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I often fall victim to wanting to be a foodie. I love to pore through stacks of recipes, experiment with different spices, and scavenge for unique foods. I love to find something new to obsess over, but I always find the most comfort in those things I already know.
Ham and beans are truly a humble dish, born from the necessity of making something out of… not much. Simple beans and a leftover ham bone (also known as ham hock) create a flavorful, hearty meal. Growing up, Mom would often make ham and beans on a winter-like day, simmering away on the stove and filling the house with smoky goodness. I love when a meal feels like a hug (weird phrase, but you know what I mean!), and these beans are full of the comfort that tastes so good.
The best ham and beans recipe is pared down and never over-complicated. There’s no reason to try to reinvent a wheel that’s already so delicious. The most important rule is that you must start with dried beans. Canned beans have a great purpose and come in handy in many dishes where the beans aren’t the most important part. This dish is all about the beans, both in the flavor and the texture. If the dried beans are freshly dried, soaking is not always important. Since it’s hard to know, I always start by soaking the beans, just in case!
Much like a soup, ham and beans start with a base of onion, carrot, and celery. The underlying vegetal flavor actually elevates the beans.
To flavor the beans, a ham bone with plenty of meat still attached is ideal. I don’t make large bone-in hams often, so thankfully ,it’s easy to find ham bones in many supermarkets.
The foodie in me can’t help but add a bit more umami flavor. And that comes in the form of a Parmesan rind, available at most grocery stores or cheese counters, which gives a rich flavor that rounds out the beans.
And since this is almost a soup, the liquid left in the bottom of each dish will need to be soaked up. That’s where cornbread comes into play! In our house, cornbread is traditionally served with this meal, and rightfully so. The texture and ability to finish the hearty meal make this the best comfort food around!
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Homestyle Ham and Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried white or navy beans (about 2 cups)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ cups roughly diced carrot
- 1 cup diced celery
- ¾ cup diced onion
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ham bone/hock
- 1 4- to 6-inch Parmesan rind
- 6 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Cover dried beans with water and soak for 6-8 hours. Once soaked, drain beans and set aside.1 lb dried white or navy beans (about 2 cups)
- Over medium heat, warm olive oil in a 6-quart stockpot or Dutch oven. Sauté the carrot, celery, and onion with salt and pepper. Sauté until the onion is translucent, 5 minutes.2 tbsp olive oil, 1 ½ cups roughly diced carrot, 1 cup diced celery, ¾ cup diced onion, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Add soaked beans, ham bone, Parmesan rind, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the beans are tender, 2-4 hours.1 ham bone/hock, 1 4- to 6-inch Parmesan rind, 6 cups chicken stock
- Once the beans are tender, remove the Parmesan rind and ham bone. Allow the beans to rest for 20 minutes so the liquid will continue to thicken. Remove any meat from the ham bone and add back to the beans. Alternatively, more ham can be added. Adjust beans for salt to taste and serve with cornbread.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
I have made the white beans and ham twice now and was a hit both times! Thank you for all if the wonderful recipes and ideas and please keep them coming!
Love your recipe. We’re having severe thunderstorm with tornado warning here in Oklahoma. Need some awesome comforted food. Your totally awesome.
Can this be made a day ahead?
Has anyone made this a day before?
I do….. always tastes better as allows the favors to blend together
I’ve made this soup once, following the recipe exactly and it was fantastic…probably the best bean and ham soup I have ever tasted! I am making it again today with corn bread and can’t wait for dinner! Leftovers the next day are even better. Make this soup, it is so full of flavor, you will not be disappointed!!
I am obsessed with this recipe. I’ve never made anything like it before. I did use the immersion blender a bit to slightly purée it. Soooooo delicious.
Thank you for this one. It will be a winter go to from now on.
Love watching you cook and I love your recipes I used to cook a lot but I’m having some issues with a knee problem . I really enjoy all of your videos it’s so cold here in Virginia I think I’m gonna have to fix some corn bread and some white beans this week.
I’m in Scotland, but ate this many years ago when I was on holiday in the US. I’ve often wondered how I could make this simple, but really tasty meal myself. After watching your video I have beans soaking and I’m going to make it tomorrow. The recipe is simplicity itself and I am so looking forward to dinner tomorrow. Thanks for your recipes.
I have tried numerous ham and bean “soup” recipes. I literally have disliked (putting it mildly) every recipe. I kept trying because my husband loves bean soups. I tried this one and I absolutely love this recipe! I am making it again today. I had second helpings and leftovers when I made it a month ago. No exaggerating…this is amazing & keeper for sure!
Susan, that is the nicest thing to hear! What a compliment!
Love this dish!!