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!
About This Recipe
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.
Like our Eat More Veggies Soup and our Cancer-Fighting Soup, this soup is filled with fiber, protein, and tons more nutrition. Plus, it’s dairy-free and gluten-free, so nearly everyone can enjoy it.
Ingredients
- Chicken broth – Using store-bought is easier, but you should really try making Homemade Chicken Broth.
- Ham and ham bone – Leftover ham is perfect for this. The ham bone is optional but recommended.
- Soup bean mix – 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.
Don’t Forget to Soak the Beans!
Dried beans will need to soak for 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.
How to Make Ham and Bean Soup
- In a large stock pot, heat 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.
How to Freeze Soup
Soup is perfect for making ahead and taking to a friend or keeping on hand for quick lunches. This soup has been tested from fresh, reheated from the fridge as leftovers, and reheated after being frozen. It is delicious and works great in all these situations
Freeze For Later: Fully cook and let the soup cool completely. Suggestion: divide soup into some shallow pans to put in the refrigerator to cool it more quickly. Divide soup into gallon-sized freezer bags or containers or into 2-cup Pyrex glass containers, squeeze out excess air, seal, and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw using one of these safe thawing methods. Then reheat gently over low heat on the stove or in a crock pot. Another option is to put the frozen soup block over low to medium-low heat on the stove top or in a crock pot. Add about 1-2 cups of water or broth over the top. Gently warm over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
Pictured is our Coconut Curry Soup.
Recipe FAQs
Let the soup cool and place in a storage container with a lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, package tightly in a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
While we’ve only made this particular soup with the dry bean mix, there is no reason you can’t use canned beans. About 1/2 cup of dried beans is equal to one 15-ounce can of beans.
Side Dish Ideas
Soup can certainly stand alone, but if you want something to sop up all the yummy broth, you could try one of these!
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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:
Freeze For Later: Follow steps 1-4. Let the soup cool completely. Suggestion: divide soup into some shallow pans to put in the refrigerator to cool it more quickly. Divide soup into gallon-sized freezer bags or containers or into 2-cup Pyrex glass containers, squeeze out excess air, seal, and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw using one of these safe thawing methods. Then reheat gently over low heat on the stove or in a crock pot. Another option is to put the frozen soup block over low to medium-low heat on the stove top or in a crock pot. Add about 1-2 cups of water or broth over the top. Gently warm over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
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.