Have you been stressing about what to do with all of that leftover ham from a recent holiday dinner? I have you covered with this totally simple Ham and Bean soup recipe. Pull out a can of beans, some veggies, and broth and you’ll be enjoying that ham in a new and delicious way. I make this ham soup sometimes without having leftover ham. I watch for sales on smoked hams at my local grocery store and pick up a small one just to make this soup. If there’s leftovers from that, I shred it and freeze it to use for the next recipe. Leftover ham is never a problem here! I love soup so much, and the blog is packed with amazing soup recipes that you can make quickly and easily to feed your family. You will also love Instant Pot Pea Soup which is made with smoked ham hock, and this delicious and cozy Zuppa Toscana, flavored with savory, salty bacon and Italian sausage.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients in Ham Soup
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ham: You can use leftover ham to make this ham soup! Otherwise, you can purchase a small cooked ham to make this soup. Shred the ham into small pieces.
Onion, Carrot, Celery: The holy trinity, soffrito, mirepoix – whatever you want to call it, these three vegetables are the flavor base of almost all soups. Garlic: I love the flavor of garlic with the salty ham. 3 cloves, minced, is the perfect amount. Stock: Chicken stock is a great shortcut when making this soup. If you’ve recently baked a ham and have the bone, you can make ham stock to use instead. Beans: Cannellini beans are my choice for this ham and bean soup. If you have another type of beans, such as great northern, butterbeans, or navy beans, you can use those instead. Drain and rinse the beans before cooking. Seasonings: The ham and mirepoix gives this soup a lot of flavor, but the addition of Italian seasoning, black pepper, and some fresh parsley takes it to another level. No salt is needed due to the salt content of the ham.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Ham and Bean Soup
What to Serve with Ham and Bean Soup
Bread: I always like to have some sort of bread around to dip into my soups. A nice crusty Italian bread is my go-to. Cornbread pairs really well with this savory soup too, as do Texas Roadhouse Rolls. Salad: It’s really not necessary, but a side salad could also be really nice with this filling soup. Try this Kale Salad, or my Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad. Dessert: If you’re making this soup after the Christmas holiday, I hope you’ll be able to enjoy some leftover cookies too! A few Italian Wedding Cookies with a mug of hot chocolate will be lovely.
Optional Add-ins
You can add any type of vegetables to this soup to add color and nutrition. Try kale, tomatoes, shredded cabbage, or frozen peas, or green beans. Some like potatoes in their ham soup. Diced potatoes can be added and cooked in the soup until tender. Just note that if you plan to add potatoes, this soup will take longer to cook. Whether you’re using up leftovers or starting from scratch, this ham and bean soup will be well worth the short amount of time you spend making it. Enjoy, and make sure to Pin this for everyone to enjoy with you! © Little Sunny Kitchen
