Bean Soup With Ham Bone Recipe And How to Freeze Soup

My friend Angela Roberts has an amazing food blog called Spinach Tiger. You have to go check it out because it has so many awesome recipes with beautiful photos that will make you drool. She has a knack for taking recipes that can be intimidating and making them very doable. I am so excited because she agreed to create a recipe to share with just my lucky readers. Yay! I love her food and I am sure you will too. Today, she is going to share some fabulous tips with us on how to freeze soup and her delicious recipe for Bean Soup with Ham Bone. Can you freeze bean soup? Yes, just follow these simple steps on how to freeze bean soup and you will have some on hand for any occasion.

This recipe was first published her January 3, 2015. I have made a few updates and added the bean soup recipe card for my new readers to enjoy.

Angela Robert’s Ham & Bean Soup And Instructions For Freezing Bean Soup

This bean soup recipe is for that perfect hearty, winter soup that will serve as a whole meal. It’s made with the left over meaty ham bone, and a bag of beans with 13 varieties. You can use one type of bean if you prefer. Sometimes, I make it a white bean soup recipe by using all great northern beans or white kidney cannellini beans.

Ham Options For Bean Soup:

I used a leftover ham bone from Christmas dinner that I had put into the refrigerator. It was a rather large bone still containing a good amount of ham. I cut off the leftover ham and put the ham pieces into the soup the next day. If you don’t have these kinds of beans or a ham bone, I’ve put substitutions in the recipe. For the ham bone you can use ham hocks or ham shanks. They are also a great way to get that delicious pork flavor into your hambone soup. This hearty soup is a great recipe for the fall and winter months.

The soup making process begins with placing that big ham bone into a large pot or slow cooker with carrots, celery, onion and some fresh herbs. A little parsley, thyme and rosemary (or any combination) adds a nice layer of flavor. The ham bone will create its own broth. Some people will add in chicken broth and you can do that, but I found it not necessary. I added the drained cooked beans, salt and pepper and cooked on low for 6 hours. You could cook on low on top of the stove for about two hours. I found the long slow cooking created a very creamy soup. If your soup isn’t creamy enough, you can remove some of the beans and blend them and put them back in the soup.

Can You Freeze Bean Soup?

Lots of people want to know, “Can bean soup be frozen?” or “Does bean soup freeze well?” Yes, you can freeze bean soup with cooked ham. It freezes very well in that it preserves the flavor and texture just fine. I always make an extra large pot so I can freeze some for a cold, or snowy day. Freezing bean soup is so smart in the wintertime and bean soup freezes really well. Here are some tips for how to freeze soup and they work great for freezing bean soup with ham bone as well. Frozen soup is so nice to have on hand for a quick, wholesome meal in a pinch!

How To Freeze Ham And Bean Soup

• Avoid freezing potatoes or pasta in a soup. They can get grainy or mushy. If you are going to add these ingredients to your soups, add them as you serve them, and when you defrost the soup.
• Cool the soup completely. This is true even when just refrigerating. Hot soup will bring your internal temperature down. To hasten the cooling, place a bowl of hot soup over a larger bowl containing ice.
• Use either freezer safe plastic snap on containers or plastic freezer bags, making sure to leave room for expansion (at least one inch).
• If using freezer bags, lay them down flat, making sure to get as much air out as possible before you place soup in the freezer. It is always best to place bags on a tray inside the freezer, so that the bags of soup will freeze flat and will be stackable.
• You can freeze soup in mason jars, providing enough room for expansion, 2 inches or more.
• How long can you freeze ham and bean soup? The general recommendation for freezing soup is up to three months,  but I have found I can freeze soup for up to six months as long as you seal it up in a high quality freezer back with the air squeezed out.
• Defrost, by placing in freezer, or place plastic bags or container in a ice water for a quicker thaw. It’s not recommended to microwave the soup in the plastic containers or bowls.
• Reheat soup in a pot, not a microwave for even heating. At this time, you can in cooked cubed potato or cooked pasta.

I hope you find these tips for freezing bean soup useful!

Homemade Bean Soup With Ham Bone Recipe

Here’s how to make bean soup with ham bone. I used a bag of beans with 13 varieties for this soup. You can use one type of bean if you prefer, such as a navy beans or great northern beans. My recipe calls for cooked beans. You could used cooked beans from a can or here are instructions for cooking your own beans which is my preferred method.

The most important part of making a good bean soup is to use good quality dried beans, and to soak those beans overnight. Once they are soaked and rinsed, I cook them with a little garlic, and half onion, simmering for up to two hours until the beans are tender. This technique makes the beans more gentler to eat, easier to digest. Make sure not to add any salt until the beans are cooked.

Recipe To Cook Dried Beans

1 pound of dry beans (I used a bag of beans containing 13 varieties) You can use one variety if you prefer. Black beans, navy beans, great Northern beans, cannellini beans, and baby limas are all recommended.)

1/2 onion, cut in chunks (wrapped in cheesecloth to be removed later)

4 garlic cloves or 1.5 tsp garlic powder (put in the cheesecloth too)

1 bay leaf (put in the cheesecloth too)

How to Cook Dried Beans Step By Step

Soak the beans overnight or at least six hours with cold water, 3 inches past the beans.

Discard the beans that rise to the top. Pour out the overnight water and rinse beans.

Place on the stove top in a large heavy pot or dutch oven.

Cover with one inch of water and bring to a boil in a pot with a lid. Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer. Cook beans for up to 90 minutes, or until you have nice tender beans. Remove cheesecloth at the end of cooking.

The beans along with the rest of the simple ingredients in my bean soup recipe come together for the best results that the entire family will love. It is a delicious way to the deal with the cold weather!

Printable Recipe Card For Bean Soup With Ham Bone

Conclusion

This bean ham bone soup is a perfect way to warm up with a hearty, filling dinner soup. This bean soup with ham bone has a savory, smoky, and hearty flavor. The ham bone infuses the soup with a rich, salty taste, while the beans add a creamy, earthy base. As it simmers, the ham bone releases collagen, marrow, and fats into the broth, which contribute to the rich and savory flavor. The bone often has bits of ham attached, adding salty and meaty elements to the soup. The smoky flavor from the ham, along with any spices or herbs you may add, creates a warm, comforting, and slightly meaty taste. It’s a great combination of tender beans, flavorful broth, and the occasional piece of ham, resulting in a wholesome, filling dish.

Soup is best served  hot, but often I will add ice cubes to the kids’ bowls. Grated parmesan cheese is a great addition for perking up a soup, as is croutons, crackers, or crusty bread. You might even like a tiny drizzle of olive oil over the top for added flavor. You can also serve it with a fresh, light salad (like mixed greens with a vinaigrette) to balance the richness of the soup.

I hope you enjoy this bean soup and ham bone recipe and the tips on how to freeze soup. The hearty ham and fresh thyme give great flavor to this excellent soup. Nothing like a pot of soup as the perfect comfort food! Have you ever tried ham bone soup? Do you think you will make this delicious soup?

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