean Substitutions

When you don’t have navy beans available, you will have just a few choices! Nice Northern beans, cannellini beans, and small white beans can be utilized as substitutes for navy beans in most recipes. These beans have the same style and texture to navy beans, and can be utilized in the identical means in soups, stews, and baked beans. Different choices can be white kidney beans, pinto beans, lima beans or black-eyed peas. Remember the fact that any substitution could change the ultimate soup style barely.

Ham Shanks vs Ham Hocks

Ham hocks and ham shanks are each minimize from the decrease portion of a pig’s hind leg, however they arrive from completely different components of the leg. Ham hocks are minimize from the decrease portion of the leg close to the pig’s ankle, whereas ham shanks are minimize from the higher portion of the leg close to the knee. Ham hocks are usually extra meaty and have extra connective tissue, whereas ham shanks are leaner and have extra bone. Each cuts are sometimes used for sluggish cooking in soups, stews, and different dishes so as to add taste and richness.

Prior to now I’ve used a ham shank and a ham bone. It simply depends upon if I just lately made a ham for dinner. No want to purchase a ham shank or hock when you will have that beautiful bone simply ready for its subsequent task. 🙂 Since we’re already including ham to the recipe, the shank or bone is primarily used to assist add a deeper taste to the soup. The bone can be stuffed with vitamins!

Can I Use Canned Beans As an alternative of Dried?

Sure, you’ll be able to completely use canned beans for this soup, however remember the fact that my recipe requires low and sluggish cooking with a purpose to extract essentially the most taste and vitamins out of that scrumptious bone so that’s the reason I didn’t take this shortcut this time. In case you are brief on time and wish to use canned beans, use 3-4 15-oz cans and rinse beans earlier than including to the pot. Scale back prepare dinner time to half-hour or much less.

Find out how to Make Ham and Bean Soup

For full recipe particulars, together with an elements checklist and measurements, see the printable recipe card down under. Right here is step-by-step what you’ll be able to anticipate when making this Ham and Bean Soup:

Soak the Dry Beans

Rinse, type and soak dried Navy Beans in a pot of water for no less than 2 hours or in a single day. Because the beans soak, they’ll start to rehydrate and swell.

Drain and rinse soaked beans, put aside. 

Saute Onions, Carrots + Garlic

In identical pot used to soak the beans, warmth olive oil over medium warmth. Add onions and saute till translucent. Subsequent, add carrots and saute for 1-2 extra minutes. Lastly, add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes being cautious to not burn. 

Add Ham, Shank + Remaining Elements

Add ham, ham shank (or bone), broth, water, beans and bay leaf. Convey to a boil, then scale back to simmer. 

Simmer the Soup

Partially cowl pot with lid and simmer for two hours or till beans are cooked by. 

Take away from warmth, take away ham shank (or bone), take away and shred any meat nonetheless on bone and add again to the pot. Test seasonings on the very finish. Discard the bone.

Season to Style

Add salt and pepper to style, protecting in thoughts that ham is VERY salty so it is probably not wanted in any respect.

Garnish with contemporary parsley and serve scorching. 

Find out how to Thicken Ham and Bean Soup

Whereas it’s completely advantageous to eat this soup as is, you might wish to make it thick and creamy. There are just a few straightforward methods to do that.

1. Mash a few of the beans: Use a potato masher or immersion blender to mash a portion of the beans within the soup. This can launch a few of the starch from the beans and thicken the liquid.
2. Add flour or cornstarch: Combine a tablespoon of flour or cornstarch with a small quantity of chilly water to make a slurry, then stir it into the soup. Prepare dinner the soup for a further 5-10 minutes to permit the flour or cornstarch to thicken the soup.
3. Use a roux: A roux is a mix of equal components flour and fats (akin to butter or oil). Prepare dinner the roux till it turns a golden coloration, then slowly add it to the soup whereas whisking to stop lumps.
4. Prepare dinner longer: Permit the soup to simmer for an extended time period. Because the soup cooks, the liquid will naturally scale back and thicken.

Storing + Make Forward

Make Forward and Retailer within the Fridge – Like many soups, it usually tastes higher the 2nd day because the flavors have had extra time to marry. Let the soup cool to room temperature earlier than transferring it to an hermetic container. Retailer the soup within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days.

To Freeze – Let the soup cool to room temperature earlier than transferring it to an hermetic container or a resealable freezer bag. Retailer the soup within the freezer for as much as 3-4 months.

To Reheat – When reheating the soup, make certain it’s heated to a temperature of 165°F (74°C) to make sure that it’s fit for human consumption. It’s additionally advisable to thaw frozen soup within the fridge in a single day earlier than reheating.

Observe: Freezing and reheating any sort of soup could cause some texture adjustments within the elements, particularly in beans. They’ll develop into mushy.

Love soup? Give these recipes a attempt!

Add this recipe to your soup rotation in the course of the winter months! You received’t be sorry. Make sure you save, print, bookmark or share this recipe. When you do that recipe, I’d actually respect it when you gave it a star assessment. Have an amazing day, pals! 🙂

Ham and Bean Soup

Ham and Bean Soup is a straightforward and scrumptious means to make use of up leftover Vacation ham for a hearty chilly climate consolation meal.

Directions

• Rinse, type and soak dried Navy Beans in a pot of water for no less than 2 hours or in a single day.

• Drain and rinse soaked beans, put aside.

• In identical pot, warmth olive oil over medium warmth.

• Add onions and saute till translucent.

• Add carrots and saute for 1-2 extra minutes.

• Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes being cautious to not burn.

• Add ham, ham shank (or bone), broth, water, beans and bay leaf. Convey to a boil, then scale back to simmer.

• Partially cowl pot with lid and simmer for 1-2 hours or till beans are cooked by. (this depends upon how lengthy you soaked your beans)

• Take away from warmth, fish out ham shank (or bone), take away and shred any meat nonetheless on bone and add again to the pot. Discard bone.

• Garnish with contemporary parsley and serve scorching.

Notes

Test for seasonings on the very finish and add salt and pepper to style, protecting in thoughts that ham is VERY salty so it is probably not wanted in any respect. 

Vitamin

Energy: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 21g | Fats: 15g | Saturated Fats: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 8g | Ldl cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 822mg | Potassium: 766mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 7303IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 3mg

Key phrase: ham and bean soup