This comforting White Bean and Ham Soup is more than just a meal, it’s a reminder of spending time with the family. Whether you use a leftover ham bone from the previous day’s holiday party, or by spending the afternoon together while it slowly simmers, this rich and savory soup will always be memorable.
This past Labor Day, we drove up to Fairgrove, Michigan, which is about 2 hours north of us in the thumb of Michigan, to spend the afternoon at the Michigan Bean Festival. We’ve been trying to go there for the past few years but this year made it a priority to visit. It was a small event but fun to experience.
During the day, it’s mostly free. The kids enjoyed the petting farm and getting their faces painted. There was a booth that sold the festival-branded merchandise and a trailer that made and passed out, free white bean and ham soup.
We sat under the pavilion at one of the picnic tables and enjoyed the free bean soup while the kids ran off to pet the goats and rabbits. Off in the distance, a crowd gathered to watch the beach volleyball match. Kids ran from bounce house to bounce house. Behind the fenced-in fairgrounds, truck after truck towed in cars that were going to be participating in that evening’s demolition derby.
What is the Michigan Bean Festival?
The Michigan Bean Festival is one of Michigan’s longest-running festivals. It’s a four-day event that takes place in Fairgrove, Michigan on Labor Day Weekend every year. The festival was created in 1947 as a way to celebrate the dry bean industry in Michigan.
The festival features three nights of demolition derby and bump and runs, a craft show, a variety of food vendors, an antique car show, beach volleyball, bingo, a bounce house city for the kids, a live auction, parades, the crowning of Miss Bean and more.
Each morning of the festival, a volunteer fires up the large cauldron and prepares a white bean and ham soup. The bean soup is free while it lasts.
It was a great moment sitting there at the picnic tables with the family while enjoying the great weather, being in the heart of Michigan’s bean country, and celebrating the rich history of the Michigan Bean Industry.
The Michigan Bean Industry
Michigan’s bean industry goes back to the mid-19th century and has been a vital part of the state’s agriculture industry ever since. Initially, the beans were grown as part of subsistence farming, but the fertile soil and favorable climate, especially in the Saginaw Valley region and Thumb region made Michigan a leading producer of navy beans. By the early 20th century, local processing facilities helped distribute these beans nationwide.
During the 1920s, Michigan farmers began to grow more varieties of beans: black, red, and pinto beans. The demand for beans surged during the Great Depression and World War II, as they were an affordable and nutritious food source.
In 1935, the owner of the Michigan Bean Company, Al Reidel, was searching for a name for their new brand of beans. Reidel jokingly recalled when magician Harry Houdini called for a member of the crowd to come up on stage to help with the rabbit out-of-the-hat routine. That person who helped Houdini was Reidel’s 10-year-old daughter, Phyllis.
Reidel said that a jumping jack rabbit would be the new corporate logo of the Michigan Bean Company’s consumer line of navy beans and would now be known as Jack Rabbit Beans. By the end of the 1940s, Jack Rabbit Beans and the Michigan Bean Company would play a big role in promoting the dry bean industry and be in virtually every market worldwide.
In the ’60s, cooperative associations were organized to help farmers improve their market power and secure fair prices. These cooperatives helped to bring farmers, researchers, and institutions like Michigan State University together. They also led to the development of disease-resistant bean varieties that were better suited to Michigan’s climate.
Today, Michigan remains a top U.S. producer of beans. You’ll find plenty of varieties across the state that include navy, black, pinto, red, and cranberry beans. The Michigan Bean Commission, which was established in 1977, continues to promote Michigan beans in domestic and international markets while supporting research and education.
To learn more about the Michigan Bean Commission, please visit https://michiganbean.com.
To read more about Michigan’s Jack Rabbit Beans, follow this link: https://www.castlemuseum.org/post/michigan-s-jack-rabbit-beans-more-than-tasty
What ingredients do I need to make White Bean and Ham Soup?
Beans: I like the way Navy Beans works in a soup. They have a creamy texture, thick skin, and a neutral flavor. They withstand the long cooking times of a soup without losing their shape. If you can’t find Navy Beans, you can also substitute for Great Northern Beans or Cannellini beans.
Ham: Leftover ham from the ham bone is perfect. Dice the ham into bite-sized pieces. You can also use the pre-packaged small diced ham found at the grocery store. I use the grocery store ham if I don’t have leftover ham like after a holiday dinner. Some have prepackaged smoked ham that works perfectly.
PRO TIP: If I’m using the pre-diced ham, I add a ham hock to the soup to get that extra smoky flavor.
Vegetables: The French mirepox: onions, carrots, and celery. Plus, plenty of garlic.
Seasoning: I use a little variety with the seasoning for this White Bean and Ham Soup. There’s garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, ground thyme, and bay leaves.
Liquid: You could use water but I like the way vegetable broth adds depth to the flavor of this soup.
Do you have to soak Navy Beans?
It comes down to personal preference. I prefer to soak my beans overnight. By soaking the Navy Beans, it will reduce the cooking time and help ensure that the beans cook evenly.
The process is simple: cover them with cold water by about 2-3 inches, cover, and let them soak for 4 to 12 hours. Drain and rinse the beans before using.
What is the quick boil method?
If you’ve forgotten to soak the beans overnight, or are suddenly craving some, you can use this Quick Boil Method.
STEP 1:Â Sort through the beans for any debris then rinse them off.
STEP 2: Cover the beans in a large pot with cold water by about 3 inches.
STEP 3:Â Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and remove it from the burner. Let the pot sit for 1 hour.
STEP 4:Â Drain the water and start the recipe as instructed.
PRO TIP: If you want a more in-depth look at soaking beans, follow this link to my article How Do You Soak Beans?
What can I serve with White Bean and Ham Soup?
I like to serve either warmed French bread or crackers at the table. Another option is cornbread or dinner rolls.
Sometimes to balance out the meal, I’ll add a simple side salad or a Homemade Bleu Cheese Dressing Wedge Salad (recipe coming soon).
PRO TIP: Do you want to take this soup, or any soup to the next level of flavor? Try adding Creole Croutons to it! These croutons are also amazing on salads.
How do I store leftover White Bean and Ham Soup?
The soup will last 5-7 days in the refrigerator. Be sure to store the soup in an air-tight container.
How long will beans last in the freezer?
The soup will last about 6 months if sealed properly in the freezer.
You can place the soup in an air-tight container or a resealable freezer bag. Don’t forget to label and date the packaging. To use again, you can thaw the frozen soup by placing it in the fridge and letting it sit overnight or place the container in a bowl of warm water for a quick thaw.
PRO TIP: If you want more information about storing cooked beans, read this article on How Long Do Cooked Beans Last in the Fridge?
How do you make White Bean and Ham Soup?
1. Soak the Navy Beans overnight and rinse before using or use the quick soak method. The beans don’t have to be soaked, but by soaking them you reduce the cooking time.
2. In a large pot over MEDIUM heat, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery in the olive oil until the vegetables have become tender, about 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to stir for 1 minute.
3. Add all of the seasoning: smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground thyme, cayenne pepper, and Italian Seasoning, and continue to stir for another 1 minute.
4. Carefully pour in the vegetable broth, the Navy Beans, bay leaves, and smoked ham hock, and bring to a boil – about 10 minutes. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours or until the beans have become tender, stirring occasionally to prevent the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add warm water to the pot if the beans begin to dry out.
5. Remove bay leaves from the pot and discard. Carefully take the ham hock out and place it on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, remove any meat from the ham hock and add the meat back to the pot. Discard the skin and bones.
6. Add the cooked diced ham and season the pot with salt and pepper and cook for 30 minutes longer.
7. To serve, ladle the White Bean and Ham Soup into bowls and garnish with chopped green onions. Offer warm bread or crackers at the table. Enjoy!
More Soup recipes:
More Bean recipes:
- Monday Red Beans and Rice
- Red Bean Jambalaya
- Meatless Black Eyed Peas and Rice
- Simple Spicy White Bean Salad
White Bean and Ham Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- ½ cup celery diced
- 4-6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground thyme
- ½ tsp caynne pepper
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 lbs. dried Navy Beans sorted and soaked overnight
- 1 lbs. smoked ham hock
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cups cook ham diced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- green onions chopped, for garnishment
Instructions
- Soak the Navy Beans overnight and rinse before using or use the quick soak method. The beans don't have to be soaked, but by soaking them you reduce the cooking time.
- In a large pot over MEDIUM heat, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery in the olive oil until the vegetables have become tender, about 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to stir for 1 minute.
- Add all of the seasoning: smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground thyme, cayenne pepper, and Italian Seasoning and continue to stir for another 1 minute.
- Carefully pour in the vegetable broth, the Navy Beans, bay leaves, and smoked ham hock, and bring to a boil - about 10 minutes. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours or until the beans have become tender, stirring occasionally to prevent the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add warm water to the pot if the beans begin to dry out.
- Remove bay leaves from the pot and discard. Carefully take the ham hock out and place it on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, remove any meat from the ham hock and add the meat back to the pot. Discard the skin and bones.
- Add the cooked ham and season with salt and pepper and cook for 30 minutes longer.
- To serve, ladle the Ham and White Bean Soup into bowls and garnish with chopped green onions. Offer warm bread or crackers at the table. Enjoy!
Eric Olsson is the food blogger of RedBeansAndEric.com. He publishes new recipes and interviews weekly. He has developed recipes and written articles for the famous Camellia brand in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been mentioned in Louisiana Cookin‘ magazine and has had recipes featured in Taste of Home magazine – with his Creole Turkey recipe being runner up in their annual Thanksgiving recipe contest. He lives outside of Detroit, Michigan, with his wife and four children.
Lynn Koomer
Excellent! Served it last night to 19 people and everyone enjoyed. Highly recommend. Having leftover soup again tonight for family.
Red Beans and Eric
Hi, Lynn! Thank you very much for letting me know! That’s great to hear you all liked the recipe!