Sunday, January 18, 2009

Bean Soup with Ham

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 2-3 hours
Yield: 8 cups

1 ham bone
2 cans beans (pinto, garbanzo, great northern or navy), rinsed and drained
8 ounce can tomato sauce
3 oz can tomato paste
4 cups chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
1 large handful fresh parsley, chopped, or 1 Tbsp dried parsley


Place ham bone in a large stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until reduced by half and meat is falling off bone. Remove from heat. When cook enough to touch, remove bone from pot and pull meat from bones. Reserve cooking liquid and discard bones and fat.

Add meat back to reserved liquid. Add beans, broth, tomato sauce, paste and salt and pepper. Stir to combine and heat over low.

In a small saucepan coated with cooking spray, saute onions, carrots and garlic until crisp tender. Add to soup.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until beans and veggies are tender.

Tips and Tricks
Using canned beans makes this soup prep faster, but you can use dried beans to save money. Follow the soaking directions on the package. You will also need to increase the water and cooking time.
Make It Healthier
Use low-sodium broth and omit additional salt.
How Kids Can Help
Older kids can open cans. Measure ingredients.

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