HAM and BEAN SOUP RECIPE!!! + WonkyWonderful (2024)

FAQs

How do I thicken up my ham and bean soup? ›

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with cold water to create a slurry. Gradually add the slurry to the soup while stirring continuously. Allow the soup to simmer for a few more minutes until thickened.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

Sometimes soup just needs to simmer longer to reach the perfect consistency. Check to see if the vegetables are tender, and then taste the broth. If the soup tastes a bit watery, give it more time.

Use a Potato

Simply peel and dice a potato into small cubes and add it to the simmering soup. As the potato cooks, it will release starches, creating a thicker consistency. Once the potato is tender, you can mash it slightly to further enhance the thickening effect.

Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.

Garlic and onions will bolster the taste of bean soup. Be sure to take a portion of the beans and mash or purée them for extra texture. Aromatics like celery or carrot will add more complex flavor notes. Despite being expensive, both mushrooms and Parmesan cheese will add some real umami (i.e., mouth feel) to the soup.

Canned bean liquid, which is often quite starchy, is also welcome in soup, to help thicken the broth, and in hummus, to help it get super smooth.

Why is my ham and bean soup so salty? ›

"Broths and condensed soups are notorious for being salty," she says. She warns that many spice blends contain added salt, too. Be sure to read the labels of your ingredients. You may also have to avoid adding salt if you're cooking with sodium-filled meats like ham or bacon.

If your soup seems watery or thin-tasting, remove any solids (vegetables, pasta, etc.) and try reducing the base at a higher temperature; this will help concentrate flavors. Or you can add a teaspoon of a soup-base concentrate such as Better Than Bouillon. Roasted bones can add depth to meat-broth bases.

Whisking beurre manié (butter-flour paste) into simmering soup is the best way to thicken an otherwise too-watery soup. Add bits of the paste gradually and simmer to cook out any raw flour taste. The broth will be velvety smooth, rich, and thick.

You can use flour, cornstarch, arrowroot or potato starch as a thickening agent; whisk up to 4 tablespoons with a cup of hot broth and add it to the pot. You can use a slurry in conjunction with a roux but in that case, choose a starch for the slurry other than flour. Heat up your ham and beans on the stove top.

This soup-thickening hack couldn't be easier. Unlike using flour, which requires either making a little roux before you start cooking or a beurre manié afterwards, or using a cornstarch slurry that can create a gloppy texture, the instant mashed potato flakes can simply be sprinkled into the finished dish.

You can use a little flour in water to thicken the soup or you can just cook the soup until some of the beans break down and this will thicken the soup. However, if you put in too much water your best bet is to simply strain some water off . You might need to reseason if you drain water off.

If your beans are still too watery after prolonged cooking and mashing, consider adding a thickener like cornstarch, all-purpose flour, or arrowroot. To do this, first, make a slurry of equal parts thickener and water, then slowly add it to your refried beans. They should thicken considerably.

You can also thicken soup by puréeing it with cooked beans or lentils. White beans like cannellini beans or navy beans are especially good for puréeing. This recipe for Creamy Italian White Bean Soup is a great place to start. Puréeing hearty winter vegetables like butternut and kabocha squash will also do the trick.

Then add the mashed beans and liquid back into the pot and let them cook again. I am thickening my recipe in two ways. One by allowing it to cook longer which will help the bean liquid to thicken and reduce on its own creating the bean liquor I love so much. And secondly, with nutritional yeast.