Creamy Ham and Bean Soup Recipe (2024)

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe

This mouthwatering creamy ham soup with beans is the perfect Winter recipe to warm you up as the temperatures outside start to drop!

Whether you made ham for the holidays or made ham just because, put the leftovers to use and make this deliciously flavorful, creamy ham soup recipe.

Made with ham, celery, carrots, pinto bean, kale, and more, this soup is hearty, and perfect for lunches, dinners, and even meal prepping.

BONUS: It's even better the next day!

Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

Tis' the season to make ham. Now, whether you made it for the holidays or just because you love ham, there is one thing I can be sure of ... you have leftovers!

Everyone loves sandwiches like a melty Grilled Ham Steak and Cheese on Pretzel Roll, but this year, get excited about leftovers and make this tasty ham and bean soup.

This ham soup recipe is simple, classic, and will definitely fill you up, and the house will smell incredible from the start of cooking until the very end.

Creamy Ham Soup Ingredients

Ham Bone: This recipe calls for oneham bone. I recommend cutting off as much of the meat as you can. You probably won't get all of it, and that is okay. Anything you leave on/near the bone will continue to flavor the soup.

Ham: You can't have ham soup without ham! Use 2cups of leftover ham and chop it into pieces. Don't have leftover ham? Buy a small ham and prepare it just to make this soup!

Chicken Stock: Chicken stock makes for a great base and is easy to build more flavor with all the additional ingredients. You will need about 3qtof chicken stock.

Beans: One of the main ingredients of ham and bean soup is the beans! You are going to need 26ozof pinto beans. Unless you are at Costco or buying in bulk, you will probably need to grab two 13.1 oz cans.

Vegetables: So much great flavor comes from the fresh vegetables in this soup. You will need 1cup of diced carrots, 1cup of diced celery, 1cup of diced onions, and 3cups of chopped kale.

How to make Creamy Ham and Bean Soup

Saute. In a large dutch oven or stockpot, saute carrots, onions, and celery in butter until soft (about 5-10 minutes), then pour in chicken stock along with Worcestershire.

Simmer. Drop hambone into the pot and simmer on low for about 2 hours, occasionally stirring until all the meat on the bone is basically falling off. Next, remove the bone and any attached meat from the pot and set it aside to cool.

Add beans. Add in your drained pinto beans and chopped kale, dijon, and heavy cream. Continue cooking on low for another 45 minutes.

Add ham. Once the hambone is cool enough to handle, remove all the meat from the bone and chop up. If there's not enough ham then add some extra if you have leftovers. Add your ham back to the pot and cook for about 15 minutes.

Season as needed. Taste for salt and add seasoning as needed.

Serve. Enjoy your soup while it's hot or let it cool and store it in the fridge or freezer.

What other types of beans can I use?

Pinto beans are very popular, but if they aren't your favorite, you have some options!

Substitute pinto beans for navy beans, black beans, kidney beans, or Greek Gigantes beans.

Can I use a week old ham bone for soup?

Absolutely! NEVER toss away the bone - always save it to make soup or broth.

If you aren't planning on making soup or broth right away, grab a freezer bag and freeze theham boneso you can use it later.

A leftover ham bone will keep in the freezer for about 2-3 months.

How to store leftover ham and bean soup

There is something about leftover soup that just hits differently.

Grab an air-tight container or ziplock bag and pour in that leftover soup! Your soup will keep in the fridge for about 3-5 days.

Follow the same instructions for the freezer. However, leftover soup in the freezer will stay for 6 months.

Craving ham? I've got you covered.

Looking for more ham or pork recipes to enjoy - you know I've got you covered! Check out some of my favorite pig recipes like:

Grilled Pork Chops with Caramelized Apples
Easy Overnight Smoked Pork Shoulder
Smoked Pork Loin cut into Pork Chops
BBQ Dry Rub Seasoning for Pork Loin
Crispy Taylor Pork Roll Deviled Eggs
Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Print Pin

Creamy Ham and Bean Soup

This mouthwatering creamy ham soup with beans is the perfect Winter recipe to warm you up as the temperatures outside start to drop!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword carrot soup, ham

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 506kcal

Ingredients

1 ham bone
2 cups Ham Chopped
2 tbsp Butter
26 oz Pinto Beans two 13.1 oz cans drained
3 qt Chicken Stock
1 cup Carrots Diced
1 Cup Celery Diced
1 cup Onion diced
3 cups Kale Chopped
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

In a large dutch oven or stock pot sauce carrots, onions and celery in butter until soft (about 5-10 minutes) then pour in chicken stock along with Worcestershire.
Drop hambone into the pot and simmer on low for about 2 hours stirring occasionally until all the meat on the bone is basically falling off. Next remove the bone and any attached meat from the pot and set aside to cool.
Add in your drained pinto beans as well as chopped kale, dijon and heavy cream. Continue cooking on low for another 45 minutes.
Once the hambone is cool enough to handle remove all the meat from the bone and chop up. If there's not enough ham then add some extra if you have leftovers. Add your ham back to the pot and cook for about 15 minutes.
Taste for salt and add seasoning as needed.

Notes

Serving size is about 12 oz or 1.5 cups

Nutrition

FAQs

What makes ham and bean soup thicken? ›

Use Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder

Slowly add this mixture to your soup, stirring continuously. Let the soup simmer for a few minutes until it reaches the desired thickness. Remember to follow the recommended ratio of starch to liquid to avoid clumping.

Get More Info Here ›

Why does my ham and bean soup taste bland? ›

Not Adding Acid

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl.

How do you thicken soup with beans? ›

You can also thicken soup by puréeing it with cooked beans or lentils. White beans like cannellini beans or navy beans are especially good for puréeing. This recipe for Creamy Italian White Bean Soup is a great place to start. Puréeing hearty winter vegetables like butternut and kabocha squash will also do the trick.

Explore More ›

What makes beans thicken? ›

After boiling the beans, you can add water to achieve your desired consistency. One way is to boil the beans until they are soft, then remove them from heat and cover with at least an inch of cold water. The beans will soak up some of the remaining hot water while they cool and release starches which thicken them.