One Pot Easy Ham and Bean Soup
Easy Ham and Bean Soup
Making ham and bean soup does not have to take a lot of dishes. You can make it all in one pot and let it simmer and lunch or dinner is done. Use your left over ham from the Easter ham or Christmas ham to make easy left over meals that are easy on the budget and will become on of your favorite bean soup recipes.
This recipe, makes 3-4 servings.
One Pot Ham and Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 can navy beans
- 1 cup finely chopped ham
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 1 can chicken stock/broth
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, add all of your ingredients. Stir and mix well.
- Place on your smallest burner on the stop on low.
- Allow the soup to simmer for an hour, stirring once in a while.
- Take a potato masher and mash a few of the beans, to thicken the soup.
- If you don't have a potato mash, use the back of a spoon and press the beans against the side of the pot.
- Simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and serve.
Video
Should I use chicken broth or water in my soup?
We find that chicken broth adds a lot of flavor to the soup. You could also use vegetable broth instead as well for additional flavor and if you are vegetarian. But why would you be eating bean and ham soup?
What Spices Go into the Bean Soup?
We only use pepper for the soup. You can certainly add, salt to taste.
What Thickens the Bean Soup?
You can add flour or corn starch. This recipe calls for a can of navy beans, undrained, so you are getting the thickening form the bean slurry to help thicken the soup instead.
How do you make beans less gassy?
My grandma’s answer would be to mash the beans a bit to ‘get the farts out’.
You could add a little baking soda to help break down the beans ‘gas-making’ properties.
Should I save the ham bone?
Ham bone, sometimes called ham hock is perfect to make soup with. Take your left over ham hock and place it in the freezer (in a freezer bag of course). And when you are ready, remove the leftover ham bone and place it in pot of veggies for a delicious ham soup with and vegetables.
What Are Navy Beans?
Navy beans are the white beans you see in cans at the store. They are sometimes called great northern beans. You can buy them in cans or dried. Dried beans, require to be soaked over night and more time to cook. Canned beans, are already soft and can be used immediately for cooking.
Soup Tips
- Time saver using canned beans
- Use leftover ham and veggies from other meals to add flavor
- This soup will need to simmer, so plan starting meal 2 hours prior to serving
- Freeze any leftovers so you can have quick meals on hand
- You could also add carrots into the recipe if available
- Take a potato smasher or back of the spoon to mash the beans, to thicken the soup.
- Use a large 3 quart pot to make this soup
