Easy Ham and Bean Soup
This ham and white bean soup recipe is hearty, uses pantry staples, and is as simple and quick as it gets to make on the stovetop! It's the best way to use up leftover ham.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion (chopped finely)
- 1 large carrot (peeled & chopped small)
- 3 sticks celery (chopped small)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups cooked ham (chopped (or more to taste))
- 2 (14 fluid ounce) cans white beans (drained)
- Salt & pepper (to taste)
Directions
- 1
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot. Sauté the onions, carrot, and celery for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally (a little browning is good).
- 2
Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- 3
Add the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, chicken broth, water, ham, and white beans to the pot. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium (or medium low if it's bubbling too much), cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar, and let the soup simmer for 20-25 minutes (the flavor will intensify the longer you cook it so feel free to cook it for a bit longer).
- 4
Season with salt & pepper to taste. Ham can be quite salty, so be sure to add salt after it's cooked if you think it needs it. Optional: Take a potato masher and mash some of the beans right in the pot to create a slightly thicker texture or pulse an immersion blender a few times.