Amazing 15 bean soup flavor in 3 hours

When that first real chill hits the air, my entire focus shifts to comfort. Forget delicate spring salads; I need something that sticks to your ribs and tastes like it simmered all day, even if you only started it this morning! That’s why I love, truly love, this Hearty 15 Bean Soup with Smoked Ham Hock. This isn’t just another soup recipe; it’s the cure for a long week, and it proves that the best kind of bean soup can be incredibly flavorful without taking over your entire afternoon. I learned to trust simple ingredients like a good smoked ham hock to deliver that deep, savory punch you just can’t buy in a can. It’s real food, made easily, for the people you care about.

Why This Hearty 15 Bean Soup with Smoked Ham Hock is Your New Favorite Bean Soup

There are plenty of recipes out there, I know, but this one hits the sweet spot every single time. If you’re looking for true Comfort Food Soups that don’t require a whole day of cooking, this is your winner. It transitions perfectly into your {Crockpot Cowboy Soup} routine when you need minimal effort.

• It’s a true One Pot Soup Dinner—after the quick sauté, you just let it bubble away.
• The texture is exactly what you want: thick, perfectly filling, and rich.
• It freezes like a dream, making it ideal for future weeknight emergencies!

Deep Flavor from a Smoked Ham Hock

Listen, you can skip the ham hock, but then you’re just making bean soup. The smoked ham hock is the secret weapon here. It melts down slowly, releasing that beautiful savory, smoky element into every drop of broth. It gives the whole pot that authentic, slow-simmered Ham and Bean Soup with Ham Bone flavor without you having to be chained to the stove all day long.

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Simple Ingredients for the Best Bean Soup

Don’t let the name fool you—it’s a 15-bean mix, but the other components are basic pantry staples. I always make sure to have onions, carrots, and celery on hand because they build the flavor foundation for almost any great bean soup. You don’t need fancy equipment, just a big pot and a little patience while it simmers down beautifully.

Gathering Ingredients for Your 15 Bean Soup Recipe

Okay, let’s talk about what you need to pull together this amazing meal. Getting the ingredients prepped is half the battle, especially since this is going to simmer for a good long while. Trust me on the 15-bean mix—you want one that includes lentils and split peas, not just hard kidney beans, for the best texture variation in your bean soup. When you look at the list, notice we’re not using a ton of spices, because the ham hock does most of the heavy lifting!

Make sure you rinse those dried beans really well before anything else, like you’re washing away any dust from their packaging. I also like to have my {veggie starters}—the onion, carrots, and celery—chopped and ready to go before I even turn on the stove. Everything needs to be ready for that quick sauté right at the start of this incredible bean soup adventure!

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Step-by-Step Instructions for This Thick and Filling Soup

Now for the fun part—turning those ingredients into magic! This is where the patience pays off, but don’t worry, most of that time is hands-off while the soup does its thing. If you happen to be running short on time, you can absolutely adapt this to be a {Crockpot meal}, but for this stovetop method, we need a solid three hours to build that deep flavor.

Preparing the Beans and Aromatics

First things first: rinse your dried bean mix really well in a colander. I always tell folks to give them a good look; sometimes you find a tiny rock that snuck in, and nobody wants that surprise when eating their hearty soup! Next, grab your big pot or Dutch oven and heat that olive oil over medium heat. Toss in the onion, carrots, and celery. We want them softening up—get them nice and tender, which usually takes about five or six minutes. Once they start smelling sweet, drop in the minced garlic and the thyme for just 60 seconds until you can really smell that wonderful fragrance.

Simmering Your Homemade Bean Soup to Perfection

Time to load up the pot! Add your rinsed beans, that gorgeous smoked ham hock, the broth or water, pepper, and the bay leaf. Bring that whole thing to a rolling boil, and then, just as quick, reduce the heat down to a low, gentle simmer and cover it up. This is where the real work happens over the next two to three hours. You need to stir it every now and then—maybe every 30 or 40 minutes—just to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of your bean soup pot. If it gets too thick for your liking, just splash in a little extra water or broth until it feels right.

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Tips for the Perfect Bean Soup Success

Getting a soup right isn’t just about dumping things in a pot; it’s about the final little nudges that turn a good meal into something truly special. Since this is one of those fantastic Winter Warming Soups, we want to make sure the flavor profile is totally dialed in before we serve it up. I’ve learned a few tricks over the years that help make this bean soup shine. If you love deep flavor from beans, you’ll also want to check out my thoughts on {foolproof lentil soup} while you’re here!

Adjusting Salt and Acidity

This is a huge one, so listen up! You absolutely cannot salt this soup until you’ve pulled out that ham hock and shredded the meat. The smoked ham hock releases so much sneaky salt as it cooks down. Wait until the end! When you finally taste it, then drizzle in that tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. It wakes everything up and adds a brightness you wouldn’t expect in a heavy bean soup.

Vegetarian Bean Soup Ideas

If you need to whip up a batch of vegetarian bean soup, don’t fret about missing that smoky flavor. Use vegetable broth instead of water or chicken broth, naturally. The real trick here is adding about a teaspoon of liquid smoke right near the end. It’s a game-changer! It gives that deep, savory, almost campfire taste that mimics what the ham hock brings to the party, making it a wonderful Vegetarian Bean Soup Idea.

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Bean Soup for Meal Prep

One of the best things about making a big pot of bean soup? You get leftovers for days! This recipe is truly fantastic for Bean Soup for Meal Prep. You can tuck containers of this hearty goodness into the fridge and have delicious, warming lunches ready to go, or even freezers are great for an extra batch for those busy days. If you’re looking for other make-ahead magic, you should really check out my {make-ahead burrito guide} too!

Now, here’s the crucial piece of knowledge I need to pass on: this soup thickens like crazy as it cools down. Seriously, it goes from soup to almost a stew overnight! So when you reheat it, you absolutely must bring back that perfect soup consistency. Just add a splash of water or extra broth while it’s heating up on the stove or in the microwave. Stir it in slowly until you get that lovely, soupy texture back. It reheats beautifully, tasting even better the next day!

Serving Suggestions for This Hearty Soup Recipes

A bowl of this thick and filling soup just begs for something wonderful to dip into it! Since we are aiming straight for those wonderful Comfort Food Soups vibes, I always pair this bean masterpiece with something crunchy or absorbent. My absolute favorite pairing is a big slab of my {Golden Skillet Cornbread}. The sweetness of the cornbread against the savory, smoky broth? Perfection!

If you aren’t feeling cornbread, honestly, a really good piece of crusty French bread works just as well for soaking up every last drop from the bottom of the bowl. Just keep it simple—this soup is the star of the show!

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Frequently Asked Questions About Making Bean Soup

I get tons of questions about this recipe, which just proves how popular a hearty bean soup is! People want easy, flavorful meals, and this delivers. Here are the top things I always hear:

Can I make this 15 Bean Soup Recipe without soaking the beans?

Yes, absolutely! That’s one of the easiest parts of using the 15-bean mix—they are designed to be cooked straight from the bag. You don’t need to pre-soak them overnight like some other dried beans. However, because they aren’t soaked, you do need that long, slow simmer time. I usually give mine a good two and a half to three hours on the stove to ensure every single bean is perfectly tender and not chalky in the middle.

How can I make this a Creamy White Bean Soup instead?

If you like that super thick, almost velvety texture, I have a fantastic trick that avoids adding any actual cream! Once the soup has finished simmering, scoop out about a cup of the cooked beans (and a little broth). Put just those beans into a blender—carefully!—and blend until they are completely smooth. Then, stir that pureed bean mixture right back into your main pot. It magically thickens the whole batch of bean soup, giving it that rich body you’re looking for!

What is the best way to use leftover ham bone in bean soup?

The ham bone or hock is the whole point when making savory Ham and Bean Soup! You want to get that bone into the pot right at the beginning, along with your broth and everything else. It needs that long cooking time—those whole three hours—to fully release all the smoky collagen and delicious meat flavor into the liquid. Don’t try to add it halfway through; you won’t get the depth of flavor that makes this soup so special!

Nutritional Estimate for This Hearty Bean Soup

Now, I’m certainly no nutritionist, so take these numbers with a grain of salt, exactly as the recipe calls for! This estimate is based on dividing the recipe into 8 generous servings, keeping in mind that the ham hock adds quite a bit of sodium. We are looking at a truly satisfying meal here that is rich in fiber and protein. This bean soup is low in fat for how filling it is, which I just love for a good comfort meal!

• Calories: 350
• Fat: 7g
• Protein: 22g
• Carbohydrates: 55g
• Fiber: 18g

Share Your Homemade Bean Soup Creations

I truly hope this Hearty 15 Bean Soup warms up your kitchen just like it does mine! Seriously, when you give this bean soup a try, come back and leave me a rating—five stars if you loved it! I absolutely adore seeing your bowls pop up online, so tag me in your photos! Hearing about your success makes all my hours testing recipes worth it. Want to know more about my kitchen philosophy? Check out my {About Page}!

Hearty 15 Bean Soup with Smoked Ham Hock

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This recipe makes a hearty 15 bean soup using a smoked ham hock for deep, savory flavor. It is a comforting, filling, and easy one-pot dinner perfect for chilly evenings.

• Author: Carla Davis
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 3 hours
• Total Time: 3 hours 15 min
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Low Fat

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound dried 15 bean soup mix (ensure it includes lentils and split peas)
• 1 smoked ham hock (or 1 cup leftover cooked ham)
• 8 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

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Instructions

1. Rinse the dried bean mix thoroughly under cold water. Discard any small stones or debris.
2. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic and dried thyme to the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the rinsed bean mix, smoked ham hock, water or broth, black pepper, and bay leaf to the pot.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer.
6. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until the beans are very tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. If the soup becomes too thick, add more water or broth.
7. Remove the ham hock. Once cool enough to handle, shred the meat from the bone and return the shredded ham to the soup. Discard the bone and bay leaf.
8. Stir in the apple cider vinegar just before serving. Taste and add salt only if needed, as the ham hock adds significant saltiness.
9. Serve this thick and filling soup hot.

Notes

• For a vegetarian bean soup, omit the ham hock and use vegetable broth. Add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke for a smoky flavor.
• If you are using leftover cooked ham instead of a ham hock, add it during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• This soup is excellent for meal prep; it thickens considerably upon refrigeration. Add a splash of water or broth when reheating.
• If you do not have time for a long simmer, you can cook this in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1.5 cups
• Calories: 350
• Sugar: 4
• Sodium: 650
• Fat: 7
• Saturated Fat: 2
• Unsaturated Fat: 5
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 55
• Fiber: 18
• Protein: 22
• Cholesterol: 25