Great Northern Beans and Ham

Ham and northern beans are delicious and comforting whether you are living on a budget or not! Great Northern Beans are  mixed with veggies, ham and seasoning and simmered until tender and full of flavor.

Nothing could be more hearty and heart-warming more than this economical entrée.

What are Great Northern Beans?

Sometimes called ‘common beans’ great northern beans have a mild flavor and are a popular addition to casseroles, soups, and stews. Since their flavor is delicate, they’re easily complemented by any kind of meat, but especially the smoky salty flavor of ham!

Navy Beans vs Great Northern Beans

What is the difference between navy bean and great northern beans? They’re not too different, both are a similar shape (and flavor), but great northern beans are a little bit bigger than navy beans. That being said, either bean can be substituted for the other in a recipe.

How to Soak Beans

Rinse beans in a colander and pick out any debris like small stones or twigs. Place in a large pot and cover with enough water to cover the beans plus two inches. Cover and let soak overnight. It’s that easy!

For an even quicker soak, place beans in a stockpot, cover with water plus two inches and bring to a rolling boil about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand an hour.

How to Cook Great Northern Beans

This easy soup recipe is ready in 1, 2, 3!

1. First, sauté diced onion in oil until it’s soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
2. Combine beans and the remaining ingredients.
3. Bring everything to a boil and then simmer on low until the beans are tender.

To Serve: Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

To cook great northern beans in a crockpot, reduce the liquid a bit, soak the beans overnight and then cook on slow for 8 hours.

Tips for Cooking with Beans

• Soak properly: Keep the beans underwater while they are soaking so they can cook uniformly.
• Rinse and Sort: Be sure to rinse well and sort the beans looking for debris and/or little pebbles.
• Simmer: Once the beans start cooking, keep them at a gentle simmer so they don’t overcook and burst.
• Acidid Ingredients: Always add the salt and other acidic ingredients to the end of the cooking process because salt can sometimes interfere with the rehydration process.

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4.96 from 21 votes

Review Recipe

Great Northern Beans and Ham

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Soak Beans 12 hours

Total Time 13 hours 50 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author Holly Nilsson

Nothing is more hearty and heart-warming more than a basic ham and beans recipe. This is such an easy, economical entrée, it’s healthy and portable.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound Great Northern Beans dry
• ▢ 1 ham hock or 1 lb smoked ham
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion diced
• ▢ 2 carrots chopped
• ▢ 1 stalk celery chopped
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ▢ 4 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 4 cups water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh parsley optional

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Instructions

• Rinse beans in a large pot and remove any debris. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Let sit overnight. Drain well.
• Cook onion in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Combine beans, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, ham hock, and seasonings in a pot. Add 4 cups chicken broth and 4 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 ½ to 2 hours or until beans are tender.
• Discard bay leaf, taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Recipe Notes

Salt and acidic ingredients can interfere with the rehydration process. Add salt (and acidic ingredients if you make additions) at the end of cooking.

To Quick Soak Beans
Place in a saucepan and add enough water to cover at least 2 inches above beans. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour.

To Cook in Slow Cooker
Reduce liquid (water and broth) to 6 cups. Soak beans as directed and add all ingredients to a 6qt slow cooker. Cook on low 8 hours.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 160, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 494mg, Potassium: 458mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 2612IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 63mg, Iron: 2mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword great northern beans, ham and bean soup

Course Soup

Cuisine American

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