Ham Butter Bean Soup (Print)

Comforting Southern-style soup with smoky ham, butter beans, and fresh herbs in a rich broth.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound smoked ham hock or diced ham

→ Legumes

02 - 2 cups dried butter beans or 3 cans (15 ounces each) butter beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 2 cups water

→ Herbs and Seasonings

09 - 2 bay leaves
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - Salt to taste

→ Optional

15 - Hot sauce for serving
16 - Crusty bread for serving

# Directions:

01 - If using dried butter beans, soak them overnight in plenty of cold water. Drain and rinse before use.
02 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat a splash of oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the ham hock or diced ham, soaked butter beans or canned beans, chicken broth, water, bay leaves, thyme, and black pepper to the pot.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour (45 minutes if using canned beans), stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and flavors are melded.
06 - Remove the ham hock and shred the meat, then return it to the pot. Discard the bone, excess fat, and bay leaves.
07 - Stir in parsley and chives. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, garnished with extra fresh herbs and hot sauce if desired. Pair with crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like someone who actually cares spent hours on it, but you'll have it ready in under two hours.
  • The butter beans get so tender they practically melt, while the ham adds this smoky depth that makes everything taste like home.
  • Fresh herbs at the end brighten everything up so it never feels heavy, even though it's absolutely filling.
02 -
  • If your soup tastes flat by the end, it's probably not enough salt—butter beans are mild and they need salt to shine, so taste first and season second.
  • Canned beans work beautifully and save you hours, but they'll dissolve a bit if you cook them as long as dried beans, so add them halfway through instead of at the start.
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze half in containers—it tastes even better a few weeks later when you've forgotten how good it was.
  • If you're short on time, use canned butter beans and add them only halfway through cooking so they don't turn to mush, and everything still tastes like you spent all day on it.
Back