Classic Ham and Bean Soup

Classic Ham and Bean Soup made easy on the stove top. Smoky ham, white beans, and veggies make this soup a family favorite. It's a healthy soup that will warm you right up!

BEAN SOAK TIME: 12 hours

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

COOK TIME: 2 hours 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 14 hours 40 minutes

YIELDS: 10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

-1 pound Dried White Beans, such as Navy or Great Northern, rinsed and soaked overnight, then drained

-1 medium Onion, diced

-3 Cloves Garlic, minced

-32 ounce box Low Sodium, Fat Free Chicken Stock (4 cups)

-6 cups Water

-1 Smoked Ham Hock (or leftover ham bone)

-1-2 Dried Bay Leaves

-1 (14.5 ounce) can of Diced Tomatoes, undrained (no added salt if you can find them)

-1 cup Carrots, peeled and sliced

-1 cup Celery, sliced

-8 ounces Fully Cooked Smoked Lean Ham, diced

-1 teaspoon Dried Thyme

-2-3 tablespoons Brown Sugar

-Couple dashes of Liquid Smoke

-Juice of Half a Lemon

-Non-Stick Cooking Spray

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a 6-quart Dutch oven or similar sized stock pot sprayed with cooking spray, on medium heat, cook onion until softened (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for a minute or so longer. Add beans, chicken stock, water, bay leaves, and ham hocks. (If you have a smoked ham slice with the bone in, but around the bone and drop that in the soup with the ham hock, then remove when the beans are done.) Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Cover loosely and simmer for about 2 hours, or until beans are tender. Remove ham hock and discard. Skim off any visible fat from the top.

2. Add in canned tomatoes, carrots, celery, diced ham and thyme. Continue to simmer until vegetables are tender, about another 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Remove bay leaves and discard. Add in brown sugar, liquid smoke and lemon juice. After testing broth, season with salt and pepper. You may not need any salt at all.

4. Optional: Take a potato mashed and mash up some of the beans and vegetables on the bottom and stir for a thicker soup! (I did not do this!)

NOTES:

**This Ham and Bean Soup recipe is great for leftover ham bones too! Just substitute the ham hocks for a ham bone in the recipe.