Leftover Ham and Bean Soup
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Cooking within a tight grocery budget? Let me tell ya, this simple Ham and Bean Soup is the bomb. Not only is it budget-friendly, but it’s also filling, boasts a rich savory flavor, and is good for you. Great use for leftover ham!
I created this Ham and Bean Soup recipe after Thanksgiving as a way to use up the leftover ham for my Uncle Rich, who won’t touch roasted turkey with a 10-foot pole.
What makes this soup so economical is the use of dried soup bean mix that you’ll find in the bean aisle of most grocery stores. I used a 9 bean soup mix, but you can use whatever mix you can find.
Just be sure to follow the package directions, because YOU WILL NEED TO SOAK THE BEANS a few hours or even a day beforehand. That’s about the most complicated part of the recipe, which isn’t complicated at all. Soaking the beans just requires a wee bit of planning.
Make this recipe before winter passes, because it’s one of those soups you need to sip on while watching the snowflakes fall outside your window. Add a hunk of crusty bread alongside it, and you’ll feel that all is right in the world for those 10 minutes. It’s true.
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Leftover Ham and Bean Soup
Budget-friendly, rich in taste, savory, and good for you too! This Ham and Bean Soup is a perfect winter comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil (enough to cover bottom of pot)
- 1 large onion, diced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 64 ounces (2 cartons) chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups cubed ham (8-16 ounces; add to your preference)
- 1 ham bone (optional but recommended)
- 1 pound soup bean mix (mine had 9 types of beans; soak first according to package directions.)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound bag of carrots, peeled and sliced (about 3–4 cups sliced)
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Instructions
Make It Now:
Note: Be sure to soak the beans according to package directions before beginning this recipe.
- In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmery. Saute onions just until softened, about 4 minutes, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper while they cook. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in chicken broth, water, ham, beans, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (no carrots yet!). Throw a ham bone in if you have one to add extra flavor. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Put on a lid (keep it tilted for venting) and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. Add more stock or water, if it reduces too much.
- Taste broth and season with more salt, pepper, and red pepper, to taste. Add carrots. Simmer another 30 minutes (lid partially on), stirring occasionally, or until carrots are tender.
- Remove the bay leaves and ham bone. Taste and adjust seasoning once more. Garnish a bowl of soup with some fresh chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread.
Freeze For Later: Fully cook the soup, let it cool completely, and freeze in a BPA-free gallon freezer bag or other air-tight freezable container for up to 3 months. (I prefer to freeze it in 2-cup Pyrex containers for individual lunches.)
Prepare From Frozen: Either thaw in the fridge overnight and warm up over low heat on the stovetop or in a crockpot.
Great!
We never soak beans anymore! It’s wonderful! We cook this in the crockpot for 8-9 hours on high. I’ve also done it in my IP for 70 minutes (two lbs beans). We also add 1 can diced tomatoes at the end with juice from one lemon. Delicious!
Awesome! Thanks for the tips. Love the idea of the squeeze of lemon for some acid to brighten up the soup at the end, too.
Can you sub ham stock for the chicken stock?
I don’t see why not. Go for it!
Hi, I was thinking of adding potatoes to this. Would the potatoes freeze ok?
Yes, if the potatoes are cooking in the soup, they will be fine.