Bean Soup Smoked Ham Potatoes (Print version)

A comforting blend of tender beans, smoky ham, and diced potatoes simmered to perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 8.8 oz smoked ham, diced

→ Beans & Legumes

02 - 14 oz cooked white beans (cannellini or navy beans), drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

08 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

→ Herbs & Spices

09 - 2 bay leaves
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - Salt to taste

→ Fats

13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, cooking for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally until vegetables soften.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced smoked ham and cook for 3-4 minutes to release its smoky flavor into the base.
04 - Add potatoes, beans, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, and broth. Stir thoroughly to combine.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender and flavors have melded.
06 - Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in less than two hours but tastes like you've been tending it all day.
  • The soup actually improves after a day in the fridge, making it a perfect make-ahead weeknight dinner.
  • One pot means cleanup is a breeze, leaving you more time to actually enjoy the meal.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing canned beans—the starchy liquid they come in can make your soup cloudy and thick in ways you won't enjoy.
  • Bay leaves must come out before serving; accidentally biting into one is unpleasant and a lesson most cooks learn only once.
  • Low-sodium broth is essential here because you'll be reducing the liquid slightly as it simmers, concentrating any salt that's already present.
03 -
  • If you happen to have a ham bone, add it to the broth for the full hour—it dissolves into flavor and makes the soup taste like someone's grandmother made it.
  • Chopping all vegetables roughly the same size ensures they soften at the same rate, preventing some pieces from disintegrating while others stay firm.
  • Tasting at the end matters more than following salt measurements exactly; every ham brand and broth tastes slightly different.
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