Black Bean Ham Soup (Printable Version)

Smoky ham and black beans combine with jalapeños for a rich, warming bowl of comfort.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 9 oz smoked ham, diced

→ Legumes

02 - 2.5 cups cooked black beans (or two 14 oz cans, drained and rinsed)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 2 medium jalapeños, seeds removed and finely chopped
08 - 1 red bell pepper, diced

→ Liquids

09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

→ Spices & Herbs

10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Finishing Touches

15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
17 - Lime wedges for serving

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic, jalapeños, and red bell pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add diced ham and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.
04 - Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute.
05 - Add black beans and pour in the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Remove bay leaf. For a thicker consistency, use an immersion blender to partially purée the soup if desired.
07 - Season with salt and black pepper to your preference.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like it simmered all day but comes together in under two hours, which feels like stealing.
  • The heat from jalapeños sneaks up on you in the best way—warming without overwhelming unless you're brave enough to keep the seeds.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, making this the kind of soup worth doubling.
02 -
  • The bay leaf will sink, so mark it mentally or fish it out immediately after simmering—biting into one is an experience you only need once.
  • Don't add salt until the very end because simmering concentrates flavors and you could easily oversalt; it's easier to add more than to fix it.
  • If you want it vegetarian, vegetable broth plus a teaspoon of liquid smoke creates a depth that reminds you of what you're missing—some people can't tell the difference.
03 -
  • If you prefer vegetable broth for a lighter version, add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke and you'll have depth that rivals the ham version—it's genuinely that good.
  • Partially blending the soup changes everything; it goes from soupy to creamy without cream, and the beans do all the work of thickening.
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