Hearty Ham and Blended Bean Soup
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Cook up a pot of hearty ham and blended bean soup with some leftover ham; any kind will do. A cozy weekend and a healthy bowl of beans and veggies sure sound good to me about now.
We like to keep a couple of ham steaks in the freezer for our favorite bean and split pea soups. Then we freeze all the leftover soup for quick and easy meals when time or effort is running low. Sometimes I’m just too darn tired to cook, and I love grabbing a prepared meal or soup from the freezer!
I followed the basic recipe for our favorite navy bean soup but added a larger amount of carrots, onions, and celery, plus an extra bay leaf, as you will see in the recipe.
To Make This Hearty Ham and Blended Bean Soup, You Will Need These Ingredients:
- Dried Bean Blend ~ I used Heirloom Bean Blend, but any 5 or 7 bean blend is fine.
- Ham chunks and pieces
- Chicken broth
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Bay leaf
- Black pepper and salt
Add a little or a lot of ham. I decided to put all the extra ham in this batch of bean soup.
When you fill those bowls up with all this healthy fiber, your tummy stays full longer!
Bean soups can be made on the stovetop, in an instant pot, or in a slow cooker. Normally I use a quick soak method when making bean soups (not necessary with lentils), but we are skipping that step with this bean blend.
Beans and legumes are good for you and here’s why:
- Fiber keeps our system regular and tummies full longer.
- Blood sugar is stabilized.
- They are low-fat and full of antioxidants.
- Beans and legumes are easy on the budget.
Enjoy! And don’t forget the cornbread! You will find the easiest ever cornbread recipe in this chili post.
Hearty Ham And Blended Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried bean blend ~ or 1 lb package
- 7-8 cups chicken broth ~ check labels for soy and corn ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups onion chopped
- 1 1/2 cups carrots chopped
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- black pepper and salt to taste
- 1 pound Ham ~ any type and any amount ~ Perfect for leftover ham
Instructions
- In a medium frying pan saute vegetables in a little broth for about 5 minutes.
- Add cut up ham and saute about 2 minutes.
- Add all other ingredients and mix well. Cover and bring to a boil, then let simmer for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Stir occasionally. Remove bay leaf and serve.
- If using a slow cooker set to low and let cook all day 9-10 hours, or on high 5-6 hours
Notes
• It takes less than an hour including the sauteeing of the veggies to make this ham and navy bean soup in an Instant Pot.
• It is important to fill the Instant Pot just 3/4 or slightly less when cooking beans.
• Sautee everything except the beans without the lid for about 5 minutes.
• Add the beans and remaining broth and pushed the chili/bean button.
• Change the time to 20 minutes.
• Let it sit 10 minutes before releasing the pressure.
**Remember to check ham and chicken broth labels for corn and soy ingredients. **Serving sizes vary - 6 to 8
