White Bean Soup With Smoked Ham Shank

By
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
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Updated on 07/22/21
White Bean Soup With Smoked Ham Shank

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 30 mins
Total: 2 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Smoked ham shanks make a tasty broth for this classic white bean soup that is Southern right down to its soul. This recipe may take a while to make, but it is mostly unattended and your efforts will be rewarded with a deeply satisfying meal. Once the broth has simmered for an hour, the beans and herbs are added and the soup is cooked again; then a final simmer is done once the tomatoes are included, allowing the beans to become nice and creamy. At the end of cooking time, the smoky meat is sliced from the bone and served on top of the stew.

The must-have side dish for beans and ham is cornbread, and collard greens are also traditionally served alongside. If collards aren't your thing, this white bean soup pairs nicely with Brussels sprouts or green beans tossed in bacon bits.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 1 1/2 pounds smoked ham shanks, ham hocks, or a meaty smoked ham bone

  • 2 cups chicken broth

  • 4 cups cold water

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 pound dried cannellini beans, or white kidney beans

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, or 1 sprig fresh rosemary

  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Salt, to taste

  • 1/2 cup fresh or canned diced tomatoes, drained

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    White Bean Soup With Smoked Ham Shank ingredients

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Melt the butter over medium heat in a Dutch oven or any heavy pot with a lid.

    butter in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  3. Saute the onions and garlic in the butter until translucent.

    onions and garlic with butter in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Add the ham shanks, broth, water, and bay leaves to the pot and bring to a boil.

    ham shanks, broth, water, and bay leaves in a Dutch oven with onions

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

    cooking ham shanks, broth, water, and bay leaves in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  6. Uncover the pot and add the beans, oregano, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.

    add the beans, oregano, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to the ham shanks in the Dutch oven

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  7. Cover pot, bring back to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. More liquid can be added at any time if the beans soak up all the existing liquid as they cook.

    cook the bean and ham shank mixture in the Dutch oven

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  8. Uncover the pot, taste, and add salt if needed. (The ham might have been salty enough.)

    cook the ham shanks and bean mixture in the Dutch oven

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  9. Add the tomatoes, cover, and simmer for another 45 minutes, or until the beans are tender and creamy (time will vary depending on the kind of beans you use).

    add tomatoes to the ham shanks and bean mixture in the Dutch oven

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  10. Remove the ham shank to a cutting board and slice off chunks of meat from the bone.

    remove the ham shanks meat from the bone

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  11. Spoon the soup into a large serving bowl or individual bowls. Top with the ham pieces and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

    White Bean Soup With Smoked Ham Shank

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Tip

If you happen to have leftover ham on the bone from a family feast, feel free to use it in place of the smoked ham shank. If you prefer to buy boneless ham, ask the butcher for a ham bone to use in this recipe. If you'd like to skip the ham altogether, try some smoked turkey wings in its place.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
414 Calories
14g Fat
37g Carbs
36g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 414
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 17%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 82mg 27%
Sodium 406mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 9g 33%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 36g
Vitamin C 6mg 28%
Calcium 172mg 13%
Iron 7mg 39%
Potassium 1393mg 30%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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