Recipe Background
1930s Ham & Bean Soup is a nostalgic dish with smoky, savory aromas.
Ham and bean soup from the 1930s comes with a comforting simplicity that brings people together. The beans, plump and tender, soak up the smoky depth of ham as they simmer. Expect aromas of savory broth mingled with the mild sweetness of tomatoes and onions to fill your kitchen. Each spoonful is a nostalgic mix of smooth beans and hearty ham, a throwback to kitchens that thrived on thrift and ingenuity.
Cooking this soup allows for a moment of gentle patience. Letting it simmer for an hour or more not only softens the beans but deepens the flavors. As you lift the lid, take a moment to stir and appreciate the transformation. While stirring, remember to skim off any excess foam. This simple step helps maintain a clear, appetizing broth.
Sharing this dish brings warmth to a dinner table, evoking memories of home-cooked meals around a sturdy kitchen table. Serve it up with crusty bread to mop up every last drop, and top it off with a scatter of bright parsley. Whether feeding a large family or enjoying a cozy dinner for two, this dish invites reflection and enjoyment in every bowl.
Ingredients
- 3 cups dried navy beans
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 meaty ham hock or 1 cup cooked ham diced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 1/2 cups water plus more, to taste
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- fresh parsley minced, to taste
Directions
- Rinse and sort the beans. Soak the beans according to the package directions.
- Drain and rinse the beans.
- In a Dutch oven, combine the beans, the tomatoes, the onion, the ham hock, the broth, the water, the salt, and the pepper and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover the Dutch oven, and simmer the soup until the beans are tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Add more water to the soup if needed.
- Transfer the ham hock from the soup and let it stand until it is cool enough to handle.
- Transfer the meat from the ham hock and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Return the ham to the soup and cook until it is heated through.
- Garnish the soup with the parsley.
- Serve.
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