This cozy Old Fashioned Ham and Bean Soup is based on my mom's recipe-simple, nostalgic, and deeply flavorful. This easy recipe shows you exactly how to make ham and bean soup from scratch using a leftover ham bone, dried beans, and simple vegetables.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
⏱️ Ready In: About 2½ hours (plus optional overnight bean soak)
👪 Serves: About 10 servings
🥣 Main Ingredients: Great Northern beans, leftover ham bone (or smoked ham hocks), onion, celery, carrots, and water
🎉 Best For: Using leftover holiday ham, cozy fall and winter dinners, and budget-friendly family meals
⭐ Why It Works: A slow simmer allows the ham bone to flavor the broth while the beans soften and naturally thicken the soup
⚠️ What to Watch For: Wait to add salt until the end of cooking. Adding salt too early can keep beans from softening properly
This old-fashioned ham and bean soup comes from my mom's kitchen. She made it on chilly nights when there was leftover ham in the fridge and a family to feed. It's a simple Midwestern classic I've made for years, and it's still one of my favorite cozy meals.
Starting with a whole ham? My Best Copycat Honey Baked Ham Recipe is the perfect place to begin - and it gives you the ham bone you'll need for this soup. Leftover ham is also delicious in Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole or stirred into Creamy Parmesan Risotto for an easy second meal.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Why This Ham and Bean Soup Recipe Works
- Ingredient Tips & Notes (Don't Skip These!)
- Easy Substitutions and Flavor Add-Ins
- Popular Variations for Ham & Bean Soup
- How To Make My Mom's Ham and Bean Soup
- Expert Tips for the Best Ham and Bean Soup
- Troubleshooting Guide
- Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- More Cozy Soup Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Community
Why This Ham and Bean Soup Recipe Works
- Beginner-friendly and forgiving. This soup is simple to make and even better the next day, making it perfect for new cooks.
- Simple, pantry-friendly ingredients. All you need are dried beans, a ham bone, and a few basic vegetables to make a pot of deeply flavorful soup.
- Perfect for leftover holiday ham. This recipe turns a ham bone and a few scraps of meat into a hearty second meal.
- Low and slow cooking builds incredible flavor. The long simmer gives the beans time to soften and the broth time to become rich and comforting.
- Budget-friendly and family approved. It's an old-fashioned Midwestern classic that feeds a crowd without fancy ingredients.
This is the kind of cozy, comforting meal that fills the house with good smells and brings everyone to the table.
Ingredient Tips & Notes (Don't Skip These!)
- Great Northern Beans - Dried Great Northern beans are traditional for ham and bean soup and become tender and creamy as they simmer.
- Ham Bone or Smoked Ham Hocks - A leftover ham bone adds incredible flavor to the broth, but smoked ham hocks are a great substitute if you don't have one.
- Yellow Onion - Diced onion adds a savory base flavor that builds depth in the soup.
- Celery - Celery adds freshness and balance to the broth.
- Carrots - Carrots add a touch of natural sweetness and color to the soup.
- Water - Water becomes the flavorful broth as the ham bone, beans, and vegetables slowly simmer together.
- Salt - Salt enhances the flavor of the soup and should be added at the end of cooking so the beans soften properly.
- Black Pepper - Black pepper is best added at the table so its bold flavor doesn't overpower the soup.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Easy Substitutions and Flavor Add-Ins
- Beans - Dried or canned beans like kidney beans, navy beans, or cannellini beans are great additions.
- No ham bone? Use 2 smoked ham hocks instead.
- Add-ins - Garlic, diced potatoes, and greens like spinach, kale, or Swiss chard.
- Herbs - Fresh or dried herbs like Italian parsley, thyme, and rosemary.
Popular Variations for Ham & Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Version - Short on time? You can make this soup in an Instant Pot. No need to soak the beans-just add everything to the pot, seal, and cook on high pressure for about 45 minutes with a natural release.
- Vegetarian Version - Skip the ham and use vegetable broth with a little bit of paprika for a rich, smoky flavor.
- Creamy Version - Blend 1-2 cups of soup and stir it back in for a naturally thickened, creamy texture.
- Spicy Version - Add a spoonful to hot salsa or your favorite hot sauce for a spicy kick.
- Smoky Bacon & Corn Version (Unique!) - Stir in a handful of crispy bacon bits and a cup of sweet corn during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Some leftover fried corn would be the perfect addition to use here!
How To Make My Mom's Ham and Bean Soup
This recipe is wonderfully simple and deeply comforting. You won't find any fancy ingredients or complicated steps here, just grab a big pot, add a little patience, and let the soup slowly build flavor as it simmers.
This is exactly how my mom used to make it (except for the carrots 😊), and how I still make it every time we have leftover holiday ham and need something hearty on the table.
Don't worry, this is a simple, forgiving soup recipe. Just follow the steps and let the pot do most of the work.
STEP 1: Soak the Beans. Soak 2 cups of beans in water overnight. Drain and rinse.
Time Saving Option: Skip this step and use 3 cans of beans instead.
STEP 2: Add Ingredients to the Pot. In a large soup pot, combine soaked beans, 5 cups of water, ham bone (or hocks), onion, celery, and carrots.
STEP 3: Simmer Low and Slow. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally.
The soup is ready when the beans are tender, the ham easily pulls from the bone, and the broth has thickened slightly.
STEP 4: Finish the Soup. Remove the ham bone or ham hocks. Shred or chop any meat and return it to the pot.
Stir in 2 teaspoons of salt once the soup is finished cooking. Let everyone season their own bowl with black pepper at the table so it doesn't overpower the soup.
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Expert Tips for the Best Ham and Bean Soup
- Use fresh beans. Older dried beans can stay tough no matter how long they cook. For the best texture, soak the beans overnight and rinse well before adding them to the soup.
- Wait to add salt. Many home cooks, including my mom, always added salt at the end of cooking. While some debate this, I've found it helps ensure the beans soften properly.
- Choose your ham wisely. A leftover ham bone adds incredible flavor. If you use smoked ham hocks instead, they create an even deeper smoky broth. If your ham was honey-glazed, add a splash of vinegar or mustard to balance the sweetness.
- Simmer low and slow. A gentle simmer for about 2 to 2½ hours gives the beans time to soften and allows the broth to develop rich flavor.
- Keep the vegetables balanced. Aim for roughly equal amounts of onion, celery, and carrot so no single vegetable overpowers the soup.
- Add black pepper at the table. Black pepper has a bold flavor and can easily take over the pot. Let everyone season their own bowl.
- Plan for leftovers. Ham and bean soup often tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.
Troubleshooting Guide
If your ham and bean soup doesn't turn out quite right, here are a few easy fixes.
- Beans still hard? The beans may be old or the soup may need more cooking time. Keep simmering until the beans soften.
- Soup too thin? Simmer uncovered a little longer so the broth can reduce, or mash a small portion of the beans to thicken the soup naturally.
- Soup too salty? Add a peeled diced potato or a little extra water or broth, then finish with a splash of vinegar to rebalance the flavor.
- Soup tastes bland? Add a little more salt and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. A splash of vinegar or lemon juice can also brighten the flavor.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
Ham and bean soup stores and reheats beautifully, making it a great meal to cook ahead.
- Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop until hot.
- Make-Ahead: This soup can be made a day in advance and often tastes even better the next day.
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Let the soup cool completely, then freeze in containers with a little room for expansion for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
Beans can stay hard if they are old or if the soup needs more cooking time. Continue simmering the soup gently until the beans soften. Adding salt too early may also slow the softening process, which is why many cooks wait to season bean soups until the end.
If ham and bean soup tastes bland, it usually needs more seasoning. Start by adding a little more salt and letting the soup simmer for another 10 minutes. A small splash of vinegar, lemon juice, or mustard can also brighten the flavor and add depth to the broth.
If ham and bean soup becomes too salty, add a peeled diced potato to absorb some of the salt, or dilute the soup with unsalted broth or water. Finishing the soup with a small splash of vinegar can also help rebalance the flavor.
A ham bone adds rich flavor to ham and bean soup, but it is not required. Smoked ham hocks or diced leftover ham can be used instead. Both options still create a flavorful, comforting soup.
Ham and bean soup can be thickened by mashing some of the cooked beans or blending a small portion of the soup and stirring it back into the pot. Simmering the soup uncovered for a little longer will also naturally thicken the broth.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this ham and bean soup hot with breadsticks to dunk, warm semi-homemade cornbread, or a fresh green salad for a simple, comforting meal.
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📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Ham and Bean Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups great northern beans dried or canned
- 5 cups water
- 1 cup onion
- 1 cup celery
- 1 cup carrot
- 1 leftover ham bone
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Soak 2 cups of beans in water overnight. Drain and rinse. Time Saving Option: Skip this step and use 3 cans of beans instead.
- In a large pot, combine soaked beans, 5 cups of water, ham bone (or hocks), onion, celery, and carrots.2 cups great northern beans, 5 cups water, 1 cup onion, 1 cup celery, 1 cup carrot, 1 leftover ham bone
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2-2.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until it "looks good" (Mom's words). Ham should be falling off the bone, beans and vegetables should be tender, and broth slightly thickened.
- Remove the bone/hocks, shred or cut up any meat, and return it to the pot. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper to taste once served to prevent it from overpowering the soup.2 teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Video
Notes
- Use fresh dried beans - Older beans may stay tough no matter how long you cook them. Soak beans overnight and rinse well before adding them to the soup.
- Do not add salt until the end of cooking - Salting too early can prevent the beans in this ham and bean soup from softening properly. Add salt only once the beans are fully cooked.
- If using leftover honey-glazed ham, add a splash of apple cider vinegar or Dijon mustard to balance the sweetness and deepen the flavor.
- Don't skip the low simmer - Let this ham and bean soup simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 to 2.5 hours. The long cooking time builds flavor and allows the beans to become tender.
- To thicken the soup, blend 1-2 cups and stir it back in. You can also mash a portion of the beans with a fork or potato masher, or simmer uncovered to reduce the broth.
- For added richness, stir in cooked diced potatoes, sweet corn, or crispy bacon during the final 10 minutes of cooking.
- Freezes beautifully - Cool the ham and bean soup completely, then freeze in individual portions with headroom for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently.
Felicia says
You mentioned you could use Ham Hocks instead of ham bone. How many hocks would you suggest?
Seanna Borrows says
Hi Felicia, They usually come 2-3 to a package. I'd just use the whole package.
Seanna says
This is my Mom's tried and true recipe! I hope you like it as much as I do! Let me know, I'd love to hear from you.
Val Laws says
Too thin! next time I would use much less water. I would start out with 2 quarts.
Seanna Borrows says
Hi Val,
Thank you so much for trying the recipe—and for your honest feedback. I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review.
After reading your comment, I went back to double-check the post, and you were absolutely right—the water measurement was listed incorrectly. It should have been 5 cups, not 5 quarts. That would definitely make for a very thin soup! I’ve corrected it now, and I’m so sorry for the frustration that caused.
This is one of my mom’s recipes and one of my favorite cozy meals, so it means a lot to me to get it right—and I’m incredibly grateful that you caught the error. Thank you for helping make the recipe better for everyone. I hope you’ll give it another try now that the measurement has been updated!
Warmly,
Seanna