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15 Bean Soup with Ham and Vegetables is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind-of soup loaded with heart healthy beans, diced tomatoes, fresh onions, celery and carrots with plenty of spice and flavor. And, this soup freezes beautifully!
First, ham and bean soup has been a staple in our house for all the years we’ve been married. Every time we buy a bone-in ham, we make this giant pot of soup. Sometimes I think we look forward to this soup more than the actual ham. It’s that good. It may look a little overcooked and mushy, but that because I add extra red lentils. The lentils breakdown and give this soup a thick, creamy texture. The vegetables are added at the end so they stay crisp tender.
This soup will be great even if you don’t have a ham bone.
If you don’t have a ham bone, no worries. Use plenty of ham and the flavor will be there. When we have a ham for the holidays, we often leave a lot of ham on the bone so our soup will be on the meaty side. Once it’s cooked for a few hours, the ham just falls off the bone. My mom always made ham bone soup but she only used navy beans. We like the variety of the 14, 15 or even 16 bean soup packages. You can find packages of bean soup mixes in the dried bean section of your local grocery store. But no worries – use a package of navy beans if you can’t find the other!
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes indeed! This soup freezes beautifully and will last about 6 months in your freezer. When you’re ready to serve thaw overnight in the refrigerator then warm gently on the stove top. There’s no need to boil the soup. Finally, this soup is great served with cornbread or corn muffins, but crackers work well in a pinch too!
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- 1 (20 ounce) package 15 bean mixture soaked overnight, 20
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 ham bone fat removed (feel free to meat on the bone)
- 1 cup ham cut into cubes (if there is enough ham left on the bone – no need to add additional chopped ham)
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juice (regular diced tomatoes are fine too)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- several sprigs of fresh thyme
- Place the package of 15 beans in a large soup pot and cover with clean cool water by 3-4 inches. Cover the pot with a lid and soak the beans overnight or at least 8 hours.
- Pour the soaked beans in a colander and discard the soaking water. Rinse the beans and place them back in a large soup pot along with the lentils. And add enough clean, cool water to cover the beans and lentils by two inches. Add the ham bone and bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat.
- While the soup is cooking, you may need to skim any foam that forms on the top. You can use a very large serving spoon to make this easy. Discard the foam.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for two hours, stirring occasionally.
- Next, remove the ham bone and set aside to cool.
- Add the onion, tomatoes, chili powder, lemon juice, garlic, celery, carrots, broth, thyme and pepper (and additional chopped ham if adding). Simmer another 30 minutes until the vegetables are crisp tender.
- While the vegetables are cooking trim any meat remaining on the ham bone. Return the chopped ham back to the soup and stir to combine. Discard the ham bone.
- Serve soup with corn muffins, cornbread, or crackers and a dollop of sour cream if desired.
We don't add salt to this soup as ham typically is salty enough. Better to be on the safe side with this dish.
This soup freezes very well.
Ham bones become brittle when cooked so they are not suitable for dogs. The bones splinter easily and can damage their mouth and teeth.
Preparation time does not include soaking overnight.
Here are a few more soup recipes you might enjoy:
- Minestrone Soup
- Creamy Coconut Chicken Soup with Spinach and Lentils
- Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Chowder ~ from The View from Great Island
- Vegetable Quina Soup with Red Beans & Spinach ~ from Simply Fresh Dinners
Everybody needs a big pot for making soup – here are a few of my favorite kitchen tools (photos are clickable for more information)
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Well that’s it for our pretty little holiday ham. But that’s okay – I’m ready to move on to some meatless Monday dishes and vegetable heavy simple casseroles and soups. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Tricia
I hate when people want to change recipes but this one has me drooling.
I have leftover ham in the freezer but no bone. Does the soup turn out
well without a bone but lots of ham? I really want some even tho the
temps haven’t started to fall. Thanks for sharing it is so different from
the old stand by.
Hi Joann – yes the soup will be great even if you don’t have a bone. Plenty of ham will do the trick. Enjoy!
How would this be in a slow cooker and how would it be best to cook need a idea
Hi Gerald. Here’s a link to a slow cooker method that might work for you. It’s a similar recipe and has a no-soak method as well. Enjoy! http://www.hurstbeans.com/recipes/288/15-Bean-Soup-Crock-Pot-or-Slow-Cooker-Recipe
I just have to tell you that this is the BEST ham-15 bean soup I have ever made.
I now tend to bake a spiral ham over the long holiday season, too — and with this soup to look forward to, you can bet that tradition will continue! I especially like adding the vegetables near the end of cooking, as that keeps them distinct and flavorful; your spices and other flavorings (esp. the lemon juice) are also spot-on and make for a more sophisticated taste.
The one thing I may try next time is adding more chicken broth; my batch turned out fantastic, but with barely any spare liquid at all.
Kudos! (Will next check out your coconut chicken with spinach and lentils soup . . .)
Outstanding! Thanks so much for the feedback and yes we make this year after year and it never disappoints. Good to know about the chicken broth – sometimes it boils down and more broth is needed. Thanks again for trying it and for the feedback 🙂
Good morning. Going to make this tomorrow. Do you also use the flavor packet that comes with the beans?
Hi Bill – no I do not use the flavor packet when using real ham and the ham bone. If you don’t plan to add meat, then I would use it. Thanks for the great question. I hope you love it as much as we do. Thanks for trying our recipe 🙂
We have been sick here – on and off – but everyone’s still always hungry. This soup would totally hit the spot, particularly this past weekend when the fellas were out shoveling snow and I was trying to nurse my head cold. I do love ham and beans – this hearty soup is right up my alley!
I can’t seem to get rid of this crud either Monica – nothing worse that being sick. We got about 3 inches of snow but since we have the bitter cold temperatures, nothing is melting. But it supposed to be in the 60’s by Friday. Crazy weather! Get well soon 🙂
YUM! Love a hearty soup like this one! Hope you are ok with all the snow you’re having!
Hi Anna – we only got a few inches of snow – most of the big stuff was south and east. But we are wishing for a big one! Take care and have a great week.
I’m a total soup fan, and this recipe needs to join my personal recipe booklet. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Cecilia – soup is the best meal this time of year! Enjoy 🙂
That is a good looking soup, thick and delicious with all those beans and ham.
Thanks Karen! The lentils really thicken this up and make it extra hearty. Have a wonderful weekend!
We are in the deep freeze right now and soup has been on the menu for the past week. I’m definitely going to this one on the rotation soon 🙂 It looks wonderful, Tricia!
I ove bean soup and I buy those dried packages too! Though I don’t ever have leftover ham, I have been know to use bacon or a ham hock. I let Manservant pick it all off! You are making me hungry Tricia!
Thanks Abbe – hope you had a happy New Year!
Can’t wait to try this delicious looking soup this weekend–I’m sure it will be wonderful. I’ve tried several of your soup recipes and they’re all delicious, especially the minestrone, which I made several times last winter. Everyone who’s had it loves it. Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes and I just want to say the photos on you site are wonderful–of all the food blogs that I follow, yours is my favorite.
Oh my gosh Karen in Michigan!!! You have made my day, my week, and my month! Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know you like our recipes. I am so pleased you’re going to try this soup. If you have a really big ham bone and lots of meat – feel free to double the recipe. I can’t believe how sweet you are! Please let me know if there is every anything you are looking for. I would be happy to test a new recipe for you. Thank you for continuing to visit and for trying our recipes. The minestrone is a favorite of mine too. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Hope you didn’t get too much snow – and feel free to send some down here to Virginia.
Tricia, I’m so glad I was able to brighten your day a bit; your comment definitely made me smile. Believe me, if I could send you some snow I gladly would. It’s beautiful but it’s really cold up here–some blue sky and sunshine would be nice for a change. Have a happy day!
I think the best thing about having a ham is all the wonderful things you can do with the leftovers! LOL! This looks perfect for the weather we are having. Arggghhh… I’m not much on the really COLD, but I do enjoy a good hearty soup when we have to endure a cold front! Sending blessings and hugs ~ tanna
I see you were wearing sandals at Christmas so that Texas weather must agree with you! My fingers are crossed for snow myself. I love a good cold winter, and a hot, hearty bowl of soup! Thank you so much – have a lovely weekend!
Besides bacon and eggs, the only other dish I remember my dad making was bean soup! I have a couple ham bones in the freezer, so I need to make this deliciousness happen at my house!
I love food memories Liz. My mom made soups often, but my dad never made anything except an occasional Saturday sandwich 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!
This soup looks wonderful, love wonderful variety of beans. I just happen to have a ham in the fridge and always love a new bean soup recipe! Hope the snow they’re predicting for the weekend becomes a reality – this would be so perfect to have simmering on the back of the stove!
I really hope we get some snow! It has been too long. Enjoy your weekend Chris. Thanks so much 🙂
My kind of soup..I have to say I love many soups except sour drop soups..
w/ an egg in them..blech.
no eggs in my soup.
I have a big container of many beans specifically for these soups..ham adds such a salty goodness:)
I’m not a fan of egg drop soup either Monique – but a thick meaty bowl of this bean soup will make me happy! Have a lovely weekend!
Gorgeous looking soup Tricia, I could eat this all day long. Love these cold soupy days!
Thanks Cheri. The simple foods are often the best! Have a great weekend.
It’s been so long since I’ve made my recipe for 15 bean soup. It’s one of the best ever. Thanks for the reminder. And I like your addition of chili powder – I’ve never done that. Thanks for sharing this one.
Hi Lea Ann! Great to hear from you. Hope you have been well and that you enjoyed a wonderful holiday. Add the chili powder – it gives it that extra little punch 🙂 Enjoy and thanks very much for stopping by!
I’m so frustrated…I just used up the last bit of our holiday ham yesterday! This is just the kind of soup I’m craving, so I’ll have to hunt down a ham bone at the supermarket, this looks too good to miss!
Well pooohhh 🙁 You would love this one Sue – hope you get the chance to give it a try!
We’re into high soup season at our house! Had it last night, and the night before. 🙂 It’s cold! And just seems so right at this time of the year — after all the rich food we’ve been gorging ourselves with since Thanksgiving. Thanks for this. And Happy New Year!
I agree John – I could eat soup for breakfast these days 🙂 Hope you enjoyed your holiday!
What a delicious looking soup Tricia, just right for a rainy day in January.
Thanks Gerlinde. It is a warm bowl of deliciousness on these cold rainy days. I with it would snow!!!
Absolutely beautiful soup, Tricia! Wishing I had some left-over ham! Will definitely buy myself a small one though just to make this soup over the winter 🙂
Thank you Jennifer! Sometimes we freeze the ham bone with extra ham so we can make this later. Such a classic, delicious and hearty soup! Hope you’re getting dug out from all that snow. Happy Wednesday!
That is one great looking bowl of soup and just the way I like it – thick and hardy. I’ve never tried the multi-beans but after seeing this second recipe, I need to give them a try.
Thanks Larry – I know you are going to love it!