Ham and Bean Soup
A simple, hearty soup of bone-in ham steak, white beans, and vegetables simmered with cumin and thyme — comfort food made from a handful of pantry staples.
- 1/2 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 (15.5 oz) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lb bone-in ham steak
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and cook until the onion and celery have softened, about 6 to 7 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme leaves, cumin, white pepper, and crushed red pepper, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly to bloom the spices without burning the garlic.
- Stir in the chicken broth, brown sugar, white beans, and bay leaves. Add the ham steak, slicing it into sections that will fit in the pot — don't forget to include the ham bone, since it adds flavor as everything simmers. Let the soup simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Remove the ham from the pot and cut it into bite-size pieces, discarding any fat, skin, the ham bone, and the bay leaves. Return the diced ham to the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with additional black pepper, crushed red pepper, or thyme if desired.
- For a creamier, thicker soup, use a handheld immersion blender or a stand blender to puree a small portion of the soup, then stir it back in. If using a stand blender, always remove the inner cap on the lid when blending hot liquids to let steam escape safely.
Chef's Note: Simmering the ham steak bone right in the soup is what gives this simple recipe its depth — that bone releases collagen and flavor as it cooks, doing work that a boneless piece of ham simply can't replicate, even though it gets discarded before serving. Pureeing just a small portion of the soup at the end is a smart trick for a creamier texture without needing any added cream or flour to thicken it.
Hold off on adding extra salt to this one — between the ham and the canned beans, there's already plenty built in, and you can always season further at the table. If you'd rather start from dried beans, soak them overnight, rinse well, and simmer the soup for about 1 1/2 hours instead of 20 to 30 minutes, until the beans are fully tender.
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