Ham and Red Bean Soup (Printable)

A flavorful blend of smoked ham, tender red beans, and Creole spices simmered to perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb smoked ham hock or leftover ham bone
02 - 8 oz diced smoked ham

→ Beans

03 - 1 lb dried red beans, soaked overnight and drained

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 bay leaves
09 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

→ Liquids

11 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock or water

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjusted to taste
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
17 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
18 - 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, optional
19 - 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, optional

→ Accompaniment

20 - Cooked long-grain white rice for serving, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat a splash of oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, diced bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the soaked and drained red beans, smoked ham hock, diced ham, bay leaves, thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, black pepper, white pepper if using, and salt to the pot.
04 - Pour in the chicken stock or water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
05 - After 1 hour, check the beans for tenderness. Continue simmering until the beans are creamy and the meat is falling off the bone.
06 - Remove the ham hock from the pot. Shred any meat from the bone and return it to the pot. Discard the bone and excess fat.
07 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt, black pepper, or hot sauce as desired.
08 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve over cooked rice. Garnish with green onions and fresh parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a one-pot wonder that actually tastes like you've been cooking all day, even though most of the work is just letting it bubble away.
  • The soup gets better as it sits, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd without last-minute stress.
  • Creole spices create layers of warmth that taste expensive but cost almost nothing.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the beans overnight—it cuts the cooking time in half and prevents that grainy texture that happens when beans cook too fast.
  • The ham hock releases a surprising amount of fat; skimming it once or twice during cooking keeps the soup from feeling heavy, though some of that fat carries flavor so don't remove it all.
03 -
  • Save your ham bones and freeze them—they're liquid gold for soup and cost you nothing since you were going to throw them away anyway.
  • If you forget to soak the beans, quick-soak them by boiling for 2 minutes, then letting them sit covered for an hour before draining and proceeding.
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