High-Protein Comfort: Why This Hearty Ham and White Bean Stew is a Meal Prep Game Changer
The American classic that is perfect for dinner nights at any time of the year.
Even though the soup season was proclaimed over as soon as winter months were gone, it doesn’t mean you can’t crave for something warm and hearty spending a spring rainy night at home.
The now iconic ham and bean soup is a solution you might have been looking for — despite requiring around 2 hours of preparation, the dish is definitely worth the shot and will be just enough for your entire family’s dinner.
Ingredients: 1 pound of dry navy or Great Northern beans (sorted, rinsed, and soaked overnight), 3 stalks of celery (chopped), 2 large carrots (peeled and chopped), 1 large yellow onion (finely chopped), 3 cloves of garlic (minced), kosher salt and black pepper, 1 ham hock or smoked ham (1.5–1.75 pounds), 12 ounces (about 2 cups) of cooked ham (shredded or cut into ½-inch cubes), lemon for serving.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery, half the carrots, onion, and garlic. Season lightly with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender (10–12 minutes).
Drain the beans, rinse them, and add them to the pot along with the thyme, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
Add the ham hock and pour in 7 cups of water. Stir, partially cover, and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender (about 1 hour). Add more water as needed to cover the beans. Taste the soup while simmering and add salt and pepper if necessary. Keep in mind that the ham hock, which is added later, is salty.
Remove the ham hock, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Pour 2 cups of soup into a blender and blend until creamy, then return to the pot. You can also use an immersion blender.
Add the sliced ham and remaining carrots to the pot, cover partially, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are slightly softened (about 10 minutes).
Taste for seasoning and serve with additional pepper and, if you like, a lemon slice.
