Ham & Bean Soup (My Mom's Recipe)

Updated 12/18/16
Original Post: 12/14/2010

Ham & Bean Soup

My mother made the best Ham & Bean Soup! Today, my family and friends love this recipe, as much as I did! Plus, it's gained several positive reviews on Allrecipes.com.

This recipe is totally worth getting a Christmas ham. Now, you'll know just what to do with that wonderful meaty leftover bone!

You can quick-soak the beans, as directed in the recipe below or soak them overnight for 8-10 hours. Then pressure cook with the ham bone and seasonings until soft & flavorful. They will taste far better than canned beans!

Learn Several Ways: How To Cook Beans

I've had a 6-qt size stain-steel Kuhn Rikon Pressure Cooker for many, many years; it cooks beans in a fraction of time vs. cooking them in another pot on the stove or in slow-cooker. Plus, I remove the lid and add the soup ingredients to use it as a heavy stockpot.

However, several reviewers on Allrecipes.com have commented how versatile this recipe is. Several have made the soup in slow cookers. Others have substituted 2 (15-oz) cans white beans, and adjusted other ingredients to meet their preferences. For instance, don't add all the molasses in at once, add it in slowly, going by taste.

Note: Only use fresh or frozen parsley; I always store frozen minced parsley in snack-sized zip bags. However, dry parsley is NOT a good substitute and tastes completely different in this recipe. (Just telling you like it is.)

Tone's Chicken Base

• Tone's Chicken Base from Sam's Club tastes the VERY BEST! 
• Better Than Bouillon base, in many grocery stores, is GOOD!
• Both are Gluten Free. On another note, Tone's Beef Base isn't, it does contain wheat, but Better Than Bouillon's beef base doesn't.

12-18-16
Recipe Updated 

Best Ham & Bean Soup

by Sharon Anne
Print Recipe

Quick Soak Beans:
1 cup small dry navy or great northern beans
3 cups water

Pressure Cooker:
3 cups fresh water
1 large meaty smoked ham bone
6 Tbsp FRESH or frozen parsley, minced (honestly, DON'T use dry!)
2 whole dry bay leaves
3 Tbsp dry onion flakes
1 Tbsp fresh minced garlic (dry is okay, but FRESH is better)
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika

Soup Ingredients:
1 cup celery, sliced (microwaved)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 (29-oz) can tomato puree
1/2 cup ketchup
2-3 Tbsp molasses, add by taste
1 Tbsp brown sugar
5 cups additional water, or to taste
3 Tbsp Tone's Chicken Base paste, add w/ water
OR 4-5 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup small dry pasta shells, (omit for Gluten Free)
2 cups ham, picked from ham bone, reserve

Quick Soak Beans: Heat beans and water until boiling, remove from heat. Cover and soak beans for 1 hour.

Pressure Cooker: After quick soaking, drain and rinse. Add fresh water, ham bone, and seasonings. Cover and heat to 15 lbs PSI and cook pre-soaked beans for 8 minutes at sea level. 

Note: This site has (Times Charts & Altitudes) to help determine how many more minutes per 1000 feet.

Reduce pressure, by removing cooker from heat, allow pressure to reduce normally before opening the lid.

Soup Ingredients: Uncover, add the remaining soup ingredients (except pasta); simmer 45 minutes. Stir in pasta and simmer 15 more minutes, or until tender. Remove the ham from the bone, add to the soup and serve.

By Sharon Anne Hill     Share Alike Cooking     Copyright© 2010