Creamy Bean Soup with Ham
Karri Perry| Blue Ribbon Favorites
Ingredients:
2 Tbs olive oil
1 medium yellow or Vidalia onion peeled and chopped (medium dice)
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups fresh carrots-peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1Tbs tomato paste
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried ground thyme
2 cups sliced ham-1 inch pieces
4 cups water
1 ham bone or ham hock
3/4 cup half and half or cream
3-13 ounce cans of Northern White Beans (or use Cannellini, Butter Beans or White Kidney Beans) -your choice you can drain or not drain the beans-either way works.
Yes, you can use a broth, instead of water. I would suggest choosing a low sodium option. When adding a ham bone or ham hock-the process of cooking for 1-2 hours makes it’s own salty broth.
Yes, you can use dried beans. Follow package instructions—usually they need to be rinsed, then soaked for 12-24 hours before using. Also-some dried beans come with seasoning packets. Be sure to use those sparingly, and taste at the end to add more and especially salt.
Yes, you can use lentils or other beans not listed in the ingredients list.
Yes, you can cook the soup on the stove top for longer than two hours. Flavors really build and marry—during the cooking process and with soups, letting them simmer low and slow for a few hours creates a more intense flavor.
Be sure to add more water or broth as needed if you’re cooking for longer, and stir regularly.
Keep it at a low simmer-not boiling— I often start a soup in the morning and we have it for dinner… so it’s on the stove simmering for 8-10 hours.
This is where a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven come in handy. They help evenly heat a soup or stew and prevent scorching as long as you keep the heat to a low simmer and stir it every now and then.
Soups freeze wonderfully. Let soup cool down, place in a lidded container-leave two inches for space at the top-so the liquid can expand. Freeze up to 4 months. Remember to write on the container what’s inside—I promise, after a month—frozen soup and frozen bbq look very similar!! Add the date and the name-you’ll thank yourself later.
For reheating frozen soup, place the frozen soup with the lid on in a bowl of very warm water for 4 minutes. The warm water will allow the frozen block of soup to release-loosening it from the edges— similar to releasing a jello mold. Gently warm the soup on low heat, add a 1/2 cup of water to the pot to help it melt. Bring soup to a gentle boil for 1 minute -then simmer and enjoy.
Directions
In a large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until onion softens.
Add garlic and tomato paste. Stir for 2 minutes, then add the chopped carrots, and spices (pepper, thyme, smoked paprika).
To the pot add 2 cups of sliced ham-cut into 1-inch pieces.
Add 4 cups of water.
Add the beans.
Add the ham bone.
Simmer over low heat for 1-2 hours-the longer you simmer the soup the more tender the vegetables and the flavors build.
After 2 hours-remove and discard the ham bone.
To the pot add the half and half.
Simmer on low until ready to serve.
Taste for salt, often the ham is salty, and imparts those flavors and the soup will often not require additional salt.
Serve with crusty bread, or crackers.
