Bean Soup
Ingredients
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- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion – chopped
- 2 medium carrot – diced
- 2 ribs celery – diced
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 smoked ham hock
- 1 pound dried navy beans – picked over and rinsed
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper – freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- parsley – chopped (for serving)
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly sweet, 6–8 minutes.
2. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Nestle in the smoked ham hock and cook, turning once or twice, 2 minutes.
3. Rinse and drain the dried navy beans, then add to the pot along with low-sodium chicken broth, water, bay leaves, dried thyme, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook 1.5–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until tender and the meat pulls easily from the bone.
5. Lift the bone and meat out to a board and let cool briefly. Pull the meat from the bone, discarding skin and bone; chop and return the meat to the pot. Fish out the leaves and discard.
6. For body, mash a ladleful against the side of the pot, then stir in kosher salt. Simmer 10 minutes more to meld.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley.
Bean soup is a hearty, comforting bowl built on creamy legumes, aromatic vegetables, and savory depth from slow cooking. The broth becomes silky as starches release, balancing sweetness from onions and carrots with herbal notes and a gentle peppery warmth. With tender bites of meat and soft beans in every spoonful, it’s the kind of simple, satisfying soup that feels complete on its own with just a piece of bread alongside.
Across cultures, bean soup has long been a thrifty staple that turns pantry ingredients into nourishment. In the United States, white-bean and ham versions trace to Navy rations and have been served daily in the Senate dining room for over a century. Similar traditions run through Europe and Latin America, where cured pork or olive oil and herbs enrich local beans; over time, regional variations evolved, but the core technique—long, gentle simmering to coax creaminess—remains the hallmark.