Pioneer Woman Bean and Ham Soup: A Hearty and Flavorful Comfort Food

After indulging in a delicious holiday ham, you might be wondering what to do with the leftover ham bone. Look no further! This bean and ham soup recipe is the perfect way to transform that ham bone into a comforting and flavorful meal that your whole family will love. Inspired by classic home-style cooking, this dish echoes the hearty and satisfying recipes you’d expect from the Pioneer Woman herself.

Bowl of ham and bean soup with spoon, with buttered cornbread in background

This ham and bean soup, sometimes known as navy bean soup, is a timeless favorite for good reason. Slow cooking the ham bone with white beans allows the smoky, savory, and slightly sweet flavors to fully develop, creating a truly divine soup. It’s a budget-friendly way to make a little ham go a long way, turning simple ingredients into a satisfying and wholesome meal.

This recipe is incredibly easy to make, requiring just a few simple steps to create a pot of hearty and warming soup. Get ready to enjoy the comforting flavors of homemade goodness with this Pioneer Woman inspired bean and ham soup!

Ingredient Notes for the Best Bean and Ham Soup

This recipe is straightforward and perfect for cooks of all levels. Here’s a breakdown of the key ingredients you’ll need, with a few helpful notes:

Dried Navy Beans: These are the classic choice for ham and bean soup, but you can also use small white beans or Great Northern beans.
Ham Bone with Meat: Using the bone from a spiral ham, especially one with some leftover meat clinging to it, is ideal. A smoked ham hock from the grocery store is a great substitute. For a different approach, you can even use diced ham from deli meat if you don’t have a bone.
Onion: A large yellow or white onion works perfectly as the aromatic base of this soup.
Celery: Celery adds a subtle but essential flavor dimension and a bit of texture to the soup.
Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is recommended for the best flavor, but granulated garlic can be used in a pinch.
Thyme: Dried or fresh thyme adds a lovely herbaceous note that complements the ham and beans beautifully.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper: Essential seasonings to enhance all the flavors. Adjust to your taste.
Water: While broth can be used, water works wonderfully in this recipe. The ham bone infuses the water with rich, smoky flavor during the slow cooking process, making broth unnecessary and keeping this recipe budget-friendly.
Carrots: Carrots add a touch of sweetness and color. They are added later in the cooking process to prevent them from becoming mushy.

Ham Bone Storage for Soup Making

Wondering about the best way to store your ham bone after a holiday feast? A cooked ham bone will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, you can freeze it for several months. This flexibility means you don’t have to rush into soup making immediately after your holiday meal – you can relax and make soup whenever you’re ready for a comforting homemade dish.

If you are looking for another way to use leftover ham, consider exploring recipes like ham casseroles, sandwiches, or even adding diced ham to breakfast scrambles for a protein boost.

Soaking Your Navy Beans: To Soak or Not to Soak?

Soaking navy beans before cooking is optional, but it significantly reduces the cooking time. A side-by-side test revealed that overnight-soaked navy beans cooked perfectly in a slow cooker in about 6 hours, while unsoaked beans took closer to 9 hours. If you’re planning a quicker soup, soaking is the way to go!

White beans soaking in large pitcher

How to Soak Navy Beans for Soup

For optimal soaking, aim for 8 to 12 hours. Here’s a simple method:

Rinse: Rinse the dried navy beans thoroughly under cool water and drain.
Cover with Water: Place the rinsed beans in a large bowl or pot. Add enough cool water to cover the beans by about 4 inches, as they will expand as they soak.
Soak: Let the beans soak for 8-12 hours. You can soak them at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Rinse and Drain: After soaking, rinse the beans again and drain well. They are now ready to be cooked.

No Ham Bone? No Problem! Ham Hock Substitute

If you don’t have a leftover ham bone, smoked ham hocks are an excellent substitute. They are typically available year-round in the meat section of most grocery stores. Keep in mind that ham hocks have less meat on them compared to a bone from a spiral ham. To compensate, consider adding some chopped ham steak or deli ham towards the end of the cooking process to boost the meatiness of your soup.

Making Pioneer Woman Inspired Bean and Ham Soup: Two Ways

Here are instructions for making this comforting soup using either a slow cooker or on the stovetop. Choose the method that best suits your schedule and preferences.

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup Instructions

Combine Ingredients: In a slow cooker, add the navy beans, ham bone, diced onion, diced celery, minced garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Add Water: Pour in enough water or broth to cover the ingredients by at least an inch.
Slow Cook: Cook on low heat for 6 hours if using soaked beans, or 9 hours for unsoaked beans.

Ham bone in slow cooker with other soup ingredients

Add Carrots: After 5 hours of cooking, stir in the diced carrots. Continue to cook until both the beans and carrots are tender.
Shred Ham: Once the beans are cooked, remove the ham bone from the slow cooker. Cut off any ham meat from the bone, chop it into bite-sized pieces, and set aside. Discard the bone and any gristle.
Finish and Serve: Return the shredded ham to the slow cooker and stir it into the soup. Serve hot and enjoy this hearty, flavorful soup!

Ham being shredded in enamelware pan

Stovetop Ham and Bean Soup Instructions

Sauté Vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, 4-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions, celery, and garlic and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
Boil and Simmer: Add the navy beans, ham bone, thyme, salt, pepper, and 6 cups of water to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a loose-fitting lid, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours for soaked beans (or 6 hours for unsoaked beans), stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed to keep the beans covered in liquid.
Add Carrots: Stir in the diced carrots during the last 20 to 30 minutes of simmering.
Shred Ham: Once the beans and carrots are tender, remove the ham bone from the pot. Cut off the ham meat, shred or chop it, and return it to the soup. Discard the bone and any gristle.
Serve: Serve hot and savor the delicious homemade soup.

Tips for Perfect Ham and Bean Soup

Here are a few extra tips to ensure your ham and bean soup is a success every time:

Bean Variety: Navy beans are great for their size and relatively quick cooking time. Cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, or other small white beans are also excellent options.
Meat Quantity: If your ham bone is quite bare, don’t worry! You can still make a flavorful soup. Simply add extra ham, such as diced deli ham or ham steak, at any point during the cooking process to boost the meat content.
Liquid Choice: While this recipe uses water to highlight the ham bone flavor, you can certainly use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even turkey stock for a richer base if desired.
Soup Thickness: Ham and bean soup naturally thickens as it cools. It will loosen up upon reheating. If you prefer a thinner soup after reheating, simply add a little more broth or water to reach your desired consistency.

Serving Suggestions for Ham and Bean Soup

Ham and bean soup is a hearty meal on its own, but it’s even better with the right accompaniments. Consider these serving ideas:

Bread: Crusty bread is a classic pairing. Homemade French bread, toasted bread, or even sweet cranberry walnut bread are all wonderful for dipping and soaking up the flavorful broth.
Cornbread: Cornbread or cornbread muffins are a quintessential Southern side and a fantastic complement to ham and bean soup. Their slightly sweet and crumbly texture is perfect with the savory soup.
Salad: A simple side salad with a light vinaigrette can add a fresh and bright contrast to the richness of the soup.

Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup

Allow the ham and bean soup to cool completely before storing. Transfer leftovers to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.

Freezing Ham and Bean Soup

Good news! Ham and bean soup freezes beautifully. Let the soup cool, then transfer it to freezer-safe airtight containers or freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stove or in the microwave.

More Soup Recipes to Explore

Looking for more comforting soup recipes? Explore other options like:

Chicken Noodle Soup
Tomato Soup
Beef Stew
Vegetable Soup

ðŸ“– Recipe Card: Pioneer Woman Bean and Ham Soup

Pioneer Woman Bean and Ham Soup

A comforting and flavorful bean and ham soup recipe, perfect for using leftover holiday ham or smoked ham hocks. Made with simple ingredients in a slow cooker or on the stovetop, this soup is a hearty and satisfying meal inspired by classic home-style cooking.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours (soaked beans) / 9 hours (unsoaked beans)
Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes / 9 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 10 cups
Author: Pioneer Technology Inspired Recipe

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Ingredients

1 (16-oz bag) Dried Navy Beans (about 2 ½ cups), sorted and rinsed
1 Smoked Ham Bone or smoked ham hock
½ large Onion, diced (1 cup)
1 large Celery Rib, diced (1 cup)
5 cloves Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Sea Salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon Black Pepper
6 cups Water or broth
1 large Carrot, diced (1 cup)

Instructions

(Recommended) Soaking Beans: Soak navy beans overnight in 8 cups of water, then drain and discard the liquid. For a faster method, you can use unsoaked beans, increasing cook time.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

Combine beans, ham bone, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a 5-quart slow cooker.
Add enough water to cover the beans by 1 inch. You may need to add more liquid during cooking.
Cook on LOW for 6 hours (soaked beans) or 9 hours (unsoaked beans). Cooking time may vary depending on your slow cooker and bean age.
During the last hour, stir in carrots and cook until beans and carrots are tender.
Remove ham bone and shred any edible ham meat. Discard bone and gristle.
For a creamier soup, mash some beans with a potato masher directly in the slow cooker.
Return shredded ham to the soup. Serve warm.
To store, cool leftovers to room temperature and refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Stovetop Instructions:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 4-quart soup pot over medium-high heat.
Sauté onions, celery, and garlic until tender.
Add navy beans, ham bone, thyme, salt, pepper, and 6 cups of water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours (soaked beans) or 6 hours (unsoaked beans), covered with a loose-fitting lid. Add water as needed to keep beans covered.
During the last hour, add carrots and cook until softened, stirring as needed.
Proceed with slow cooker steps 5-7.

Recipe Notes

Bean Choice: Navy beans are preferred, but cannellini, Great Northern, or small white beans also work well.
Liquid: Water is sufficient, but chicken or turkey broth can be substituted for richer flavor.
Extra Ham: Add extra ham if desired for a meatier soup.
Cooking Time: Bean age can affect cooking time. Allow extra time, especially on low in a slow cooker. If beans are not soft after the initial time, switch to HIGH and monitor.

Nutrition Information

Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free

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