My white bean and ham soup has a touch of smokiness and lots of comforting, savory flavor—perfect for a cozy soup night in. Prepared with tender, creamy white navy beans, Black Forest ham, diced veggies and herbs, this white bean and ham soup recipe is delicious with warm, crusty bread for dipping!
White Beans and Ham, a Savory Combination for Soup
Delicate navy beans are a beloved variety of white beans to cook with. And while I love cannellini and great northern beans, navy beans are a bit smaller, with a creamy texture and light flavor.
We enjoy these white beans in everything from my cozy recipe for white beans with rosemary, to my thick and hearty white bean soup, to my refreshing and cool white bean salad.
And since I’m always looking for new and tasty recipes to make use of white beans, this white bean and ham soup is my latest favorite offering, perfect during this time of year, when a comforting bowl of soup is called for!
My white bean and ham soup is a bit more on the brothy side, made with finely diced carrots, celery and onion, with a few garlic cloves added in, along with a good dash of herbes de Provence and fresh parsley.
And for that delicious ham…?
This recipe calls for a thick steak of Black Forest ham, but you can use whatever good quality ham you’d like, even using deli slices for convenience, finely diced instead of a ham steak.
Earthy, smoky, savory and belly-warming, my white bean and ham soup recipe is super quick and easy to cook up, and absolutely irresistible with a slice or two of warm, crusty bread for dipping!
My Recipe for White Bean and Ham Soup
My husband and I enjoy soup of all varieties, but when a soup recipe has just a handful of simple ingredients and simmers up in around thirty minutes with deep, earthy flavor, that makes it even better!
My white bean and ham soup is a very rustic offering, with just enough texture from the beans to create some “body”, but brothy enough so that it can be enjoyed with bread, and still not be overly filling.
I like to use a combo of butter and olive oil for richness, a mirepoix of celery, carrot and onion, some garlic cloves, a hefty addition of herbes de Provence, plus a finishing touch of freshly chopped parsley.
For the beans I like to keep things simple and use good quality, organic navy beans—five cans worth—so that the soup can be simmered up and ready to ladle up in no time!
And as for the ham, I like to ask the deli department to slice a thick, Black Forest ham steak for me (between ¾ and 1 pound worth), so that I can dice up the ham to the size of my liking, to add to the soup.
Here’s a sneak peek at my white bean and ham soup recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe…)
- To get started, I saute my aromatics in my oil and butter, then add in my diced ham.
- Next, add in my drained and rinsed white beans, followed by my chicken stock and a my teeny drizzle of natural liquid smoke.
- I simmer the soup for about 30 minutes, to allow the beans to break down and create some texture and body.
- To finish, I add in some fresh parsley, then ladle up and serve hot with warm crusty bread for dipping.
Recipe
White Bean and Ham Soup
by Ingrid Beer
This rich and savory white bean and ham soup has a touch of smokiness to it, perfect for dipping warm, crusty bread into!
Category: Soup
Cuisine: American
Yield: Serves 8
Nutrition Info: 504 calories per serving
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced
- Salt
- Black pepper
- ¾ to 1 pound Black Forest ham steak, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
- 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
- 5 (15 ounce) cans organic navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 cups chicken stock
- ¾ teaspoon natural liquid smoke seasoning (optional, but adds a touch of smokiness)
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Preparation:
- Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
- Place a large soup pot (about 6 quarts) over medium-high heat, and add in the butter and olive oil. Once melted together, add in the diced onion, carrots and celery, plus a couple of good pinches of salt and black pepper, and saute for about 3 to 4 minutes, until softened.
- Next, add in the diced ham, and stir to incorporate, allowing it to cook with the veggies for a few moments. Then, add in the garlic and the herbes de Provence, and stir those in to incorporate, until they becomes aromatic.
- Add in the drained and rinsed navy beans, followed by the chicken stock, and stir to combine. Add in the natural liquid smoke seasoning, and stir.
- Bring the white bean and ham soup to a vigorous simmer, then cover, reduce the heat to medium-low or low, and allow the soup the gently simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chopped parsley, and check to see if any more salt/pepper is needed. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with extra olive oil, of desired, and serve with warm, crusty bread for dipping.
Tips & Tidbits for my White Bean and Ham Soup recipe:
- Black Forest ham steak for mildly smoky flavor: I like the flavor of Black Forest ham, whether for sandwiches or in this soup, so I’m opting for that for this recipe. I ask the deli counter to give me a thick-cut piece, or a ham steak, and then dice that myself. You can use any type ham you’d like, even deli slices. Just dice or chop it up and add it in.
- Navy beans for delicate flavor and texture: While you can certainly use cannellini or great northern beans, I prefer the smaller navy beans in my recipe here. They’re a bit more delicate, and offer that perfect amount of creaminess to the soup as they cook and break down.
- Natural Liquid smoke seasoning for a bit of additional smokiness: To add a touch more smoky flavor in this soup, I like to add a tiny amount of natural liquid smoke seasoning as the soup simmers. You can totally skip this (especially if your ham is very smoky), but it’s just a small amount to create a bit more savory flavor. You can typically find a small bottle of natural liquid smoke seasoning in the aisle with ketchup, BBQ sauce, condiments, and other seasonings.
Hungry for more comfy-cozy soup recipes? Check out my recipe for Chickpea Soup with Chicken and Spinach, Black Bean Soup, Brussels Sprout Soup with Bacon, White Bean Soup, Sausage Tortellini Soup, Tuscan Kale and Sausage Soup, or my recipe for Sausage Soup!
