Ham and Red Bean Soup (Printable Version)

Smoky ham and tender red beans infused with Creole spices for a rich, warming meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb smoked ham hock or leftover ham bone
02 - 8 oz diced smoked ham

→ Beans

03 - 1 lb dried red beans, soaked overnight and drained

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 bay leaves
09 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish
10 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for garnish

→ Liquids

11 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock or water

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
15 - 1 tsp dried oregano
16 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
17 - 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
18 - 1/2 tsp white pepper optional
19 - 1/2 tsp hot sauce optional

→ Accompaniment

20 - Cooked long-grain white rice for serving

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat a splash of oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, diced bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the soaked and drained red beans, smoked ham hock, diced ham, bay leaves, thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne, oregano, black pepper, white pepper if using, and salt.
04 - Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
05 - After 1 hour, check the beans for tenderness. Continue simmering until the beans are creamy and the meat is falling off the bone.
06 - Remove the ham hock. Shred any meat from the bone and return it to the pot; discard the bone and excess fat.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, black pepper, or hot sauce as desired.
08 - Serve hot over cooked rice, garnished with sliced green onions and fresh parsley.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The smoky depth from ham and paprika builds slowly, rewarding your patience with a bowl that tastes like it's been cooking all day.
  • It's naturally forgiving—the soup only gets better as it sits, making it perfect for batch cooking or feeding a crowd.
  • One pot, minimal fuss, and you end up with something that feels far more impressive than the effort required.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight soak on dried beans—it's the difference between creamy comfort and a pot full of little stones that never fully surrender to the broth.
  • After the first hour, taste a bean; they should mash easily between your tongue and the roof of your mouth, not crunch.
  • The ham bone matters more than you think—use a proper smoked ham hock rather than a standard pork bone for that distinctive depth.
03 -
  • A Dutch oven holds heat and distributes it more evenly than a standard pot, which means fewer scorched spots on the bottom and more consistent cooking.
  • If your ham hock feels lean, that's actually ideal—excess fat will render out and you can skim it if you want, but some of it should stay for the body of the soup.
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