Ham and Bean Soup Recipe (2024)
Summary
My version borrows from both—combining aromatic vegetables, tender whole and puréed navy beans, fresh and dried herbs, and smoked ham hocks—to yield a comforting stew-like soup that’s packed with layers of flavor and texture. Once blended, great northern beans, which have the firmest flesh of the three, yielded a soup with a slightly coarse and grainy texture. Once cooked, I scrape the vegetables into a bowl for later (this way they’ll add texture to the soup and remain tender, instead of becoming mushy, as everything simmers). To finish, I stir in the reserved vegetables, beans, and meat from the hocks and let it all simmer together until the soup thickens and almost resembles a stew. Finished with minced parsley leaves and freshly ground black pepper, this rich, hearty soup is undeniably satisfying.