Great Northern Bean Soup is one of the best Ham and Bean Soup recipes we've ever eaten. This amazing soup is chocked full of ham and veggies. It's hearty, filling, satisfying and some of the best comfort food you'll ever eat. This is a terrific way to use up leftover holiday ham. We found it was absolutely irresistible served with Bacon Cornbread crumbled into it!
1leekgreen top removed, washed thoroughly, diced (optional, but better if added)
3/4tsp.dried thymeplus more for garnish, if desired
1/2tsp.sea salt
1/4tsp.ground black pepper
2dropshot pepper sauceto taste
Instructions
Rinse beans.
Pick through beans and discard any stones or bad beans.
Combine beans with 8 cups water in a large stock pot or Dutch oven.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove Dutch oven from heat.
Cover with lid and allow beans to stand for one hour.
Bring beans to a boil again; add ham bone.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for one hour.
Remove ham bone.
Cool and remove meat from ham bone.
Cut ham chunks into small dice.
Add meat to ham broth in Dutch oven.
Add diced ham and remaining ingredients.
Cover with lid.
Simmer soup until vegetables are tender, approximately 30 minutes.
Serve with cornbread.
Notes
NOTE: The beans seemed to absorb all the water, so I added an additional four cups of water when I added all the veggies.NOTE: The ham bone needs to be meaty enough to yield 2 cups of diced ham once cooked off. If not, add additional ham to achieve a full two cups of meat.NOTE: This is a great Bacon Cheddar Cornbreadrecipe if you're looking for a gluten free cornbread to add to this meal.