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Soft navy beans mixed with flavorful ham join fresh veggies in a thick, comforting broth to whip up this timeless soul-warming soup. Every bite brings you velvety beans, tasty meat, and just-right cooked vegetables that turn this filling soup into the perfect way to use up your holiday ham leftovers or throw together a quick yet satisfying dinner.
I've tried tons of bean soups over the years and finally realized navy beans with their buttery texture and light nutty taste pair amazingly with smoky ham chunks and garden-fresh veggies.
Key Components
- Navy beans: Grab dried ones for extra creaminess or canned for a quick fix
- Ham: Leftover ham bone or chunked ham gives the best flavor kick
- Fresh vegetables: Onions, carrots and celery build your flavor foundation
- Fennel bulb: Brings a hint of sweetness and extra complexity
- Quality broth: Works as the backbone of your soup
Preparation Steps
- Get Beans Ready
- For dried beans, pick through them and soak overnight in cold water. Need a shortcut? Boil them for two minutes, then cover and let them sit for an hour.
- Create Your Foundation
- Cook onions, carrots, celery, and fennel until soft. This step kicks off all the good flavors in your soup.
- Combine Main Elements
- Throw in ham and beans, letting them simmer together. The beans will soak up that smoky ham taste while they cook.
- Nail the Thickness
- Simmer until beans turn tender but don't fall apart. Squish some beans against the pot to naturally thicken your broth.
- Finish It Off
- Toss in fresh herbs and tweak the salt and pepper at the end. You want it flavorful but not too salty.
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After cooking so many pots of this soup, I've found that taking your time really pays off. Slow-cooking the beans helps them get that perfect creamy texture while soaking up all those yummy flavors from the ham and veggies.
Keeping It Fresh
Keep your soup in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It freezes really well if you don't add potatoes - just thaw it overnight and warm it up slowly, adding more broth if it's too thick.
Customize Your Bowl
What's so great about this soup is how easily you can switch things up. Try chicken and bacon instead of ham for something different, or experiment with other bean types. Throw in extra veggies like spinach or sweet potatoes for a health boost, or add some rice or pasta near the end to make it even more filling.
Crock Pot Version
Make this a no-fuss meal by dumping all ingredients except the fresh herbs into your slow cooker. Let it cook on low for 7-9 hours or high for 5 hours until the beans turn soft and flavors blend together. Mix in fresh herbs right before you serve it.
What started as just a way to use up holiday ham has turned into one of my go-to comfort meals. The mix of soft beans, smoky meat bits, and tender veggies makes a soup that fills you up and warms you through. Whether you go with dried or canned beans, this soup shows how basic ingredients can come together to make something truly wonderful.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Are canned or dried beans better?
- Either works! Dried beans need soaking and give a firmer bite, but canned are quicker.
- → Can I use a slow cooker?
- Absolutely! Add everything (except bacon) and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or LOW 7-9. Toss in bacon at the end.
- → What if I’ve got no hambone?
- Switch it up with chopped ham, or go for the chicken and bacon combo for something just as tasty.
- → What’s fennel doing here?
- It brings a light sweetness that pairs nicely with ham’s salty flavor. Check the produce section!
- → How can I avoid oversalting?
- Hold off on adding salt until you taste the soup. Ham's already salty, so rinse the hambone first if you’re using one.