Black bean soup with ham is my answer to "What do I do with all this leftover ham?" Thick, smoky and deeply satisfying, it's hearty enough for a full meal and easy enough to make on a busy weeknight.
We always look forward to a great hearty soup after a holiday meal. This black bean soup with ham is a great way to use up leftover ham from Easter or Christmas. Of course, if you want to make it without cooking a full ham first, ask your local deli to cut a couple of thick slices of honey ham or black forest ham.
Bean soups are a cheap and easy way to get dinner on the table quickly. Try some of our other favorite recipes, such as Italian sausage bean soup and vegan potato soup with beans & kale.
My best recipe tips
- Brown the chopped ham to lend extra smokiness to the soup. It takes just a couple of minutes and makes a world of difference!
- I made this black bean soup with canned beans for convenience. If you prefer to make black beans from dried beans, you'll need about 4 ½ cups of cooked beans.
- Taste and adjust. Be sure to taste the soup before serving and adjust the salt, pepper and lime juice to your preference.
How to make black bean soup with ham
** The complete instructions are in the recipe card below. **
- Brown the ham: Sauté the ham pieces over medium-high heat to brown. Set aside.
- Make the base: Sauté the onions, celery and bell pepper until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and spices.
- Simmer: Add the black beans, green chiles and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
- Blend the soup: If you have an immersion blend, blend the soup until chunky. Make sure the head of the blender is submerged at all times to avoid spraying hot soup on yourself! If using a regular blender, let the soup cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then blend in two batches. Use the pulse mode so the soup is chunky, not fully blended. After each few pulses, lift the lid a little to release some of the steam. This stops the lid from coming off while blending. Soup on the ceiling is not fun to clean up. Trust me!
- Finish it off: Stir in the lime juice, ham and cilantro. Season to taste.
Make-ahead and storage
This black bean soup recipe is ideal for meal prepping and freezing.
- Cool and store the soup in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. HOWEVER, this completely depends on the age of the ham. If you've already had the ham for a couple of days, the soup should be served right away.
- To freeze, cool the soup, divide it into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Alternatively, freeze leftover ham slices (or chop before freezing) in portions. Defrost the ham, then brown it and add to the bean soup as directed in the recipe card.
Other leftover ham ideas
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Black Bean Soup with Ham
Black bean soup with ham is a my answer to "What do I do with all this leftover ham?" Thick, smoky and deeply satisfying, it's hearty enough for a full meal and easy enough to make on a busy weeknight.
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Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 193kcal
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray
- 8 ounces thick ham slices cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeded & minced (See Note 1 below)
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 (14 ounces each) cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth (See Note 2 below)
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
- Juice of ½ large lime or to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Spray with olive oil spray to coat the bottom. Add the ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until the ham is browned. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Heat the olive oil in the saucepan. Add the onion, celery, red bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and tender, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and bay leaves. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Stir in the black beans, broth and diced green chiles. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so the soup is simmering. Partially cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves. If you have an immersion blend, blend the soup until chunky. Make sure the head of the blender is submerged at all times to avoid spraying hot soup on yourself! If using a regular blender, let the soup cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then blend in two batches. Use the pulse mode so the soup is chunky, not fully blended. After each few pulses, lift the lid a little to release some of the steam. This stops the lid from coming off while blending.
- Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve.
Video
Notes
Note 1: There are a few ways to adjust the spiciness of the soup. If you're sensitive to spice, reduce or leave out the jalapeño pepper. For more spice, leave in the seeds and membranes of the pepper.
Note 2: Use reduced or low-sodium broth if sodium is a concern. This will affect the overall seasoning of the soup, but you can adjust the other spices and lime juice to compensate.
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the built-in recipe card calculator. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.25cups | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 973mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g
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KatrinaTR
We made this once after Easter, then I bought thick slices of deli ham and made it again yesterday. The flavors are so good and it is definitely going to be a staple for us. I haven't tried freezing it yet because we always eat it all.