I love ham! I love it so much that my mom always makes a turkey AND a ham for every holiday dinner. So when we have leftover holiday ham, one of my favorite soups to make is white bean and ham soup.
This hearty soup is filled with smoky flavor from the ham, loads of creamy white beans, and lots of veggies. It's a modern take on a classic Southern soup recipe that's normally made with the leftover ham bone. I've modified this soup to reduce the cooking time and allow it to be made with store-bought smoked ham.
Serve it along side my gluten free corn muffins or some crusty bread for a satisfying meal your whole family will love!
If you're looking for more great soup recipes, I've got you covered. I recommend my black bean sweet potato soup, this Chick-Fil-A chicken tortilla soup, or my favorite fall - chicken and butternut squash soup.
Ingredient Notes
This delicious soup uses common ingredients, which can be found at most grocery stores.
- Oil - I use olive oil for all of my cooking and baking, but any type of light flavored oil (like vegetable oil) would work fine.
- Onion, Carrots, and Celery - These three provide the base flavors of the soup.
- Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes, and Dried Thyme - All three of these ingredients are there to add flavor to the soup. If you prefer to use fresh thyme, you will need 3x the amount called for in the recipe.
- Ham - Smoked ham is the best ham for this soup. You can use a spiral ham, but avoid heavily sweetened or flavored hams because it will alter the flavor of the soup. For this recipe I bought a small gluten free ham from the grocery store. I normally use Kentucky Legend brand, which is marked gluten free. If you're looking for a full size ham to bake, I recommend Smithfield brand, which is also marked gluten free.
- Gluten Free Chicken Broth - I prefer to use low sodium chicken broth, since ham is typically very salty on it's own. If you're following a gluten free diet, make sure to buy chicken broth that is marked gluten. Pacific Foods is my favorite brand.
- Cannellini Beans - Not only are these white kidney beans the co-star of the soup, they are also mashed and used to thicken the broth. You can substitute Pinto beans, Navy beans or Great Northern beans if you prefer. For canned beans, I like Bush's brand, which is gluten free.
- Non-Dairy Cream - I like a little creaminess to my soup, which deviates from the old-fashioned way of making it. If you prefer a clear broth you can skip the cream.
- Cornstarch - Along with cream, I add a little cornstarch to thicken the broth. This is also optional.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not Gluten Free - Use your favorite brand of ham, chicken broth and beans without worrying about gluten free labels.
- Not Dairy Free - Use heavy cream or half and half in place of the non-dairy cream.
- No Cannellini beans - Replace these with pinto beans, navy beans, or great northern beans in the same measure.
How to make White Bean and Ham Soup
This soup is very easy to make and unlike the old-fashioned ham and bean soup recipes it doesn't need to simmer for hours. I recommend using a large stock pot or large Dutch oven pot for cooking.
STEP 1: Add the oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery to the oil and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes.
STEP 2: Add the minced garlic, dried thyme and red pepper flakes to the pot with the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
STEP 3: Add the diced ham and 3 cups of chicken stock to the pot. Stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
STEP 4: Add the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth and one can of white beans to a blender. Puree until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender to puree the beans.
STEP 5: Add the two cans of beans and the pureed beans to the pot. Stir together and simmer for another 5 minutes.
STEP 6: Combine the cornstarch and cream to make a slurry. Pour it into the soup and whisk it well. Cook for another 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
Storage
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The delicious flavors of this soup only improve over time. Reheat to 165F before serving.
This soup will also freeze well. I recommend dividing it into souper cubes and once they are frozen transferring the soup cubes to freezer bags. Store for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More soup recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
White Bean and Ham Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 Cup Carrots cut into ¼" coins
- ½ Cup Yellow Onion diced
- ¼ Cup Celery diced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 pound Ham cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 Cups Gluten Free Chicken Broth
- 1 Cup Gluten Free Chicken Broth
- 1 can Cannellini beans 1 x 15 ounce can, not drained
- 2 cans Cannellini beans 2 x 15 ounce cans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Cup Plant Based Cream
- 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.3 Tablespoons Oil
- Add the onions, carrots and celery to the oil. Saute until vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.1 Cup Carrots, ½ Cup Yellow Onion, ¼ Cup Celery
- Add the minced garlic, dried thyme and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.3 cloves Garlic, 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme, ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- Add the ham and 3 cups of chicken broth. Stir well. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.1 pound Ham, 3 Cups Gluten Free Chicken Broth
- Pour one can of white beans and the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth into a blender. Puree until smooth.1 Cup Gluten Free Chicken Broth, 1 can Cannellini beans
- Add the two cans of whole beans and the bean puree to the soup. Stir together and simmer for another 5 minutes.2 cans Cannellini beans
- Combine the cream and cornstarch together to make a slurry. Pour it into the soup while whisking. Cook for about 3 minutes more, until the broth begins to thicken a little.1 Cup Plant Based Cream, 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- Remove from heat. Serve immediately garnished with freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
Ned says
This was the perfect comforting soup on a cold day! It did wonders for my soul! Thank you for this awesome recipe!
I'm so glad you likes it!
Mary says
May I say this recipe was easy, hearty and delicious. Wonderful flavor, I have tried a few of your recipes and they are so easy. This soup was delicious on a cold Georgia evening. Definitely will be on our meal rotation.
I love to hear this! 🙂