This easy ham and bean soup is hearty, comforting, and the best way to use up leftover ham. With canned beans instead of dried, there’s no soaking and dinner is ready in just 30 minutes!

Ham and bean soup made with canned beans in a bowl served with cornbread.

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Easy Ham and Bean Soup

Ham and bean soup with canned beans is one of my favorite soup recipes! It’s full of flavor, cooks in just one pot with only 20 minutes of simmer time and is the perfect way to use leftover baked ham from Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter.

This easy recipe is the ultimate comfort food just like my ham and potato soup. It’s a simple way to transform your holiday leftovers into a whole new dish!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Creamy and hearty. Just as rich and satisfying without the hassle of soaking dried beans, perfect for chilly weather or when you need a cozy pick-me-up.
  • Full of flavor. The flavors deepen as it sits, so the leftovers taste even better the next day.

Recipe Ingredients

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Ham: Smokey and salty diced ham adds a nice flavor and texture to this soup. I make this recipe the day after a big holiday dinner whenever I have leftover honey baked ham or crockpot spiral ham.
  • Beans: Canned white cannellini beans make this soup extra convenient and delicious. No soaking or precooking required!
  • Aromatics: Chopped onions, celery, carrots and minced garlic are cooked in olive oil until caramelized and tender. Their fragrant aroma is the foundation of this soup.
  • Broth: Use your leftover ham bone to make ham broth for the absolute best flavor. Chicken broth works great, too.
  • Corn: Bulk up the recipe even more by adding in frozen corn. If using canned, look for low sodium corn so that your soup isn’t overly salty.
  • Spices: A few bay leaves and either fresh or dried parsley are added to ramp up the flavor even more.

Types of White Beans

Feel free to use your favorite variety of white beans.

  • Canned white beans. Canned navy beans or great northern beans would both work in this recipe instead of cannellini beans.
  • Dried beans. You may also cook your own dried beans if you prefer to use those instead of canned (allow for extra time needed).

How to Make Ham and Bean Soup

Carrots and celery sauteing in a pot on the stove for soup.
  1. Sauté. Cook the onion, celery and carrots in a large stock pot until soft. Mix in the fresh minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
  2. Simmer. Mix in the broth, ham and corn, then add the herbs on top. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, then mix in the cannellini beans. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes to warm the beans.
  3. Serve. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed (ham can be a bit salty, so you may not need to add in any extra salt). Then ladle into bowls and serve while warm!
Stirring ham and bean soup with canned beans in a large pot.

Recipe Tips

  • Make your own ham broth. If you want to take the flavor up a notch, try making ham broth. All you need is do is simmer the leftover ham bone or ham hocks in water.
  • Seasonings: I found this ham and bean soup perfect with bay leaves and parsley. You could add fresh thyme, dried thyme or even Italian seasoning.
  • Broth: If you are sensitive to salt, using a low sodium chicken broth can help.
  • Serving suggestion: We love this with a warm slice of sweet cornbread!
Close up photo of easy ham and bean soup in a bowl with spoon.

More soup recipes we love include taco soup and chicken pot pie soup!

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Ham and bean soup made with canned beans in a bowl with cornbread on the side.

Ham and Bean Soup with Canned Beans

5 from 9 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Easy ham and bean soup recipe with canned beans is made with pantry staples in 30 minutes on the stovetop with white beans, leftover holiday ham, carrots and onions.
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Ingredients 

  • 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped carrot
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 32 ounces broth (ham or chicken broth)
  • 45 ounces white beans (3 cans cannellini beans)
  • 2 cups diced cooked ham
  • ½ cup frozen corn
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley (1-2 teaspoons dried)
  • Salt , to taste
  • Ground black pepper , to taste

Instructions

  • Saute vegetables. In a large stock pot over medium heat, heat 1 -2 Tablespoons oil. Add 1 cup onion, 1 cup celery, and 1 cup carrots and sauté 3 to 5 minutes. Add in 1 Tablespoon garlic and cook an additional minute.
  • Simmer. Pour in 32 ounces broth, 2 cups ham, and 1/2 cup corn. Add 1-2 bay leaves on top with 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in 3 cans beans and simmer an additional 5 minutes.
  • Serve. Salt and pepper, to taste. Serve while warm.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Homemade ham broth: Place leftover ham bone in a pot with 8-10 cups water (enough to cover it half way). Bring to a light boil and then reduce heat and cover with a lid. Let simmer for 30-60 minutes. Discard the bone and strain any excess fat. Store in a covered container until ready to use.
Beans: Navy or great northern beans also work great in this recipe. 
Other mix-in’s: Kale, spinach, peas, or chopped potatoes are all great additions in this soup. 
Freezing: Store in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 475kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 1202mg, Potassium: 1525mg, Fiber: 15g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 4074IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 219mg, Iron: 9mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe FAQs

How do you thicken ham and bean soup?

This soup has more of a chunky texture, however you could puree some of it to add a creamier consistency.

Do I need to drain the beans?

Not for this recipe! That is how the soup achieves its thick, creamy texture in such a short time on the stove top. Adding the whole can will give this bean soup a slow cooked flavor that tastes like it simmered for hours.

Can this soup be made in the crockpot?

Sure. I recommend sautéing the onions, celery, carrots and garlic on the stove first so the flavors from the vegetables come through, then adding all of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

How to store leftover soup?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Can I freeze this ham and bean soup with canned beans?

This recipe freezes very well. Let it cool completely, then pour into a freezer bag or container. Make sure not to fill it all the way to the top, so that the soup has room to expand. Then store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge or microwave. Then reheat in a pot on the stove until warm. You may need to add a splash of broth if the soup has thickened up too much in the freezer.