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Classic Ham & Bean Soup (Shortcut Method)

This ham and bean soup is fall comfort food at its best. Using canned navy beans, this recipe is my shortcut method for this classic ham and bean soup. With carrots, potatoes, and an irresistible broth created from a bone-in hickory smoked ham steak. This meal is made simpler by using a fully cooked smoked bone-in ham steak. I chop all the veggies for the soup in a food processor to save time. One can of beans pur’eed in the food processor thickens the soup and makes it even more delicious.

In my family, we are all big soup fans. I also love to make soup because it is a one-pot meal with fewer dishes to wash afterward. This delicious ham and bean soup has been one of my family’s favorites for years, and they start asking for it often as soon as the weather gets cool enough. My grandma Clara made her contribution to this recipe by suggesting that I add potatoes to my ham and bean soup because it makes it better. The potatoes definitely made it heartier and tastier, so I have been including them ever since.

Chop vegetables into large chunks.

Then add them to the food processor and pulse just enough to break them into small bite-sized chunks. Skip peeling the vegetables, wash thoroughly and remove any blemishes. Use a scouring pad to remove the outer layer of potato peels.

My little Cuisine Art food processor is the star in this recipe.

I use canned beans rather than dried because easier is always better in my book. Canned beans are one of the few foods that do not lose any nutritional value when canned. My little Cuisine Art food processor is the star in this recipe because it eliminates the need for chopping all of the vegetables. I also skip peeling the carrots and potatoes. I simply clean them well and remove any blemishes prior to chopping.

Do not overpulse the vegetables in the food processor

I use a scouring pad on the potatoes to remove the outer layer of skin and any dirt. You will want to pulse the vegetables carefully, just enough to break everything into bite-sized chunks. Overpulsing will result in grinding the vegetables too small. I also use the food processor to puree one can of beans, which thickens up the soup without raising its fat content. My small food processor is a staple in my kitchen and a tool I use all the time. It makes my life easier because it speeds up food prep and helps me to get food on the table faster.

I used to have a large food processor that rarely used. I find that most of the time, the small one does the job, and cleaning it afterward takes much less time than cleaning the big one. It is also perfect if all you need to do is chop an onion.