Ham and Bean Soup - The Salty Marshmallow (2024)

Ham and Bean soup is the best way to use up leftover ham! This savory, flavor packed soup can be made easily on the stove top, instant pot, or in your slow cooker!

Ham and Bean Soup:

Ham and bean soup is such a classic! One of my favorite meals from childhood served up with a warm slice of Homemade Cornbread. There is nothing cozier, or a more tasty way to use up any leftover ham you might have around. If you don’t have leftover ham, you can use packaged diced ham too! Everyone makes ham & beans a little differently. I like to consider mine a little bit “upgraded” if you will. There is lots of great flavor going on because we make a simple broth using the ham bone (don’t worry if you don’t have one) and herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary, and smoked paprika!

Maybe the best part about this recipe is there is a method for everyone, you can make this on the stove if you prefer, or just as easily in your instant pot or slow cooker. Let’s chat about the differences so you can pick one!

• Stove top method: You’ll need a large, heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven. You’ll use butter and olive oil (best flavor using both!) and cook your onions, the hambone if you have one, and garlic. Then, it’s just a matter of adding in the rest of your ingredients and simmering. For the stove, you’ll need to simmer on low heat for a good 60-90 minutes. The longer it goes, the better the flavor.
• Slow cooker method: This one starts out the same as above because you will want to go ahead and cook down your onion, garlic, and ham bone before adding to the pot. Then, everything goes in and you’ll want to cook on low for a good 6-8 hours.
• Instant pot method: This is definitely the fastest method, although I’m partial to making mine on the stove, personally. If you want this soup fast, this is the way to go! It turns this into a one pot meal because you can do your saute right in the instant pot. Then, just cook on the soup setting for 30 minutes.

Ham and Bean Soup Recipe Notes:

• For this recipe, I call for using the ham bone as well as 1-2 cups of leftover chopped ham. I like both for best flavor and a meatier soup. If you don’t have the ham bone, don’t worry. You can make your broth using diced leftover ham only, as well as sub some of the water for broth to amp up the flavor.
• This recipe uses mostly water, again unless you don’t have the ham bone and need some broth for flavor. Don’t be tempted to use all broth though, it will make your soup way too salty if you do.
• I recommend not adding in any salt to this soup until it’s completely finished cooking. You’ll be surprised at how salty the ham/ham bone are already and they season the soup. Sometimes, I only need to add extra pepper and no salt at all depending on how salty my ham was.
• You can use dried or canned white beans for this soup. Any type of white beans are perfectly fine. Keep in mind that dried beans need to be soaked overnight, so follow the package directions. Canned beans don’t need soaked, just drained and rinsed. Also, note the differences below in the recipe card because the dried beans go into the soup sooner than if using canned.
• Use the herbs that you have on hand! I always keep thyme, rosemary, and sage, dried on hand. You can also use fresh if you have that. If you are out of one of those spices, you can add in extra of one of the others. Don’t skimp on them if you can help it, this is what flavors your broth.
• This soup can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can also allow cool completely and then freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Enjoy!

~Nichole