Easy Ham and Bean Soup is made with canned beans — no soaking required! This hearty and satisfying soup recipe calls for everyday ingredients and simmers for just 20 minutes. Each bite is packed with flavor, protein, and fiber. Meet your new go-to easy soup recipe!
“This soup was so yummy and easy! Both my boys loved it, perfect comfort food. … Served with store-bought sourdough bread and butter, delish!”
They say chicken soup cures what ails ya but I have to put in a good word for Easy Ham and Bean Soup. It’s become a go-to when we’re feeling under the weather.
Whether you’re down and out, or simply looking for a hearty and satisfying soup recipe, Ham and Bean Soup checks all the boxes. It simmers for just 20 minutes and is made with minimal, everyday ingredients including canned beans — no soaking required.
Oh yes you CAN get a full-flavored, savory bean soup using canned beans. Tell the others!
What How to Make It
Easy Ham and Bean Soup
With three kids and a hectic schedule, I typically don’t have the time (fine, nor the desire) to cook dried beans from scratch. Luckily you can get a super savory, creamy bean soup recipe using canned beans. Nobody will ever know.
In addition to being quick and easy, Ham and Bean soup is high in protein and fiber, and full of veggies too. I’m always finding an excuse to make it, especially around the holidays to use up leftover ham.
Main Ingredients Needed
Raid the fridge and pantry for the everyday ingredients needed to make this soup. Here are the main ones!
- Ham steak: dice up leftover holiday ham or purchase a pre-sliced ham steak from the grocery store. I like Frick’s bone-in ham steak.
- Great Northern Beans: are small and creamy — perfect for this soup! I like Bush’s Great Northern Beans which are high quality.
- Vegetables: carrots, celery, onion, and garlic add bulk, nutrition and lots of flavor.
- Chicken stock: since this soup only simmers for 20 minutes I like to use chicken stock vs chicken broth for max flavor.
- Flour: gives the soup broth a slightly velvety texture. I use gluten free flour but you can use AP flour if you’re not gluten free.
How to Thicken Ham and Bean Soup
One option to thicken Ham and Bean Soup is to blend a portion of the beans with broth in a blender, or with an immersion blender, but I find it muddies up the soup.
I find using a bit of flour gives the broth a slightly thick and velvety texture that’s really satisfying and cozy.
Can I Make Ham and Bean Soup Without a Bone?
If you’ve got a leftover ham bone, shank, or ham hock laying around, especially after the holidays, absolutely toss it into the soup to simmer, but truly you can get TONS of flavor simply by using a diced ham steak.
Alrighty, let’s cook!
How to Make Ham and Bean Soup With Canned Beans
Step 1: Saute the vegetables.
Start by heating extra virgin olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped carrots, celery, and onion or shallot, season with salt and pepper then saute until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes.
Add minced fresh garlic and dried thyme then saute until the garlic is very fragrant, 1 minute.
Step 2: Thicken the soup.
Sprinkle flour over the top of the vegetables then cook while stirring for 1 minute. The addition of flour to the Ham and Bean Soup will give the broth a slightly velvety texture.
Step 3: Add the remaining ingredients.
Slowly add glugs of chicken stock into the pot while stirring to create a smooth sauce then add the remaining stock. Lastly, add diced ham steak and canned Great Northern Beans that have been drained and rinsed then stir to combine.
Turn the heat to high to bring the soup to a simmer then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. That’s it!
What to Serve with Ham and Bean Soup
I love pairing a hot bowl of ham and bean soup with crispy crostini to soak up all the rich broth (see the recipe card below for my easy recipe).
Warm Gluten Free Focaccia, Gluten Free Biscuits, Gluten Free Flatbread, or Gluten Free Cornbread are delicious as well!
Storage and Freezing Instructions
- To store: This soup gets better and better as it sits so store any leftovers in the refrigerator to reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove for easy lunches.
- To freeze: Cool the soup completely then ladle portions into Souper Cubes or Ziplock freezer bags and freeze flat. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours prior to meal time, then reheat in a pan on the stove top.
More Satisfying Soup Recipes
- Gluten Free Lasagna Soup
- Chicken Stew
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Pastina Soup
- Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Hamburger Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken and Rice Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped, ~1/2 cup
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped
- 1/2 onion or 1 large shallot, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- big pinch dried thyme
- 2 Tablespoons gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2, 15 oz cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 lb ham steak, cubed
Directions
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion/shallot, season with salt and pepper, then saute until tender, 8-10 minutes. Place a lid on top with a splash of chicken stock or water if the vegetables are taking a long time to soften. Add the garlic and dried thyme then saute until the garlic is extremely fragrant, 1 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour then cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly add the chicken stock while stirring until a smooth sauce has been formed then pour in the remaining stock. Add the beans and ham steak then turn the heat to high to bring the soup to a simmer. Turn the heat down to medium-low then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Scoop into bowls then serve with crostini — see notes for recipe.
Notes
- To make crostini: slice a gluten free baguette (or a regular baguette if you don’t need to eat GF,) into 1/4″ slices then arrange on a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush both sides with extra virgin olive oil then season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the crostini are golden brown, at 350 degrees, rotating the baking sheet and flipping the crostini over halfway through.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
The liquid in the canned beans is a great addition to soup, don t send it down the drain. It will add flavor and help thicken.
I made this today, similar to my mom’s recipe over 65 years old! Excellent I did use two cups of juice left from the ham and the rest chicken stock! This is a keeper
Love the addition of ham juice, Charlene! Yum!
Do you have the nutritional information?
Estimated nutritional information will be added to my recipes in 2024 – stay tuned! :)
I make this soup twice a month during the cold season. It’s a nice break from soup beans, and my GF kids eat the whole pot in one sitting!
LOVE hearing that, Jill! Thanks so much for your feedback!
This was one of the best ham & bean soups I’ve had! I added one medium red skin potato, diced, but otherwise I made it exactly as noted. What I loved about it was it’s not pasty thick like some bean soups. I loved it because it was still a little brothy but slightly thick. Quick & perfectly seasoned, too. Thank you!
Ahh, love that you loved this soup so much, Sue! You nailed all the reasons why we love it too — thrilled it was a hit for you!
We’ve got this recipe with our Christmas Ham going in our brand new cast iron Dutch oven. Smells amazing already!
YUM!! I hope it was a hit, Mitch!
Just made it with left over ham from Christmas! How well does this freeze?
I’m so glad to hear that, Lisa! It freezes very well!
Spam works well if you don’t have ham.
Being a newly single man learning to cook for myself I ran across this recipe and I have to say I absolutely love it! I used the leftovers from a pork shoulder I cooked and it was amazing. Thank you Iowa girl. I’m an Iowa boy as well. This recipe definitely reminds me of home.
I’m so happy to hear that, Ty! Glad this was a homerun recipe for you. :)
This is on my list to make for this Sunday! Looks Delicious! Thanks for Sharing!
I hope you loved it, Debby!
Love your recipes
Thank you, Judy!
I made this today and it was delicious! After sauteeing the vegetables, I put everything else in the crockpot. Really easy and tasty soup! If you can find ham bouillon packets (in the Mexican section of the grocery), use one. It really ramps up the flavor.
Love those ideas, Julie!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Delicious, and so easy! Thank you for a good use of an Easter ham. I usually make it the hard way (dried beans.) You, and Bush’s beans, have made me a fan. ????
Fabulous!! I’m so glad you gave this method and recipe a try, Karen!