Ham and Bean Soup
Savor the taste of tradition with our hearty Ham and Bean Soup, a perfect blend of nourishing beans and savory ham in every spoonful!
Ingredients
- 8 cups of water
- 1 pound of dry great northern beans sorted and rinsed
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of chopped carrots
- 1 cup of chopped onion
- ½ stalk of celery chopped
- 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon of mustard powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ham hock
- 2 cups of chopped ham
- ½ teaspoon of ground white pepper
Instructions
- Start by soaking the great northern beans overnight in water to soften them and decrease the cooking duration.
- Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, then add the pre-soaked beans.
- Lower the heat, then mix in salt, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, mustard powder, and bay leaves.
- Introduce the ham hock to the mixture, cover the pot, and let it simmer until the beans become soft, about 1 hour.
- Remove the ham hock, stir in the chopped ham, and allow it to simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
- Finish by seasoning with ground white pepper according to your taste and remove the bay leaves before serving.
Notes
If you're short on time or don't have dry beans on hand, you can easily substitute with canned beans. Simply rinse and drain two cans of white beans, such as cannellini or navy beans, and add them to the soup after the vegetables have softened. Since canned beans are already cooked, you'll reduce the simmering time to just enough for the flavors to meld, about 20-30 minutes. This quick swap makes your delicious Ham and Bean Soup even more convenient without compromising on taste!