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Soul-Satisfying Ham and Bean Soup from a Leftover Ham Bone

A close-up of a hearty bowl of Ham and bean soup, featuring white beans, diced ham, and sliced carrots.
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Turn your leftover holiday ham bone into a hearty, homestyle navy bean stew. This recipe guarantees a rich, smoky broth and tender beans, making it the perfect post-holiday comfort meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large leftover ham bone (with meat attached if possible)
  • 1 pound dried navy beans or Great Northern beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 8 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup diced leftover cooked ham (optional, for later)

Instructions

  1. If you have time, soak the dried beans overnight in water to reduce cooking time. Drain them before starting the soup.
  2. Place the ham bone, rinsed beans, water or broth, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper into a large stockpot or Dutch oven.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat immediately to low, cover the pot partially, and let it simmer gently.
  4. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until the beans are completely tender and starting to break down, thickening the broth. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  5. Remove the ham bone from the pot. Once cool enough to handle, shred any remaining meat from the bone and discard the bone. Return the shredded ham meat to the pot.
  6. If you are using extra diced ham, stir it in now. Simmer for another 15 minutes to heat through.
  7. Taste the soup. If needed, add salt, remembering that the ham bone adds natural saltiness. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
  8. Serve this classic ham and bean soup hot, perhaps with a side of cornbread.

Notes

  • Soaking the beans overnight is the secret to perfectly tender beans without excessive simmering time.
  • For a creamier texture, remove about 1 cup of the cooked beans and mash them, then stir the mash back into the soup.
  • This leftover ham bone soup freezes well for future easy meals.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://savorandpin.com/ham-and-bean-soup-leftover-ham-bone-recipe/