Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 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
• 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
• 0.5 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.