Bean Soup Smoked Ham Potatoes (Printable Version)

Comforting blend of beans, smoked ham, and potatoes making a hearty, flavorful dish.

# What You'll 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the diced smoked ham and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to release its smoky flavor.
04 - Add the potatoes, beans, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, and broth. Stir well 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 together.
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's the kind of soup that fills your kitchen with aroma while you're chopping vegetables, promising something really good is coming.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, which is honestly half the reason I make it on weeknights.
  • The smoked ham does all the seasoning work for you, so even if your timing is off, it still tastes deeply satisfying.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial sauté of the vegetables—those five minutes of softenings create a sweetness that raw vegetables simply cannot provide, and it's the difference between good soup and unforgettable soup.
  • Bay leaves are essential for depth but I once forgot to remove them and my dinner guest bit into one, so place them where you can actually see them simmering.
03 -
  • Use a chef's knife to dice your vegetables into roughly equal sizes so they cook at the same rate and the soup has consistent texture throughout.
  • If you accidentally oversalt the broth, add a peeled potato and simmer it for ten minutes—it absorbs excess salt like magic, then remove it before serving.
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