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Hearty Ham and Bean Soup from a Leftover Ham Bone

Close-up of a white bowl filled with rich Ham and Bean Soup, topped with shredded ham and fresh parsley.
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Make a soul-satisfying ham and bean soup using your leftover holiday ham bone. This recipe creates a rich, smoky broth and tender beans for a classic, comforting meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large leftover ham bone (with meat attached)
  • 1 pound dried navy beans or Great Northern beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 8 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. If you did not soak the beans overnight, place the rinsed beans in a large pot, cover with water by two inches, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. Drain the beans. (If you soaked them overnight, simply drain them.)
  2. Place the ham bone, drained beans, water or broth, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and pepper into a large stockpot or Dutch oven.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot partially.
  4. Simmer the soup for 2 to 3 hours, or until the beans are completely tender and the meat on the ham bone is falling off. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  5. Remove the ham bone from the pot. Once cool enough to handle, shred all the meat from the bone and discard the bone and any large pieces of fat or cartilage. Return the shredded ham meat to the soup.
  6. Taste the soup and add salt if needed; the ham bone often seasons the soup sufficiently. If you prefer a thicker soup, mash about 1 cup of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon, then stir them back in.
  7. Ladle the ham and bean soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot, perhaps with cornbread.

Notes

  • Soaking the dried beans overnight reduces the cooking time significantly.
  • For an extra smoky flavor, you can add a small piece of smoked ham hock along with the bone.
  • This navy bean stew freezes well for future meals.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://bringdish.com/ham-and-bean-soup-recipe-leftover-ham-bone/