Delicious Old Fashioned Ham and Bean Soup

I grew up eating ham and bean soup that came from a can, and I honestly thought that’s just what it was supposed to taste like. My mom would heat it up on busy weeknights, and we’d eat it with crackers—nothing fancy, but it filled us up.

It wasn’t until years later that I tried real homemade ham and bean soup at a friend’s house, and I couldn’t believe the difference. The beans were creamy, the broth was rich, and you could actually taste the ham instead of just finding mystery chunks of it. Turns out, making it from scratch isn’t hard at all—it just takes a little time and a good ham hock. Once you try it this way, you’ll never go back to the canned stuff.

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What Kind of Beans Should I Use?

Great northern beans are the classic choice for ham and bean soup, and they’re what I recommend sticking with for this recipe. These white beans have a mild, slightly nutty flavor and hold their shape well during the long cooking process without turning to mush. If you can’t find great northern beans at your store, navy beans or cannellini beans make good substitutes and will give you a similar creamy texture. You can use either dried beans (which you’ll need to soak overnight) or canned beans if you’re short on time, though dried beans will give you better flavor since they’ll absorb all those delicious ham drippings as they cook.

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Options for Substitutions

This classic soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Great northern beans: Navy beans, cannellini beans, or pinto beans all work great here. They’ll give you a similar creamy texture and cook in about the same amount of time.
• Ham hock: If you can’t find a ham hock, use a smoked turkey leg or add an extra cup of diced ham along with a teaspoon of liquid smoke for that smoky flavor.
• Diced ham: Leftover holiday ham is perfect, but deli ham or even cooked bacon pieces can work in a pinch. Just adjust the salt since these can be pretty salty.
• Mustard powder: Don’t have mustard powder? Use 1 tablespoon of prepared yellow mustard instead. It adds the same tangy kick.
• White pepper: Regular black pepper works just fine if that’s what you have. The flavor difference is pretty minimal in a hearty soup like this.
• Celery: If you’re out of celery, add an extra 1/2 cup of carrots or use celery seed (about 1/2 teaspoon) to get that celery flavor without the actual vegetable.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with bean soup is skipping the soaking step, which can leave you with beans that stay hard and crunchy no matter how long you simmer them – if you’re short on time, a quick soak like this recipe uses works great, but make sure the water is actually boiling before you add the beans.

Another common issue is adding salt too early in the cooking process, as it can toughen the beans and prevent them from getting tender, so it’s better to add most of your salt toward the end of cooking.

Don’t forget to taste and adjust your seasoning before serving, since the saltiness of ham hocks and diced ham can vary quite a bit depending on the brand, and you might need more pepper or even a splash of vinegar to brighten up the flavors.

Finally, if your soup turns out too thick after sitting, just add a cup or two of water or broth when reheating – bean soups naturally thicken as they cool since the starches continue to absorb liquid.

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What to Serve With Ham and Bean Soup?

This hearty soup is filling on its own, but I love serving it with warm cornbread or buttermilk biscuits for soaking up all that good broth. A simple side of coleslaw adds a nice crunch and freshness that balances out the richness of the beans and ham. If you want to make it more of a complete meal, add a pan of skillet cornbread right on the table so everyone can break off pieces as they eat. Some folks like to serve this with pickled vegetables or a few slices of raw onion on the side for a tangy contrast to the savory soup.

Storage Instructions

Store: This soup actually gets better after a day or two in the fridge! Keep it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The beans will soak up more flavor as it sits, and you might need to add a splash of water or broth when reheating since the beans tend to thicken it up.

Freeze: Ham and bean soup is perfect for freezing. Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving a bit of room at the top for expansion. It’ll keep for up to 3 months and makes for an easy weeknight dinner when you don’t feel like cooking.

Reheat: Warm the soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or chicken broth if it’s gotten too thick. You can also microwave individual portions, but I like to stir it halfway through to make sure it heats evenly.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1500-1700
• Protein: 120-140 g
• Fat: 25-35 g
• Carbohydrates: 200-220 g

Ingredients

• 1 lb great northern beans
• 8 cups water
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 ham hock
• 1 cup carrots
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1 cup onion
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 2 cups ham
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

Step 1: Prepare Beans with Quick Soak Method

• 1 lb great northern beans
• 8 cups water
• 3/4 tsp salt

Rinse the great northern beans under cold water and pick through them to remove any discolored or damaged beans.

In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil with 3/4 teaspoon of salt.

Remove from heat, add the cleaned beans, cover, and let them soak for 1 hour.

This quick soak method softens the beans while removing some of the compounds that cause digestive discomfort, and it’s much faster than overnight soaking.

Step 2: Prepare Aromatics and Seasonings

• 1 cup onion
• 1 cup carrots
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves

While the beans are soaking, dice the onion into small pieces, chop the carrots into bite-sized chunks, and dice the celery.

Mince the garlic finely.

In a small bowl, combine the mustard powder, smoked paprika, and dried thyme—I find mixing the dry spices together first prevents clumping and ensures even distribution throughout the soup.

Have the bay leaves and ham hock ready nearby.

Step 3: Build the Soup Base

• soaked beans and their cooking liquid from Step 1
• 1 ham hock
• prepared aromatics from Step 2
• spice mixture from Step 2

After the beans have soaked, do not drain them—they’re sitting in flavored water that we want to keep.

Bring the pot back to a boil, then add the ham hock, prepared aromatics (onion, carrots, celery, and garlic), the spice mixture from Step 2, and the bay leaves.

Stir well to combine and allow the flavors to start melding together.

The ham hock will release gelatin and deep, savory flavor as it cooks, which is the foundation of this classic soup.

Step 4: Simmer the Soup Until Beans Are Tender

• soup base from Step 3

Once the soup reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 1 hour, or until the beans are completely tender and beginning to break down slightly.

This extended gentle cooking allows the beans to fully soften, the ham hock to impart all its flavor, and the aromatics to mellow into the broth.

Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Step 5: Add Ham and Final Seasonings

• simmered soup from Step 4
• 2 cups ham

Carefully remove the ham hock from the soup with tongs and set it aside briefly to cool slightly.

Once cool enough to handle, pick any meat from the bone and shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces.

Discard the bone.

Add the shredded ham hock meat back into the soup along with the 2 cups of chopped cooked ham.

I prefer adding the ham toward the end so it doesn’t get overcooked and lose its texture.

Stir in the white pepper and taste the soup, adjusting salt and pepper as needed.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

• soup from Step 5
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

Simmer the soup for an additional 30 minutes to allow the ham to warm through and the flavors to meld together.

Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

This soup is even better the next day as the flavors deepen, so don’t hesitate to make it ahead.

Delicious Old Fashioned Ham and Bean Soup

Delicious Delicious Old Fashioned Ham and Bean Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 55 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 1600 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb great northern beans
• 8 cups water
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 ham hock
• 1 cup carrots
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1 cup onion
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 2 cups ham
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

Instructions

 

• Rinse the great northern beans under cold water and pick through them to remove any discolored or damaged beans. In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil with 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Remove from heat, add the cleaned beans, cover, and let them soak for 1 hour. This quick soak method softens the beans while removing some of the compounds that cause digestive discomfort, and it's much faster than overnight soaking.
• While the beans are soaking, dice the onion into small pieces, chop the carrots into bite-sized chunks, and dice the celery. Mince the garlic finely. In a small bowl, combine the mustard powder, smoked paprika, and dried thyme—I find mixing the dry spices together first prevents clumping and ensures even distribution throughout the soup. Have the bay leaves and ham hock ready nearby.
• After the beans have soaked, do not drain them—they're sitting in flavored water that we want to keep. Bring the pot back to a boil, then add the ham hock, prepared aromatics (onion, carrots, celery, and garlic), the spice mixture from Step 2, and the bay leaves. Stir well to combine and allow the flavors to start melding together. The ham hock will release gelatin and deep, savory flavor as it cooks, which is the foundation of this classic soup.
• Once the soup reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 1 hour, or until the beans are completely tender and beginning to break down slightly. This extended gentle cooking allows the beans to fully soften, the ham hock to impart all its flavor, and the aromatics to mellow into the broth. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Carefully remove the ham hock from the soup with tongs and set it aside briefly to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, pick any meat from the bone and shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bone. Add the shredded ham hock meat back into the soup along with the 2 cups of chopped cooked ham. I prefer adding the ham toward the end so it doesn't get overcooked and lose its texture. Stir in the white pepper and taste the soup, adjusting salt and pepper as needed.
• Simmer the soup for an additional 30 minutes to allow the ham to warm through and the flavors to meld together. Ladle into bowls and serve hot. This soup is even better the next day as the flavors deepen, so don't hesitate to make it ahead.