Louisiana Ham & Bean Soup

Name: Smoky Ham & Bean Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 3 large celery stalks, diced; 2 large carrots, scrubbed or peeled, diced; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon Chica Licka Bam Bam seasoning; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Creole mustard; 3 bay leaves, fresh or dry; 4 thyme sprigs; 1 pound dry navy or great Northern beans, sorted, rinsed and soaked overnight; 1 ham hock or smoked ham shank (1½ to 1¾ pounds); Up to 2 cups cooked ham, shredded or diced into ½-inch cubes (see note below); Freshly ground black pepper; Thinly sliced scallions; Lemon wedges; Hot sauce

This hearty and flavorful soup is the perfect way to deploy a ham hock or shank and use up any leftover ham. The smoky pork, vegetables, and our Cajun-style seasoning create a rich and flavorful stock. To add even more depth, use chicken or turkey stock instead of water. Chica Licka Bam Bam provides the perfect undercurrent of heat; a finish of additional hot sauce, scallions, black pepper, and lemon will transport you to Southwest Louisiana.

Smoky Ham & Bean Soup

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Servings

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

60-90 minutes

Adding the carrots in two stages gives the finished soup added texture. This recipe calls for navy or great Northern beans, but feel free to swap in other varieties, such as red beans or heirlooms like cranberry beans or speckled Jacob’s cattle beans.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 large celery stalks, diced
2 large carrots, scrubbed or peeled, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Chica Licka Bam Bam seasoning
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Creole mustard
3 bay leaves, fresh or dry
4 thyme sprigs
1 pound dry navy or great Northern beans, sorted, rinsed and soaked overnight
1 ham hock or smoked ham shank (1½ to 1¾ pounds)
Up to 2 cups cooked ham, shredded or diced into ½-inch cubes (see note below)

For serving

Freshly ground black pepper
Thinly sliced scallions
Lemon wedges
Hot sauce

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Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, half of the carrots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, 10 to 12 minutes.
Stir in the Chica Licka Bam Bam and mustard and cook for a few more minutes, until the spices are fragrant.
Add the drained soaked beans, thyme, and bay leaves and cook for a few more minutes. Add the hock or shank and cover with 7 cups of water. Stir, partially covered, increasing the heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. (Add more water, if necessary, to keep the beans covered.)
Discard the ham hock or shank, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Pull the tender meat from the bone and chop into ½ inch pieces. Before adding the pork, transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender and process until creamy; return to the pot. (Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender.)
Add the ham (reserved and additional diced ham) and the remaining carrots, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and top with ground black pepper and scallions. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and hot sauce, if desired.
This soup will thicken substantially as it rests, so add additional water as needed when reheating.

Recipe Note

Add additional ham at your own preference. If you use a meaty shank, for instance, the shredded pork from the shank might be more than enough to flavor your soup.

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