Ham and Bean Soup

I seriously forgot how delicious ham is! This soup smells amazing cooking and tastes great too. Growing up we used to have bean with bacon soup all the time and this reminded me of that!  My kids gave it mixed reviews (as they do most meals other than pizza) but they all ate it gone anyway.  It was very filling and great for a cold day. 

If you have a ham bone or a little bit of fat left over from your ham throw that in the pot too for flavor and just remove it before you serve. 

You can make it in the crock pot, on your stove top or freezer meal. I recently adapted it for a freezer meal workshop so make it ahead and put in your freezer for a day you don't feel like cooking! 

Ham and Bean Soup

(adapted from dinnerthendessert.com)

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked diced ham*

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 yellow onion, diced

4 large carrots, peeled and diced

3 stalks celery, diced

3 cans great northern beans or white cannellini beans, drained

1 tsp. thyme

½ tsp. rosemary

1 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. sage

1/2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

4 tsp. chicken or vegetable bouillion

4 cups water (divided- if making freezer meal)
*If you have some pork fat or bone left from your ham throw that in for flavor while it cooks and remove it before you serve

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a large crock pot.  Cook together on low for 5-6 hours or until veggies are tender.

or...

Stove Top Cooking Instructions:
Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large stock pot.  Add onion, carrots and celery and cook until veggies are softened.  Add garlic and ham to pan and saute for 1-2 minutes.  Add beans, spices, bouillion and water and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer for at least 30 minutes.  (I let mine simmer about an hour and half to let the flavors really mix).

or...

Freezer Meal Prep Instructions:

Dice and chop ham and veggies. Combine all ingredients (except for water) in a gallon sized freezer bag.  Add 1 cup of water. Knead bag to combine. Label and freeze.

Freezer Meal cooking Instructions:
Add contents of bag and 3 cups water to a large crock pot.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours until soup is heated through and veggies are tender.