This navy bean and ham soup recipe is a nourishing meal in a bowl

Above the decades, as I have aided my mother-in-legislation put together the family’s beloved dishes, I have taken a good deal of notes in get to convey people food items — and the essence of the area — back house with me. This soup, which she normally will make using the leftovers from the Xmas ham, is 1 I have integrated into my individual repertoire, creating it whenever my husband craves a taste of his mom’s cooking.

I wound up tweaking her now healthful and simple recipe to double-down on individuals qualities. For the former, I amped up the vegetable power by introducing a pair of handfuls of kale leaves towards the conclude of cooking. Other than adding nutrients, the leaves provide flecks of contrasting coloration and firm-tender texture, driving property the rationale kale and white beans are such a traditional duo. For the latter, I created the soup additional day to day-welcoming by contacting for an simple-to-uncover ham steak rather than depend on what’s remaining from a complete ham.

That stated, if I happen to have a leftover ham bone, or if the man or woman at the deli counter is keen to promote me just one with some meat on it, I will surely acquire gain of that treasure. I just lower the meat off the bone, incorporate the bone to the pot to simmer with the beans, then clear away the bone just before adding the meat to the pot along with the kale.

Scale and get a printer-pleasant variation of the recipe here.

Ham bone or not, I really do not have to have a distinctive celebration to dig into this filling, nourishing, food-in-a-bowl. It is turn into a reliable staple that will get me via the wintertime, and a single that will convey Michigan to us this year.

Storage: Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Make forward: The beans need to have to be soaked at the very least 8 hrs in advance.

• 1 pound dried navy beans
• 6 new flat-leaf parsley sprigs
• 2 huge fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 huge yellow onion (10 ounces), diced
• 1 big carrot (5 ounces), diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, additionally additional to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, furthermore a lot more to style
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups small-sodium beef broth
• 4 cups h2o
• 6 ounces ham steak, diced
• 3 cups (1 1/2 ounces) coarsely chopped kale

Select more than the beans and discard any stones. Transfer the beans to a massive bowl and increase enough drinking water to protect the beans by 2 to 3 inches. Soak the beans for at least 8 hours and up to overnight drain.

Tie the parsley, thyme and bay leaf into a bundle with kitchen area twine.

In a stockpot over medium warmth, heat the oil till shimmering. Increase the onion, carrot, celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, till the greens have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, right until fragrant, 30 seconds extra.

Insert the beans, broth, drinking water, the herb bundle, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Deliver to a boil then minimize the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer till the beans are tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Take out the lid, discard the herb bundle, and include the ham and kale. Cover the pot and go on to cook until eventually the kale has softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Employing a huge wood spoon, mash some of the beans versus the facet of the pot (it will include physique to the broth). Style, and season with further salt and pepper, if wanted.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve right absent.

Energy: 308 Total Fat: 8 g Saturated Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: mg Sodium: 535 mg Carbs: 43 g Nutritional Fiber: 15 g Sugar: 5 g Protein: 19 g.

Scale and get a printer-friendly version of the recipe in this article.