Easy White Bean and Ham Soup Recipe

White Bean and Ham Soup is basically my go-to dinner when I’ve got nothing planned and need something warm, filling, and ready in under an hour. It’s creamy, smoky, loaded with protein, and honestly tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.​

I think I first made this white bean and ham soup recipe years ago after buying way too much ham for Easter (does anyone else always overbuy holiday ham?), and now it’s the thing I crave every time the weather gets remotely cold. My neighbor Sarah swears by her grandma’s version that takes like four hours with dried beans, but look, I’m gonna be honest… most nights I just crack open a couple cans of white beans and call it a day.

This is not a fancy soup. It won’t win any beauty contests. But man, it’s good. The kind of good where you eat two bowls and then stand at the stove eating a third bowl straight from the pot because why dirty another dish?

Why This White Bean and Ham Soup Easy Version Works :

Here’s the thing about ham and white bean soup—it’s nearly impossible to mess up. The ham is already cooked and seasoned. The beans just need to heat through and get cozy with everything else. And if you accidentally oversalt it (been there), just add more liquid and beans. Fixed.​

Some recipes online are just wrong about needing to soak dried beans overnight and simmer for three hours. Sure, you can do that if you’re into meal planning and being organized. I’m not judging. But white bean and ham soup canned beans style is equally delicious and takes like 40 minutes total.​

My 8-year-old refuses to eat anything green, but somehow loves this soup, probably because I blend half of it to make it creamy and hide the vegetables. Parenting win.

Ingredients for White Bean and Ham Soup :

This makes about 6 servings. Maybe 4 if everyone’s really hungry or it’s particularly cold outside.

The basics:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped (or a whole small onion—I never measure this part accurately)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
• 3 celery ribs, chopped (Speaking of celery, why does it always go bad so fast?)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (I’m obsessed with garlic, so I use like 6 cloves minimum)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika​
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning​
• 4 cups chicken broth (I use the Swanson cartons)
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups chopped cooked ham, diced (leftover ham works great, or just buy a ham steak and chop it up)
• 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans—Great Northern, cannellini, or navy beans all work
• Salt and pepper to taste (but be careful—ham is salty!)
• Fresh parsley for garnish (totally optional, I usually forget about this)

Optional but awesome additions:

• 1 bay leaf or two​
• A splash of apple cider vinegar at the end (weird but makes everything brighter)​
• A handful of fresh spinach or kale stirred in at the end​
• A ham bone or ham hock if you have one for extra flavor​​

Good luck finding fresh parsley this time of year that doesn’t cost like €4 for a tiny bunch. I usually skip it or use dried.

How to Make White Bean and Ham Soup :

Step 1: Sauté the Veggies

Heat your olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss in the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes until everything softens up and the onions look translucent.

Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning. Stir for like 30 seconds until it smells amazing and you question why you don’t cook more often.

Pro tip: Don’t walk away during the garlic phase. Last Tuesday, I completely burned the garlic because I got distracted by a notification on my phone and the whole pot smelled weird and bitter. Had to start over.

Step 2: Add Everything Else

Pour in your chicken broth and water. Add the chopped ham, drained white beans, and bay leaves if you’re using them.

Crank the heat to high and bring everything to a boil, then immediately reduce to medium-low heat. You want a gentle simmer, not a violent bubbling situation.​

Step 3: Simmer and Wait

Cover the pot (leave the lid slightly cracked so steam can escape) and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. The longer you cook it, the more the flavors meld together. Some days I let it go for 45 minutes just because I’m doing other stuff and forget about it. It always turns out fine.

The beans will start breaking down a bit and thickening the soup naturally, which is exactly what you want.​

Step 4: Make it Creamy

This is where white bean and ham soup creamy magic happens. Grab a potato masher or an immersion blender and mash up about half the soup right in the pot. This makes it thick and creamy without adding any cream.

Or you can scoop out a cup of the soup, blend it smooth, and stir it back in. Either way works.​

If you skip this step, the soup is still good but more… soupy. Less cozy and thick.

Step 5: Taste and Adjust

Give it a taste. Does it need salt? Probably not—ham is super salty. Pepper? Usually yes. A splash of apple cider vinegar? Weirdly makes everything better.

If you’re adding spinach or kale, stir it in now and let it wilt for a minute or two. Then turn off the heat.​

Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread for dipping. This is essential. Don’t skip the bread.

All the Variations :

White bean and ham soup crockpot version:
Dump everything in your slow cooker in the morning. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Mash it up before serving. Done.

White bean and ham soup instant pot:
Sauté the veggies using the sauté function, add everything else, seal the lid, and pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. Natural release for 10 minutes. Blend half. Boom.

White bean and ham soup with ham bone:
If you saved the bone from your holiday ham (or bought a ham hock), add it to the pot with the broth. Let it simmer for at least an hour, then pull out the bone, pick off any meat, shred it, and toss it back in. Extra flavor, extra ham bits. Win-win.​​

Canned white bean soup with ham for the truly lazy days:
Use all canned beans (I sometimes use 3-4 cans depending on how much soup I want to make), pre-diced ham from the deli section, and bagged mirepoix mix instead of chopping veggies. No shame. We’re all tired.​

White bean soup with ham hock:
Basically the same as using a ham bone but ham hocks are usually smokier and meatier. You can usually find them at the butcher counter.​

My Random Tips That Actually Matter :

• If your soup is too thick, add more broth or water. Too thin? Let it simmer uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, or mash more beans.
• Leftovers get even better the next day. The flavors intensify and everything gets thicker. You might need to add a splash of water when reheating.
• This freezes really well. I portion it into containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Instant future dinner.​
• Don’t buy pre-diced “soup vegetables” that cost twice as much as buying whole carrots and celery. Just don’t. It’s a scam.
• Fresh thyme is amazing in this if you have it, but dried Italian seasoning works fine too.​​
• Sometimes I add a can of diced tomatoes because I like the acidity. This is not traditional but who cares?​

Actually, you know what? The best part of this white bean and ham soup taste of home style recipe is that it’s incredibly forgiving. Forgot an ingredient? Probably still good. Cooked it too long? Even better. Used a different type of bean? Still delicious.

Wait, I almost forgot—if you want white bean and ham soup food and wine fancy vibes, drizzle some good olive oil on top before serving and add some fresh herbs. Instantly looks like you know what you’re doing.​

The Verdict :

It’s not fancy, but it’s exactly what I want to eat when it’s cold outside and I need something warm and filling that doesn’t require a grocery store trip or three hours of cooking. People keep asking for this recipe, so I guess I did something right.

Seriously, try this white bean and ham soup recipe and tell me what you think. Anyone else have tricks for making this even better? Let me know in the comments because I’m always looking for new soup ideas.

Now I’m craving this again. Thanks a lot, brain. 🍲💚