Creamy Ham White Bean (Printable)

A comforting blend of tender ham, white beans, potatoes, herbs, and cream simmered to warming perfection.

# What you'll need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 cups cooked ham, diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

→ Beans

07 - 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, drained and rinsed

→ Dairy

08 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Liquids

09 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup water

→ Herbs and Seasonings

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, adjusted to taste

# Method:

01 - Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, cooking for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add diced ham and potatoes, stirring to combine with the aromatic mixture.
04 - Add drained white beans, chicken broth, water, thyme, bay leaves, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until potatoes are tender and flavors have melded.
06 - Remove bay leaves. Using a potato masher or immersion blender, partially mash beans and potatoes in the pot to thicken while maintaining whole bean pieces for texture.
07 - Stir in heavy cream and fresh parsley. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, then adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional parsley and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in just over an hour but tastes like it simmered all day.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, which feels like a gift on a busy weeknight.
  • The creamy texture with whole beans gives you comfort without feeling heavy.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—the starchy liquid will make your soup cloudy and overly thick.
  • Mashing only some of the beans creates the magic; if you blend it all smooth, it becomes wallpaper paste instead of soup.
  • Add the cream at the end and keep the temperature below a rolling boil, or it might separate and look grainy.
03 -
  • If your soup looks too thin after adding the cream, give it another 5 minutes of simmering uncovered; evaporation will thicken it naturally.
  • The secret to bright flavor is adding fresh parsley at the very end—cooking it destroys its brightness, so resist the urge to stir it in earlier.
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