White Bean and Ham Soup
This is the best ham and bean soup! It's made in just a few hours on the stove top with minimal work and is always a hearty and satisfying dinner. Serve with homemade cornbread.
Ingredients
- 20 ounces dried Great Northern Beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 3 stalks celery
- 2 carrots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 8 cups water
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 cups cooked diced ham
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground pepper
Directions
- 1
Rinse and sort through the beans, discarding any rocks or debris. Set aside.
- 2
Dice the onion, celery, and carrots. Mince the garlic.
- 3
Add the oil to a large stock pot over medium heat. When hot, stir in the onion, celery, and carrot.
- 4
Cook vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 more seconds.
- 5
Add the water and Italian seasoning to the pot along with the dried beans.
- 6
Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to a simmer, and cover with a lid. Cook, stirring every 30 minutes, for 2 hours or until beans are mostly tender.
- 7
Add the ham, salt, and pepper to the soup. Continue simmering for 30 minutes to an hour more, or until beans are fully cooked.
- 8
Add additional water or chicken stock to the pot to thin the soup to your desired consistency just before serving. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.