Ham Bone Bean Soup (Printable)

A hearty blend of beans, ham, and smoky paprika creates a warm, satisfying bowl for chilly days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 leftover ham bone with meat attached
02 - 1 cup diced cooked ham, optional

→ Beans & Legumes

03 - 2 cups dried navy beans, rinsed and soaked overnight

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 carrots, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 bay leaf

→ Seasonings

09 - 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
11 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
12 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
13 - Salt to taste

→ Liquids

14 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How to Make It:

01 - Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the ham bone, soaked beans, bay leaf, and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender.
05 - Remove the ham bone from the pot. Allow to cool slightly, then pick off any meat and return it to the soup. Discard bone and bay leaf.
06 - If desired, add diced cooked ham for additional protein. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Serve hot, optionally garnished with fresh parsley or a swirl of olive oil.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • One ham bone transforms into liquid gold—a rich, meaty broth that tastes like you've been cooking all day when you really haven't.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and packed with protein, so you can eat a big bowlful without any guilt creeping in.
  • The smoky paprika gives it a complexity that makes people ask for seconds before they even finish their first.
02 -
  • If your beans aren't soaked overnight, they'll take twice as long to cook and might never soften evenly, leaving you with a disappointing texture that throws off the whole dish.
  • Don't skip removing the bay leaf—I once served a bowl with it still floating in there, and a friend bit down on it and learned the hard way why it matters.
  • The smoky paprika is worth buying fresh; old paprika loses its smoky punch and just tastes like dusty red powder instead of magic.
03 -
  • Don't throw away that ham bone without squeezing every bit of flavor out of it—a good bone is treasure in the kitchen, and this soup is the proof.
  • If your soup tastes flat on the final tasting, a pinch more smoked paprika and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice will wake it right up without changing its character.
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