Grandma Never Threw Out a Ham Bone: 17 Old-Fashioned Bean Soup Recipes That Stretch a Dollar All Winter

Grandma never threw away a ham bone. After the holiday dinner it went straight into a pot with a pound of navy beans, and that pot fed everyone for three more days. A bag of dried beans still costs less than a cup of fancy coffee, and it can turn into a week of warm suppers. Here are the old-fashioned bean soup recipes worth bringing back, from the Senate classic to a slow cooker 15 bean pot..

Ham Bone and Navy Bean Soup

This is the one that started it all. The leftover holiday ham bone simmers with navy beans, onion, carrots and celery until the beans turn creamy and the meat falls off the bone. Mash a few beans against the pot to thicken it. Serve it with a skillet of cornbread and you have a meal that tastes like home. Do you crumble your cornbread into the bowl?

You will need: 1 meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks, 1 pound dried navy beans soaked overnight, 1 onion diced, 2 carrots diced, 2 celery stalks diced, 3 cloves garlic, 1 bay leaf, 10 cups water or low sodium chicken broth, 1 cup diced leftover ham, salt and pepper.

How to make it: Drain the soaked beans. Put the ham bone, beans, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaf and water in a big pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered for 1 and a half to 2 hours until the beans are very tender. Lift out the bone, pull off the meat and return it to the pot with the diced ham. Mash a cup of beans to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup With Collard Greens

A 15 bean collard green soup video pulled in more than 3 million views on TikTok this fall, and it is easy to see why. You dump a bag of mixed dried beans, smoked turkey, tomatoes and collards into the slow cooker in the morning and come home to a pot that smells like Sunday. It is cheap, filling and even better the next day.

You will need: 1 bag (20 ounces) 15 bean soup mix rinsed (discard the flavor packet if you like), 1 smoked turkey leg or 2 ham hocks, 1 onion diced, 3 cloves garlic, 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, 8 cups chicken broth, 4 cups chopped collard greens, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, salt, pepper and hot sauce.

How to make it: Soak the beans overnight and drain. Put the beans, turkey, onion, garlic, tomatoes, broth and paprika in a 6 quart slow cooker. Cook on low 8 hours or high 5 hours until the beans are tender. Pull the meat off the bone and return it. Stir in the collards for the last 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce.

Split Pea Soup With Ham

Split pea soup is the thick, cozy bowl that grandparents swear by. Dried split peas need no soaking and melt into a velvety soup in about an hour. A ham bone or a few slices of diced ham gives it that smoky depth. It thickens a lot as it cools, so add a splash of water when you reheat it. Do you like it smooth or chunky?

You will need: 1 pound dried green split peas rinsed, 1 ham bone or 2 cups diced ham, 1 onion diced, 2 carrots diced, 2 celery stalks diced, 2 cloves garlic, 1 bay leaf, 8 cups water or broth, half teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper.

How to make it: Put everything except the salt and pepper in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring often so it does not stick, until the peas fall apart. Remove the bone and bay leaf, pull off any meat and return it. Blend part of the soup if you want it smoother. Season to taste.

Simple Navy Bean Soup

Navy beans are the small white beans that make old-fashioned bean soup so creamy. This simple version needs no ham bone, just a little bacon for smoky flavor, plus onion, carrots and potatoes to stretch it further. It is the kind of soup that costs a few dollars and feeds six people. Who in your family asks for seconds of this one?

You will need: 1 pound dried navy beans soaked overnight, 4 slices bacon chopped, 1 onion diced, 2 carrots diced, 2 celery stalks diced, 1 large potato diced, 8 cups chicken broth, 1 bay leaf, half teaspoon dried thyme, salt and pepper, chopped green onions.

How to make it: Cook the bacon in a big pot until crisp. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook 5 minutes. Add the drained beans, broth, bay leaf and thyme. Simmer 1 hour. Add the potato and simmer 30 minutes more until everything is tender. Mash some beans to thicken, season and top with green onions.

The Famous Senate Bean Soup

Believe it or not, this bean soup has been on the menu in the United States Senate restaurant every single day for more than a century. The recipe is famously simple: navy beans, a smoked ham hock and onion. Some versions add mashed potato to make it thicker. It is proof that the simplest soups are the ones that last.

You will need: 2 pounds dried navy beans, 1 and a half pounds smoked ham hocks, 1 onion chopped, 2 tablespoons butter, about 4 quarts hot water, salt and pepper.

How to make it: Rinse the beans in hot water and put them in a big pot with the water and ham hocks. Simmer about 3 hours, stirring now and then, until the beans are very tender. Remove the hocks, dice the meat and return it to the pot. Brown the onion in the butter and stir it in. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Black Bean Soup With Lime

Black bean soup is smoky, hearty and ready fast if you use canned beans. Cumin, garlic and a little chipotle give it a gentle kick, and a squeeze of lime at the end makes it bright. Blend half of it for a creamy texture and keep the rest chunky. Top it with sour cream, cilantro and crushed tortilla chips.

You will need: 3 cans (15 ounces each) black beans with their liquid, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion diced, 1 red bell pepper diced, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 chipotle pepper in adobo chopped (optional), 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, juice of 1 lime, salt, sour cream, cilantro.

How to make it: Cook the onion and pepper in the oil 6 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and chipotle for 1 minute. Add the beans and broth and simmer 20 minutes. Blend about half the soup and stir it back in. Add the lime juice and salt. Serve with sour cream and cilantro.

White Bean and Italian Sausage Soup With Kale

This soup tastes like it simmered all day, but it is ready in about 35 minutes. Browned Italian sausage, creamy cannellini beans and kale come together in a garlicky broth. A parmesan rind dropped in the pot makes it extra rich. Serve it with crusty bread for dunking. Would you choose mild or spicy sausage?

You will need: 1 pound Italian sausage, 1 onion diced, 2 carrots diced, 4 cloves garlic, 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans drained, 6 cups chicken broth, 1 parmesan rind (optional), 4 cups chopped kale, salt, pepper, grated parmesan.

How to make it: Brown the sausage in a large pot, breaking it up. Add the onion and carrots and cook 5 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute. Add the beans, broth and parmesan rind and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the kale and cook 5 minutes until tender. Remove the rind, season and top with parmesan.

Pinto Bean Soup to Serve With Cornbread

In the South and in the Appalachian hills, a pot of pinto beans and a skillet of cornbread is called supper. Turn those beans into a brothy soup with a smoked ham hock, a little chili powder and lots of onion. It costs very little and tastes like home. Do you pour your beans over the cornbread or eat it on the side?

You will need: 1 pound dried pinto beans soaked overnight, 1 smoked ham hock, 1 onion diced, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon chili powder, half teaspoon cumin, 8 cups water, 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chiles, salt and pepper, chopped onion for topping.

How to make it: Drain the beans and put them in a big pot with the ham hock, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin and water. Simmer 2 hours until tender. Pull the meat off the hock and return it. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer 15 minutes more. Season and serve with chopped onion and warm cornbread.

Italian Lentil Soup

Lentils are the fastest bean soup of all, because they need no soaking and cook in about 30 minutes. This Italian style pot is loaded with carrots, celery, tomatoes and garlic, with a drizzle of olive oil on top. A YouTube video calling lentil soup the cheap and easy soup to make every week has close to 3 million views, and one taste explains it.

You will need: 1 and a half cups brown or green lentils rinsed, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion diced, 2 carrots diced, 2 celery stalks diced, 3 cloves garlic, 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, 6 cups broth, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 2 cups spinach, salt, pepper, parmesan.

How to make it: Cook the onion, carrots and celery in the oil 8 minutes. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning for 1 minute. Add the lentils, tomatoes and broth. Simmer 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are tender. Stir in the spinach until wilted. Season and finish with olive oil and parmesan.

Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e fagioli means pasta and beans, and it is the soup Italian grandmothers made when the pantry was almost empty. Small pasta and creamy beans cook right in a tomato broth until the soup turns thick and comforting. It is famous at a certain chain restaurant, but homemade is cheaper and better. Want even more cozy bowls? Try our hearty fall soups.

You will need: 1 tablespoon olive oil, half pound ground beef or Italian sausage (optional), 1 onion diced, 2 carrots diced, 2 celery stalks diced, 3 cloves garlic, 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, 6 cups broth, 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini or kidney beans drained, 1 cup ditalini pasta, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, parmesan.

How to make it: Brown the meat if using and drain. Add the oil, onion, carrots and celery and cook 6 minutes. Add the garlic and seasoning for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, broth and beans and simmer 15 minutes. Add the pasta and cook 10 minutes until tender. Thin with broth if needed and top with parmesan.

Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup

This one gets its creaminess from the beans themselves, not cream. Half the soup is blended until velvety, then stirred back into the pot with rosemary and garlic. It is light enough for lunch and cozy enough for dinner. Top each bowl with crunchy croutons and a drizzle of good olive oil. Which topping wins: croutons, parmesan or crispy bacon?

You will need: 3 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans drained, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion diced, 2 carrots diced, 4 cloves garlic, 1 sprig rosemary, 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth, juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper, croutons.

How to make it: Cook the onion and carrots in the oil 8 minutes. Add the garlic and rosemary for 1 minute. Add the beans and broth and simmer 20 minutes. Remove the rosemary stem. Blend half the soup and stir it back in. Add the lemon juice, season and top with croutons and olive oil.

Red Beans and Smoked Sausage in a Bowl

This is a soup version of the Louisiana Monday classic, red beans and rice. Smoked sausage, the trinity of onion, celery and green pepper, and creamy red kidney beans simmer with Cajun spice until thick. Spoon a little rice right into the bowl. It is the kind of meal that tastes even better on day two. How spicy do you like it?

You will need: 1 pound dried red kidney beans soaked overnight, 1 pound smoked sausage sliced, 1 onion diced, 1 green bell pepper diced, 2 celery stalks diced, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, 2 bay leaves, 8 cups water or broth, cooked white rice, hot sauce.

How to make it: Brown the sausage in a big pot and set some aside. Cook the onion, pepper and celery 6 minutes. Add the garlic and Cajun seasoning. Add the drained beans, bay leaves and water. Simmer 2 hours until creamy, mashing some beans against the pot. Stir the reserved sausage back in. Serve over a scoop of rice with hot sauce.

Chicken and White Bean Soup

Think of this as chicken noodle soup with a heartier twist. Rotisserie chicken and white beans simmer in a garlicky broth with carrots and a little green chile. It takes about 30 minutes and is the soup to make when someone at home needs comfort. A squeeze of lime and some cilantro on top make it taste fresh.

You will need: 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, 2 cans (15 ounces each) great northern beans drained, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion diced, 2 carrots diced, 3 cloves garlic, 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles, 1 teaspoon cumin, 6 cups chicken broth, juice of 1 lime, cilantro, salt.

How to make it: Cook the onion and carrots in the oil 6 minutes. Add the garlic, chiles and cumin for 1 minute. Add the broth and beans and simmer 15 minutes. Mash a few beans to thicken. Stir in the chicken and heat through 5 minutes. Add the lime juice and salt, and top with cilantro.

Minestrone Style Bean Soup

Minestrone is the clean out the fridge soup. Whatever vegetables you have, zucchini, green beans, cabbage or spinach, go into the pot with beans, tomatoes and a little pasta. No two pots are ever the same, and that is the fun of it. It is a great way to get the whole family eating more vegetables without a fight.

You will need: 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 zucchini, all diced, 1 cup green beans cut, 3 cloves garlic, 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, 6 cups broth, 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans drained, half cup small pasta, 2 cups spinach, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, parmesan.

How to make it: Cook the onion, carrots and celery in the oil 6 minutes. Add the zucchini, green beans, garlic and seasoning for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth and beans and simmer 15 minutes. Add the pasta and cook 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach, season and top with parmesan.

Creamy Butter Beans With Leftover Ham

Big, creamy butter beans, also called lima beans, make a soup that feels rich without any cream. Southern cooks have long simmered them with leftover ham and a little onion. The broth turns silky and the beans almost melt. It is a great way to use the last of the holiday ham. Have you ever cooked butter beans from scratch?

You will need: 1 pound dried large lima beans soaked overnight, 2 cups diced ham or 1 ham bone, 1 onion diced, 2 celery stalks diced, 2 cloves garlic, 8 cups water or broth, 2 tablespoons butter, half teaspoon black pepper, salt, parsley.

How to make it: Drain the beans and put them in a pot with the ham, onion, celery, garlic and water. Simmer gently 1 to 1 and a half hours until creamy, stirring now and then so the beans do not break up too much. Stir in the butter and pepper. Taste before adding salt, since ham is salty. Top with parsley.

Hawaiian Style Portuguese Bean Soup

In Hawaii, Portuguese bean soup is a local comfort food found at potlucks and plate lunch spots. It is packed with smoked sausage, a ham hock, kidney beans, potatoes, cabbage and a little macaroni in a tomato broth. One pot feeds a crowd, and the spicy sausage flavors everything. It is a delicious way to travel without leaving your kitchen.

You will need: 1 smoked ham hock, 1 pound Portuguese or smoked sausage sliced, 1 onion diced, 2 carrots diced, 2 potatoes diced, 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce, 2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans drained, 8 cups water, 2 cups chopped cabbage, half cup elbow macaroni, salt and pepper.

How to make it: Simmer the ham hock in the water 1 hour. Remove it, pull off the meat and return the meat to the pot. Brown the sausage in a skillet and add it to the pot with the onion, carrots, potatoes and tomato sauce. Simmer 20 minutes. Add the beans, cabbage and macaroni and cook 10 minutes more. Season to taste.

How to Quick Soak Beans and Freeze Bean Soup

Forgot to soak your beans? Do a quick soak: cover them with water, boil 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let them sit 1 hour. Bean soup freezes beautifully for up to 3 months, so make a double batch. Leave out the pasta if you plan to freeze it, and add it fresh when you reheat. Which bean soup will you make first?

You will need: 1 pound dried beans, a large pot, water, freezer safe containers or zip top bags, a marker for labels.

How to make it: Rinse the beans and pick out any small stones. Cover with 2 inches of water, boil 2 minutes, cover and rest 1 hour, then drain. For freezing, cool the soup completely, ladle it into containers, leave an inch at the top and label the date. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently, adding broth to thin.