Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) dried navy beans or Great Northern beans
• 8 cups chicken broth or water
• 1 ham bone (or 2 cups diced cooked ham)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse the dried beans and remove any damaged beans.
2. Add the beans, broth, ham bone (or diced ham), onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper to a slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on Low for 8–10 hours or High for 5–6 hours, until the beans are tender.
4. Remove the ham bone. If using a bone, shred any meat from it and return the meat to the soup.
5. Stir well and season with salt to taste.
6. For a thicker soup, mash some of the beans with a spoon before serving.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with crusty bread or cornbread.
• Garnish with chopped parsley for extra freshness.

Serves: 6–8 people.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8–10 hours (Low) or 5–6 hours (High)