Serves 6–8
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–2 ham hocks
- 2 cups dried navy beans, rinsed and sorted (or 4 cups cooked/canned, drained)
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped parsley
Instructions
- Prep the beans (if using dried):
- Rinse and sort the navy beans.
- Soak overnight, or use the quick-soak method: cover with water, boil for 2 minutes, then let sit for 1 hour. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables:
- In a large soup pot, heat 1–2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.
- Add chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Add beans and ham hocks:
- Stir in the soaked beans (or drained canned beans) and ham hocks.
- Pour in the broth, then add bay leaves and thyme.
- Simmer the soup:
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
- Cover and simmer for 1.5–2 hours (or until beans are tender and the ham hocks are falling apart).
- Shred the ham:
- Remove the ham hocks from the soup. Shred the meat, discarding the bone and excess fat.
- Return shredded ham to the soup and stir well.
- Season and serve:
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Remove bay leaves before serving.
- Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
Tips:
- For a thicker soup, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot or use an immersion blender on a portion.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day, as the flavors continue to meld.
- You can also cook this in a slow cooker on low for 6–8 hours for a hands-off method.