This Ham and Bean Soup is the epitome of comfort food on your table in 30 minutes!
There is Ham and Bean Soup. Then there is Creamy Ham and Bean Soup. Then there is Creamy Ham and Bean Soup with Tortellini which is 1000X more delicious! This is the Best Ham and Bean Soup simmered with ham, white beans, onions, carrots, celery, seasonings and pillowy, cheesy tortellini. It is lusciously creamy, bursting with flavor, SO easy and lick your bowl delicious! 30 minutes never tasted so good!
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Why you’ll love this recipe for Ham and Bean Soup
This Ham and Bean Soup will have everyone excited for leftover holiday ham or deli ham. It’s easy to whip up in 30 minutes but impresses with its aromatic, creamy goodness AND tortellini! The cheesy tortellini melts in your mouth with delight and will have everyone clamoring for more!
From my little family to yours, (click HERE for IG pic), I hope you had an absolutely magical Christmas full of the spirit of Christmas, love, and laughter. And ham. Lots of leftover ham so you can make this Creamy White Bean and Ham Tortellini Soup ASAP, because it too, is magical. Magical in its flavor, texture bursting perfection and magical in its ONE POT preparation – hallelujah!
Does it get any better than creamy soups? From my New England Clam Chowder, White Chicken Chili, Slow Cooker Potato Soup to my Chicken Gnocchi Soup, Loaded Zuppa Toscana and now this Creamy White Bean and Ham Soup. It’s warm, comforting, and satisfying, virtually a meal-in-one and crazy delicious.
The idea for this Ham and Bean Soup came a few weeks ago when Patrick thought it would be fun to bake a ham, just the two of us. His eyes were bigger than our stomachs – way bigger. I knew immediately I wanted to make Ham and Cheese Breakfast Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Sauce (a must!) with the leftovers but there were still leftovers – thankfully.
It was then time for white bean and ham soup, but not just any white bean and ham soup, but a lightened up creamy soup with pillows of cheese filled pasta because biting into cheese stuffed tortellini makes every slurp better! Consequentially, I think this is the BEST Ham and Bean Soup out there. I hope you agree!
Ham Bean Soup Recipe Ingredients
This Ham and Bean Soup is all about building layer upon layer of flavor.
Creamy White Bean Soup substitutions and variations
How to make Bean and Ham Soup
Let’s take a closer look at how to make this recipe with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
- Cook Mirepoix: First, melt butter in olive oil then saute onions, followed by carrots, celery, and garlic. Mirepoix (pronounced “meer-pwah”), is simply a fancy French term for the combination of diced carrots, onions and celery sautéed in butter/olive. Every chef will tell you that every great soup starts with mirepoix because it adds depth of flavor that can’t be achieved any other way.
- Roux: Next, sprinkle in some flour and cook a couple more minutes. Cooking will get rid of the raw flour smell and raw flour taste, as opposed to just mixing the flour in broth or cream like other recipes sometimes do. The flour will work to thicken our Ham and Bean Soup. If you don’t want a creamy Ham and Bean Soup recipe then skip the flour.
- Add broth: Next, stir in the chicken broth, chicken broth whisked with cornstarch, white beans, ham and hand picks herbs and seasonings. Again, if you don’t want a creamy Ham and Bean Soup, then skip the cornstarch.
- Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 15-20 minutes while your house fills with the savory herb aroma. I like to cover my soup with the lid so it comes to a boil more quickly, then remove it while the soup simmers. You will want to simmer for as long as it takes for your carrots to be tender – this will depend on how thick you sliced your carrots.
- Add Tortellini: Finally, add your tortellini and boil for 2 minutes or so until cooked al dente. You don’t wan’t to overcook your tortellini or else they will fall apart. Al dente tortellini also makes for better leftovers. If you aren’t sure if they are done or not, you can scoop up a tortellini, run it under cold water and taste it, taking care not to burn yourself.
- Make Creamy: Stir in desired amount of half and half to make Creamy Ham and Bean Soup. If you would like a less “chunky” soup but still want it creamy, then add additional half and half. For a less “chunky” soup that is also less creamy, then thin with chicken broth.
Tips for making White Bean Tortellini Soup
How to thicken White Bean Ham Soup
This Ham and Bean soup is made thick and creamy by first starting with a roux, or cooking flour in butter, then adding chicken broth whisked with cornstarch. You can whisk the cornstarch with as little as ½ chicken broth, just enough so it dissolves completely into a smooth slurry.
By using both a roux and the slurry cornstarch, we are able use less butter and half and half instead of heavy cream. The cornstarch thickens the broth and makes it behave like heavy cream so we get all the richness without the fat.
If you would like an even thicker soup, you can use some heavy cream in place of the half and half because the more fat, the creamier the soup.
Alternatively, if you are looking for less calories, you can use milk and increase cornstarch to 3 tablespoons but it will not be as creamy.
What to serve with Ham and White Bean Soup
Ham and Bean Soup is a hearty meal-in-one, it barley needs a thing! You can keep it simple with a big green salad and garlic bread or crusty bread.
If you are looking for a few more refined options, we love it with Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks, or Cheesy Pesto Pull Apart Bread, Wedge Salad. and Fruit Salad.
How to store Bean and Ham Soup
Ham and Bean Soup is a hearty meal-in-one, it barley needs a thing! You can keep it simple with a big green salad and garlic bread or crusty bread.
If you are looking for a few more refined options, we love it with Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks, or Cheesy Pesto Pull Apart Bread, Wedge Salad. and Fruit Salad.
Ham and Bean Soup should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When stored correctly, it should keep for up to 5 days, but as with everything, use your best judgment.
Reheating Creamy White Bean Soup
The Tortellini in the Ham and Bean Soup will soak up some of the liquid, so you will want to add a splash of milk to the leftovers and reheat gently in the microwave or stove top.
Freezing White Bean Ham Soup
Yes and No. No, I do not recommend freezing completed Creamy Ham and Bean soup due to the creamy nature of the soup and the tortellini. The fat in creamy soups tends to separate when frozen leaving you with an unpleasant texture and the tortellini becomes mushy.
You can freeze by preparing the Ham and Bean Soup up to the point of adding the half and half and tortellini. In other words, complete the recipe, but do not add the half and half and tortellini.
1. Follow recipe up to the point of adding the tortellini and half and half – do not add half and half and tortellini.
2. Let soup cool completely.
3. Add Ham and Bean Soup to a freezer size bag or airtight freezer safe container.
4. Push out any excess air, seal, seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
5. When ready to eat, let soup thaw in the refrigerator.
6. Transfer soup to a Dutch oven/soup pot and warm over the stove.
7. Once simmering, add tortellini and half and half per recipe directions.
Ham and Bean Soup. So crazy easy, so hearty, so satisfyingly delicious, so begging to be curled up in a large bowl and adored each spoonful by you. Because you, Santa and the Elf on the Shelf deserve to put their feet up with Creamy Ham and Bean Soup. You deserve your own magic.
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White Bean Tortellini Soup
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup flour
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups cooked and cubed ham
- 1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and rained
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
- 1/2 tsp EACH dried oregano, dried thyme, ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 4 cups (1 pound) uncooked refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 2-3 cups half and half *
Garnish (optional)
- fresh parsley
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Melt butter in olive oil in Dutch oven/large soup pot over medium high heat. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook, while stirring, for 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour then cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes (it will be thick).
- Turn heat to low and gradually stir in 5 ½ cups chicken broth. Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with remaining ½ cup chicken broth and add to soup. Stir in ham, beans, Dijon mustard, bay leaves, bouillon and all remaining herbs and spices.
- Bring to a boil; cover, and reduce to a gentle simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Add tortellini and boil for 1-2 minutes or until cooked al dente.
- Stir in half and half, adding additional half and half or broth if desired for a less “chunky” soup and warm through.
- Garnish individual servings with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
HOW TO MAKE SOUP NOT CREAMY
For a non-creamy version, omit the flour and cornstarch and replace the half and half with chicken broth. but do not add the half and half and tortellini.HOW TO FREEZE Ham and Bean Soup
- Follow recipe up to the point of adding the tortellini and half and half – do not add half and half and tortellini.
- Let soup cool completely.
- Add Ham and Bean Soup to a freezer size bag or airtight freezer safe container.
- Push out any excess air, seal, seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to eat, let soup thaw in the refrigerator.
- Transfer soup to a Dutch oven/soup pot and warm over the stove.
- Once simmering, add tortellini and half and half per recipe directions.
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SallyE says
This is an excellent recipe! It tastes wonderful, all flavors so well balanced and, honestly, beautiful in the bowl! I’m keeping this one!
Jen says
Hi Sally! So happy to hear that! I love when a recipe checks all the boxes! Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback!