The short answer: ham and bean soup turns a leftover ham bone and a bag of dried beans into about 10 cups of dinner.
- Soak 1 pound of navy or great northern beans overnight
- Simmer with the bone, vegetables and 8 cups of water or broth until creamy
- Pull the meat, add 2 cups of diced ham and season at the end
- Canned-bean and slow cooker versions below
- Next step: Plan it with the Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99).
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Ham and bean soup turns a leftover ham bone and a bag of dried beans into about 10 cups of dinner. Soak 1 pound of navy or great northern beans overnight, then simmer them with the ham bone, a diced onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, garlic, a bay leaf and 8 cups of water or low-sodium broth for 1½ to 2 hours, until the beans are creamy. Pull the meat off the bone, add 2 cups of diced ham and season at the end, since ham is salty. Below are the full steps, canned-bean and slow cooker versions, fixes and safe storage.
I love cooking, and I love it most when the holiday meal keeps feeding us for days. A ham bone is too good to throw away.
Ham and bean soup ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dried navy or great northern beans | 1 pound | Or four 15-ounce cans, rinsed |
| Ham bone | 1, with some meat on it | Or 2 smoked ham hocks |
| Diced cooked ham | 2 to 3 cups | |
| Olive oil or butter | 1 tablespoon | |
| Onion, diced | 1 large | |
| Carrots, diced | 2 | |
| Celery, diced | 2 ribs | |
| Garlic, minced | 3 cloves | |
| Water or low-sodium broth | 8 cups | Add more if it gets thick |
| Bay leaf | 1 | |
| Dried thyme | 1 teaspoon | |
| Black pepper | ½ teaspoon | |
| Salt | To taste, at the end | Taste first; the ham adds plenty |
How to make ham and bean soup, step by step
- Soak the beans. Rinse and sort the beans, then cover them with cold water by 2 inches and soak overnight. In a hurry? Boil them for 2 minutes, cover and let them sit for 1 hour. Drain.
- Soften the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots and celery for 6 to 8 minutes, then stir in the garlic for 1 minute.
- Add the bone and beans. Add the drained beans, ham bone, water or broth, bay leaf, thyme and pepper.
- Simmer. Bring it to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. Cover partway and cook for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring now and then, until the beans are tender.
- Pull the meat. Lift out the bone, let it cool a few minutes and pull off the meat. Discard the bone and bay leaf.
- Add the ham. Stir in the pulled meat and the diced ham and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Thicken and season. Mash a cup of beans against the pot for a creamier soup. Taste, then add salt and pepper.
Other ways to make it
| Method | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Stovetop with dried beans | As written above | 2 to 2½ hours plus soaking |
| Canned beans | Simmer the bone and vegetables in broth for 30 minutes, then add four rinsed 15-ounce cans and the ham | About 1 hour |
| Slow cooker | Soaked beans and everything else in the cooker; low 8 to 10 hours or high 4 to 5 hours | Mostly hands-off |
| Ham hocks instead of a bone | Use 2 smoked hocks and simmer until the meat falls off | Same as stovetop |
Bean soup recipe without ham
The same method makes a simple bean soup with no ham at all. Soak and simmer the beans with the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaf as written, but start by softening the vegetables in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, use vegetable or chicken broth instead of water, and stir in 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika for the smoky flavor the ham bone would add. Taste near the end and season more generously than the ham version, since there is no salty ham to lean on.
Easy add-ins and swaps
- Greens: stir in 4 cups of chopped kale, spinach or collards in the last 10 minutes.
- Potatoes: add 2 diced potatoes with the vegetables for a heartier pot.
- Tomatoes: add a can of diced tomatoes only after the beans are tender, since acid keeps them firm.
- Brightness: a splash of cider vinegar at the end wakes up the flavor.
- Smoke: a pinch of smoked paprika helps if your ham is mild.
Serve it with cornbread or crusty bread. Have turkey left too? Our turkey soup uses the carcass the same way. Prefer peas to beans? Try our split pea soup with ham. Want a Louisiana-style bean dinner served over rice? Try our red beans and rice recipe.
Fixes for common problems
- Beans still hard after 2 hours: they may be old. Keep simmering, add water as needed, and hold back salt and acid until they soften.
- Too salty: add more water or unsalted broth and a diced potato, then simmer 15 minutes.
- Too thin: mash some beans or simmer uncovered.
- Too thick the next day: beans keep soaking up liquid. Thin it with broth when you reheat it.
Safe timing and storage
Make the soup soon after the holiday. FoodSafety.gov's cold storage chart gives cooked ham slices or a half ham 3 to 5 days in the fridge, and soups with meat 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 2 to 3 months in the freezer. Can't make the soup in time? Freeze the ham bone and diced ham.
The USDA's leftovers guidance says to refrigerate food within 2 hours and to divide big pots of soup into shallow containers so they cool quickly. For more on handling the ham itself, see the USDA's ham safety page and our guide to how to cook a ham.
| Step | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Cooked ham (slices, half or spiral) | 3 to 5 days in the fridge |
| Cooling the soup | Shallow containers, in the fridge within 2 hours |
| Soup in the fridge | 3 to 4 days |
| Soup in the freezer | 2 to 3 months for best quality |
Plan the leftovers week
Leftovers only save money when they're on the plan before they spoil. Write the soup or ham night into the week while the fridge is still full.
- Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. A weekly menu planner and an aisle-sorted grocery list, so you only buy what the leftovers don't cover.
- Holiday Season Bundle, $15.99 (regularly $25.94 for the six items bought separately). The meal planner plus the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner, a cleaning schedule and savings trackers.
- Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Keep your ham and bean soup recipe with the notes that make it yours.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you make ham and bean soup? You make ham and bean soup by soaking 1 pound of dried navy or great northern beans, then simmering them with a ham bone, onion, carrots, celery, garlic and 8 cups of water or broth for 1½ to 2 hours. Pull the meat off the bone, stir in diced ham and season at the end.
What beans are best for ham and bean soup? Navy beans and great northern beans are the best beans for ham and bean soup because they turn creamy and soak up the smoky ham flavor. Cannellini beans and a 15-bean mix also work.
Do I have to soak the beans? Soaking isn't required, but it cuts the cooking time and helps beans cook evenly. Soak overnight in cold water, or quick-soak by boiling them for 2 minutes and letting them sit, covered, for 1 hour.
Can I make ham and bean soup with canned beans? Yes, use four 15-ounce cans of navy or great northern beans, rinsed. Simmer the vegetables and ham bone in broth for 30 minutes, then add the beans and diced ham for 15 to 20 minutes more.
How do you make ham and bean soup in a slow cooker? Put soaked beans, the ham bone, diced vegetables, garlic, herbs and 8 cups of broth in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours, then remove the bone, shred the meat and season.
Why are my beans still hard? Beans stay hard when they're old or when acid or a lot of salt goes in too early. Use beans bought within the year, keep tomatoes and vinegar out until the end, and keep simmering until they're tender.
How do you thicken ham and bean soup? You can thicken ham and bean soup by mashing a cup of the cooked beans against the side of the pot, or by blending 2 cups of soup and stirring it back in. Simmering uncovered for 15 minutes also thickens it.
How long does ham and bean soup last in the fridge? Ham and bean soup lasts 3 to 4 days in the fridge, which is the FoodSafety.gov guideline for soups with meat. Cool it in shallow containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking.
Can you freeze ham and bean soup? Yes, ham and bean soup freezes well for 2 to 3 months. Leave room at the top of the container, thaw it in the fridge and reheat it until it's steaming hot.
How do I plan soup night after a holiday ham? Put ham and bean soup on the Meal Planner & Grocery List from HomeBase Paper Co. ($3.99) within a few days of the holiday. Freeze the ham bone if you can't make the soup that week.
How do you make bean soup without ham? You make bean soup without ham by simmering soaked navy or great northern beans with onion, carrots, celery, garlic and a bay leaf in broth, adding olive oil and smoked paprika for richness and a smoky flavor. Season with salt at the end, once the beans are tender.
Sources
- FoodSafety.gov: Cold food storage chart foodsafety.gov
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety fsis.usda.gov
- USDA FSIS: Hams and food safety fsis.usda.gov