Bean Soup Smoked Ham Potatoes (Printable)

Warming blend of tender beans, smoky ham, potatoes, and herbs for cozy meals.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 - 6.3 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

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced smoked ham and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to release its smoky flavor.
04 - Add 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 meld.
06 - Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Tips from the Pros:

01 -
  • It tastes like genuine comfort without demanding hours of your attention.
  • The smoked ham does most of the flavor work, so you can relax while everything else catches up.
  • One pot means one cleanup, which is honestly its own kind of magic on a weeknight.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial five-minute softening of the mirepoix—this is where flavor actually happens, not in the long simmer that follows.
  • If you have access to a ham bone, this is the time to use it; simmer it right in the pot and the broth becomes something entirely different, richer and more complex than you'd expect.
03 -
  • Dice everything relatively small so each spoonful carries a little of everything; big chunks make it taste like separate ingredients instead of a single conversation.
  • Taste the soup twenty minutes before you think it's done, because you might be surprised how complete it already feels.
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