White Bean and Ham Soup- One of my favorite things to do when i cook is to evoke memories or feelings in someone, to awaken a feeling of comfort, or even love. to be able to do that with humble and affordable ingredients is even better yet, which brings me to this gratifying white bean and ham soup.
The exquisite rustic character of this soup pairs very well with a rainy day, some crusty bread, and is sure to fill your belly with warmth. It's these kinds of comforting and affordable meals that seem to have a contemplative nature.
If you've ever cooked a ham for a holiday meal, I'm pretty sure that you've been confronted with the bone, and the leftover meat practically welded to it that makes utilizing it seem insurmountable. You payed for every ounce of that ham, let's use it all, ok?
Equipment
We have listed all of the specific needs in terms of smallwares and equipment in the recipe card below, but we have a listing of all of the basic things that a serious kitchen should have in "this article"
Ingredients
Broth:
- 1 each bone from a ham ( left over from your last Holiday meal) or if you don't have a ham bone, you could buy a ham steak and cut it into bite sized peices
- 5 ounces onion medium dice
- 5 ounces carrot medium dice
- 4 ounces celery medium dice
- 1 can cannellini beans you could use another type of canned bean or cooked lentils
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme pulled off the stem
- 1 tbsp fresh sage rough chopped
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese rind you could use the cheese instead of the rind if you prefer (I save my rinds)
- 3 each dried bay leaves
- 10 cups water
- 3 tbsp Better Than Bouillon chicken you could use chicken stock or broth, just omit the water and replace with broth or stock
Thickening and finish:
- 4 tbsp corn starch
- ¼ cup cold water
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions For White Bean Soup
As with any recipe, first you'll need to gather all of the necessary ingredients and process them as shown here.
Sauté all of the aromatic vegetables in the pot, add your herbs and the ham bone.
Shown here is the next step, adding the liquid, beans, and bouillon, and bringing to a simmer. Hidden from site is the parmesan cheese rind, this will add a real depth of flavor, but make sure that you give a stir at the bottom so that it doesn't stick.
Once the soup is thickened and finished with a little cream, all that is left is to enjoy!
White Bean and Ham Soup
Equipment
- 1 Kitchen knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 stock pot at least 6 quarts
- 1 measuring spoons
- 1 cooking spoon
- 1 Mixing Bowl to use when straining the beans
- 1 mesh strainer
- 1 kitchen tongs
Ingredients
- 1 each bone from a ham ( frozen from your last Holiday meal) or if you don't have a ham bone, you could buy a ham steak and cut it into bite sized peices
- 5 ounces onion medium dice
- 5 ounces carrot medium dice
- 4 ounces celery medium dice
- 1 can cannellini beans you could use another type of canned bean or cooked lentils
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme pulled off the stem
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage rough chopped
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese rind you could use the cheese instead of the rind if you prefer (I save my rinds)
- 3 each dried bay leaves
- 10 cups water
- 3 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon chicken you could use chicken stock or broth, just omit the water and replace with broth or stock
Thickening and Finish
- 4 tablespoon corn starch
- ¼ cup cold water
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- dice onion, carrot, and celery to medium dice
- if you are using a ham steak, cut to desired bite sized pieces
- pull the thyme leaves from the stems
- rough chop the fresh sage
- place the mesh strainer over a bowl, open the can of beans and strain the liquid off
- rinse the beans in the strainer under cold water until the water clear
- place the stock pot on a burner to heat
- when heated, add the olive oil, onion, carrot, and celery
- sauté the vegetables for a few minutes, then add the ham bone or ham chunks
- after cooking for another few minutes add the bay leaves and the herbs
- season to taste with salt and black pepper
- add the water
- add the Better than Bouillon, white beans, and the parmesan cheese rind or parmesan cheese
- mix with a cooking spoon, making sure the bouillon dissolves
- bring mixture to a simmer for 45 minutes
Thickening and Finishing
- carefully remove the ham bone from the pot, place on a cutting board
- using kitchen tongs being careful not to burn yourself remove the ham from the bone
- cut the removed ham into bite sized pieces and add back to the soup
- in a small bowl combine the corn starch and cold water until smooth (you can add a bit more cold water if needed)
- bring the soup to a boil, then add the corn starch mixture while stirring, the full thickening might take a few minutes at a rapid boil
- once thickened reduce the heat to a simmer and add the cream
- stir to combine, adjust salt and pepper to taste (keep in mind that the ham can add salt as it sits in the soup)
- garnish the finished soup with grated fresh parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Notes
Storage
This soup can be stored in a tightly sealed container refrigerated for 4 to 6 days. Frozen for up to 2 months.
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