Are you looking for an easy ham and beans with leftover ham? This old fashioned ham and beans with ham hock and leftover ham recipe is for you! This soup uses a 15 bean soup mix to yield a delicious ham hock and beans recipe! Use this recipe for leftover ham after Easter or leftover Thanksgiving ham or Christmas ham!
Overall, the ingredients in a 15-bean soup may vary depending on the recipe, but the key component is a blend of dried beans. For our recipe, we are obviously adding in an extra protein (and flavor boost) of ham.
Ingredients for Old Fashioned Ham and Beans Soup
- Ham hock (from leftover ham)
- Hurst 15 bean soup mix (with the flavoring packet)
- Water
- Chopped ham (from leftover ham; optional as long as the ham hock as enough extra meat to suit you)
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Use a Ham Hock in Soup
After your ham dinner, you can freeze the ham hock. Then, you can just pull it out to thaw when you are ready to make your 15 bean and ham soup.
Once your ham dinner is finished, simply allow the ham bone to cool completely, then put it in a gallon size freezer Ziplock bag, get as much air out as you can, close it, and pop it in the freezer. My mom taught me this trick from the time I was a young kid. I grew up watching her stick a ham hock in a Ziplock bag as she was cleaning up after a big holiday meal.
The first cooking step to this recipe involves making your ham ham broth from the ham hock and water. It is such a great way to add flavor to a soup! Plus, it’s an excellent plan for using leftover ham meat!
Not a Quick Meal, But It’s an Easy One!
This is not quick 30-minute soup as you might find in some of my other suggested recipes below! Rather, this is one of those soups that needs time to build the flavor. As I mentioned above, the first step involves stewing up a ham broth which takes around an hour. Overall, the cook time is about two-and-a-half hours.
However, this really is a throw-it-in-and-go-about-your-business kind of recipe! I like to make this old fashioned ham and beans on a Saturday afternoon while I am reading or working on the website. The soup just cooks behind me on the stove.
What Types of Beans are in this 15 Bean Soup with Ham?
I like to use Hurst 15 bean soup mix with the seasoning packet. I find it at Walmart and Kroger. But most brands will feature a similar mixture of beans. A 15-bean soup blend typically contains a mixture of dried beans such as black, white, pinto, navy, kidney, lima, small red, large lima, and cranberry beans. (No, not the sweet-sour cranberries you are thinking of. We are talking about actual cranberry beans!). Additionally, pink, small white, yellow, lentils, green, and split peas are often included.
This list of 15 bean soup beans can vary depending on the brand. But the most common types of beans, regardless of brand, are black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, lima beans, and lentils.
The combination of beans creates a flavorful and nutritious soup that is often seasoned with vegetables, herbs, and spices. Some recipes may also include ham, bacon, or sausage for additional flavor.
How to Make Ham Hock Soup
- Add ham bone and 8 cups of water to a stock pot, cover and boil for 1 hour.
- Add beans and seasoning packet, garlic, salt and pepper. Replace the cover, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
- Remove the ham bone from the pot, and cut off the meat.
- Add the meat back to the pot, cover, and simmer for an additional hour. (Optionally: you can add a bit more chopped leftover ham.)
- Remove from heat, and serve with crackers or crusty bread for a complete and filling meal.
15 Bean Soup with Ham
Ingredients
- 1 Ham hock with leftover ham meat
- 8 cups Water
- 20 oz 15 bean soup mix with the seasoning packet
- 1 cup Ham chopped; leftover
- 1 tbsp Garlic powder
- 2 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Black pepper
Instructions
- Add ham bone and 8 cups of water to a stock pot, cover and boil for 1 hour.
- Add beans and seasoning packet, garlic, salt and pepper. Replace the cover, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
- Remove the ham bone from the pot, and cut off the meat.
- Add the meat back to the pot, cover, and simmer for an additional hour.
- Remove from heat, and serve with crackers or crusty bread for a complete and filling meal.
Nutrition
More Posts You Will Love
If you enjoyed this 15 bean soup recipe with ham, you will surely enjoy some of our other tasty soup recipes!
SAUSAGE SPINACH TORTELLINI SOUP
EASY STOVE TOP CHILI WITH TOMATO SAUCE
CHICKEN SOUP WITH AMISH NOODLES
BLACK EYE PEA SOUP WITH TORTELLINI AND SAUSAGE
10+ SIMPLE SOUPS FOR SOUP AND SANDWICH NIGHT
SMOKED PORK GREEN CHILI SLOW COOKER RECIPE
OLD FASHIONED HAM AND BEAN SOUP
SLOW COOKER THREE BEAN CHILI WITH BEEF
Leave a Reply