Hearty White Bean and Ham Soup

November 5, 2021

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Hearty White Bean Ham Soup

Cozy up on a cold day with this hearty white bean ham soup. Made using minimal ingredients, this flavorful soup to is a great addition to include in your weeknight dinner rotation every so often and sure to become a family favorite.

Growing up, each time I would visit my grandmother, she would make sure to have a bowl of her famous white bean and ham soup waiting and ready for me upon my arrival. Paired with homemade cornbread, this soup was, as she knew, one of my absolute favorites. To this day, whenever I make this soup it takes me back to those happy moments we shared around her kitchen table, laughing, chatting, and breaking bread together as a family. And, after all, for me that’s what food is…a way to delight in life’s simple yet meaningful moments.

So, while I don’t often make this soup (I prefer to limit my consumption of processed/cured meats for reasons I explain here) whenever I do, I allow myself to enjoy and appreciate every single bite and cherished memory that accompanies it.

Health Benefits of Ham

Ham is not only tasty but a great source of protein, selenium, and thiamin.

56 grams of ham (about 1 serving) contains:

Protein: 19% of the Daily Value (DV)
Thiamin: 23% of the DV
Selenium: 17% of the DV
Vitamin C: 4% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 9% of the DV
Choline: 45.9 mg

Note: As mentioned here, processed meats such as ham, are usually preserved using nitrite-based preservatives and tend to contain high levels of sodium, i.e. 1 serving of sliced ham contains 730 mg of sodium (30% DV). So again, best to limit your consumption of ham and other processed meats.

Health Benefits of Cannellini Beans

White beans, such as Cannellini Beans, are loaded with micronutrients such as copper, folate, and iron. They’re also a great source of plant-based sourced protein and fiber.

1-cup (170-gram) serving of cooked white beans provides:

Calories: 242
Protein: 17 grams
Fiber: 11 grams
Copper: 55% of the Daily Value (DV)
Folate: 36% of the DV
Iron: 36% of the DV
Potassium: 21% of the DV
Phosphorus: 28% of the DV
Magnesium: 26% of the DV
Zinc: 22% of the DV
Calcium: 16% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 12% of the DV

Making this soup? Here are a few tips

Because ham tends to have higher levels of sodium, I don’t usually add salt this soup. If you feel as though this soup needs more flavor, I recommend adding salt at the end.
To save on time, I opt for canned cannellini beans. Personally, I prefer using beans that don’t contain any added salt (look for the label “no salt added”).
When selecting my ham, I prefer opting for brands that humanely and sustainably raises their livestock such as Niman Ranch. This is a personal choice I make but one I feel very strongly about.

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