Ham Butter Bean Soup (Print)

Hearty Southern style soup with smoky ham, tender butter beans, and a fresh herb blend for comfort and flavor.

# Ingredients:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb smoked ham hock or diced ham

→ Legumes

02 - 2 cups dried butter beans or 3 cans (15 oz each) butter beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 2 cups water

→ Herbs & Seasonings

09 - 2 bay leaves
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - Salt to taste

→ Optional

15 - Hot sauce for serving
16 - Crusty bread for serving

# Instructions:

01 - If using dried butter beans, soak them overnight in plenty of cold water. Drain and rinse thoroughly before use.
02 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat a splash of oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ham hock or diced ham, soaked butter beans or canned beans, chicken broth, water, bay leaves, thyme, and black pepper.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour (45 minutes if using canned beans), stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and flavors meld.
06 - Remove ham hock, shred the meat, and return it to the pot. Discard bone and excess fat. Remove and discard bay leaves.
07 - Stir in parsley and chives. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, garnished with extra herbs and hot sauce if desired. Accompany with crusty bread.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • The butter beans become creamy and tender while the ham infuses every spoonful with a quiet, smoky depth that doesn't shout but absolutely satisfies.
  • Fresh herbs scattered at the end wake everything up, turning what could be heavy into something bright and alive.
  • It's the kind of soup that tastes even better the next day, so you're basically cooking twice without trying.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing canned beans, the soup will turn starchy and cloudy instead of having a clear, clean broth that lets the flavor shine through.
  • Oversalting in the beginning means you're stuck, so go easy until the very end when you can actually taste everything together and adjust properly.
03 -
  • Save your ham bone if you buy a ham for holidays, wrap it well, and keep it frozen for exactly this purpose.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, double the batch and freeze half, because once people taste it they'll ask you to make it again.
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