30-Minute Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

This easy ham and bean soup recipe comes together in just 30 minutes and is absolutely loaded with flavor. It's a great way to use leftover ham!

If you love this recipe, you'll really love our Black Bean Soup with Ham as well as our Chuck Roast Chili!

This ham and bean soup also one of my favorite things to make after the holidays when there's leftover ham sitting in the fridge. Even a small amount can be stretched pretty far in a pot of soup, and if you happen to have a ham bone, throw it in!

The soup is hearty enough to be a full meal on its own, but it also goes great with a simple green salad or some cornbread if you're feeding a crowd.

Ingredients Needed

• Vegetable Oil - Used to sauté the vegetables and get everything started. You can use olive oil if that's what you have on hand.
• Yellow Onion - Of course, I love Vidalia onions, but whatever you have on hand will work great.
• Celery - Slice it about the same thickness as the carrots so everything cooks evenly.
• Carrots - They add a slight sweetness that balances the saltiness of the ham.
• Garlic - Fresh minced garlic is always best here, but jarred works fine in a pinch.
• Fresh Thyme - This flavor goes great with ham and beans. Dried thyme works too — just use about half the amount.
• Ground Coriander - This adds a warm, slightly citrusy flavor that really rounds out the soup.
• White Pepper - A little milder than black pepper.
• Chicken Broth - The base of the soup.
• White Beans - You can use Cannellini or Great Northern beans. Either works great — they're both creamy and hold up well in soup.
• Bay Leaves - Be sure to remove them before blending and serving.
• Ham - About 1.5 pounds of leftover ham, chopped into bite-sized pieces. If you have a ham bone, use it — it makes the broth even richer.

How to Make Ham and Bean Soup

1. Sauté the vegetables. Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and seasonings. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the garlic, thyme, coriander, and white pepper. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't burn.
3. Build the soup. Add the chicken broth, beans, bay leaves, and ham. Bring everything to a boil, then cover the pot, reduce to a simmer, and let it cook for 30 minutes.
4. Remove and chop the ham. Take the ham out of the pot and set it aside to cool for a few minutes. If you used a bone-in ham, pull it out as well. Once it's cool enough to handle, chop everything into bite-sized pieces.
5. Blend for creaminess (optional). Remove the bay leaves, then use an immersion blender to briefly blend the soup — just 5 to 10 seconds. This gives the broth a creamy consistency while keeping plenty of texture from the vegetables and beans. You can use a potato masher if you don't have an immersion blender.
6. Finish the soup. Add the chopped ham back to the pot and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and serve hot.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on an affiliate link and buy something, we may receive a very small commission.  It does NOT result in additional charges to you or cost you anything extra. Click here for our full privacy and disclosure policy. As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Sara's Expert Tips

• If your ham is already pretty salty, taste the soup before adding any extra salt. Between the ham and the chicken broth, you may not need any at all.
• When you blend the soup, less is more. A quick 5 seconds with the immersion blender is all it takes to get that creamy consistency without turning it into a purée. You still want chunks of vegetables and whole beans in there.
• No immersion blender? Scoop out a cup or two of the beans, mash them with a fork or potato masher, and stir them back in. It achieves a similar effect.

Storage Information

Store leftover ham and bean soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Like most soups, it tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had time to settle in together.

This soup freezes well too. Let it cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop over medium low heat, adding a splash of broth if it's thickened up too much.

Recipe FAQs

Want more ham recipes?

• Ham and Potato Frittata
• Keto Breakfast Casserole with Ham
• Black Bean and Ham Soup
• Smoked Ham on Big Green Egg

📖 Recipe