White Bean Soup

This is the kind of soup your grandmother made when the weather turned cold and there was a ham bone sitting in the fridge. Dried navy beans soak overnight, then spend three slow hours on the stove with a meaty ham hock until the broth turns creamy and the beans melt on your tongue.

The two-stage simmer is key. The beans cook alone with the ham bone for two hours first, which gives the bone time to release its smoky, porky flavor deep into the broth. Onions, celery (including the leafy tops, which add a grassy, herbal note you’d miss without them), garlic, and parsley join for the final hour. By the time the vegetables are tender, the beans have broken down just enough to naturally thicken the soup without any roux or cream.

Pull the ham bone out at the end, strip off every bit of meat, dice it, and stir it back in. That shredded ham scattered throughout the bowl is half the reason this soup exists.

Kitchen Tips

• Soak beans overnight in plenty of water; they’ll double in size
• Leave the pot uncovered while simmering so the broth reduces and concentrates
• Skim any foam that rises during the first hour of cooking for a cleaner-tasting broth
• This soup thickens considerably as it cools; thin with water or broth when reheating

Variations

• Smoky: Add a smoked turkey leg instead of ham hock for a deeper smoke flavor
• Tuscan-style: Stir in chopped kale or escarole during the last 15 minutes
• Creamy: Puree half the soup and stir it back in for a thicker, velvety texture