Ham and Bean Soup with Vegetables

I could have sworn I'd blogged this recipe already, but if I did, I didn't label it right. Maybe I'm getting senile already. Then again, this isn't something I make all that often, since I don't generally have a ham bone sitting around.

The most important thing about this? L actually ate two servings!


1 cup dry navy beans
1- 1/4 to 1- 1/2 lbs meaty smoked pork hocks or one 1- to 1-1/2-pound meaty ham bone
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 Tbs instant chicken bouillon granules
1 Tbs snipped fresh parsley
1 Tbs snipped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups chopped parsnips or rutabaga
1 cup sliced carrots
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained



1 Rinse beans. In a Dutch oven combine beans and 5 cups cold water. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. (Or, skip boiling water and soak beans overnight in a covered pan.) Drain and rinse beans.

2 In the same pan combine beans, 5 cups fresh water, pork hocks or ham bone, onion, celery, bouillon granules, parsley, thyme, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1-3/4 hours. Remove pork hocks or ham bone; set aside to cool. Mash beans slightly. Stir in parsnips or rutabaga and carrots. Return to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

3 Meanwhile, cut meat off bones and coarsely chop. Discard bones. Stir meat and spinach into saucepan. Cook until heated through. Makes 4 or 5 servings.