Here is a delicious and satisfying Black Bean and Ham Soup inspired by the soup my mom used to make for me. It has tons of smoky flavor from smoked ham hock and a thick and rich texture that is the perfect hearty meal for a cold winter day lunch or chilly evening for dinner.

black bean soup with cilantro on top and greek yogurt with pico de gallo

I shared this ham and black bean soup on April 29th, 2014. I have updated the recipe slightly and some of the content to share it with you again today.

Table of contents

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Why We Love This Recipe For Black Bean Ham Soup

For this rich, hearty ham and black bean soup I cook the dry beans with smoky ham hocks, then puree some of the beans, shred the ham hock meat, and combine the two.

This easy black bean soup recipe is perfect for the weekend or when you’re having guests over for dinner.

Recipe Highlights

  • Excellent make-ahead recipe to refrigerate or freeze.
  • This recipe makes a large batch so it’s great for entertaining.
  • Each serving has a whopping 21 grams of fiber.
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Key Ingredients For This Ham and Black Bean Soup

the ingredients for the ham and bean soup with text overlay
  • Dry Black Beans: Make sure to sort them to remove any particles or small stones. Find them with other beans at the grocery store or in the bulk section. (This recipe would also work with navy beans or cannellini beans.)
  • Water: You need cool tap water for soaking the beans as well cooking. You could use low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, but there’s so much flavor in this soup that I recommend just water.
  • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: to cook the veggies
  • Veggies: Sweet onion, garlic, red pepper and scallions. Feel free to improvise here too. Carrots, celery or sweet potato are also a great option to use for the veggie base for black bean soup.
  • Seasonings: Dry Italian seasoning, kosher salt, ground black pepper, chipotle chile powder (or use smoked paprika for the chili powder.)
  • Dry Sherry: Or use white wine as a substitute.
  • Smoked Ham Hocks: Also known as pork knuckles or ham shank, these are cut from the pig’s legs. You can also use leftover ham bone from a holiday ham. If you can’t find any of these options, use a small amount of chopped smoked ham steak instead.
  • Red Wine Vinegar: The vinegar adds brightness and perks the whole soup up. Read my guide to vinegar to see what you could use instead if you don’t have red wine vinegar. This is optional! You an also stir in a little lemon juice like I do in this Lentil Soup recipe and this Instant Pot Bean soup. It serves the same purpose.

How to Make This Black Bean Soup with Ham Hocks

the soaked beans
pouring water over the sauteed veggies, soaked beans and the ham hock

Step 1: Soak dry black beans

Combine the black beans and 6 cups cold water in a deep bowl and set aside to soak for 12 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the beans.

Step 2: Cook beans, ham, and vegetables

Heat oil in a large pot or a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring often until starting to soften and brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning, pepper, and chipotle and cook, stirring until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add sherry, and cook, stirring occasionally until almost completely evaporated, 1 to 3 minutes. Add the drained beans, red bell pepper, ham hock and 8 cups cold water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, about medium-low, and cook until the beans are completely tender and falling apart, 1 ½ to 2 hours.

add the pureed beans into the soup to thicken it
add the shredded ham back to the soup

Step 3: Puree Some Soup and Add Ham

Remove the ham hock. Puree a little of the soup with an immersion blender or add a cup or two to a blender and puree. This is optional but really thickens the soup nicely.

Return the soup to the pot and stir in the salt. Remove the ham from the bone, shred the meat, and discard any fat. Stir the ham and vinegar into the soup, and adjust the salt if desired. Ladle the black bean soup with ham hock into bowls and top with scallion greens.

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the soup after the ham is stirred back into it

FAQs and Expert Tips

Storing instructions: Store the black bean and ham soup in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or heat in the microwave until just warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months. Let soup thaw in the fridge overnight, or defrost in the microwave or on the stove.

Make-ahead: This is a wonderful make-ahead recipe! You could either make it a day in advance or make it to freeze. See above for storing instructions. The next day it will be thicker so add a little water or broth to thin to desired consistency as you reheat it.

Why add salt and acidity (in this case, vinegar) to recipes: The best thing about salt and acidity is that you can add these tastes to recipes without any calories. So if you are making a recipe and you think it needs a little something, before adding butter or fat to it, try adding a pinch of salt and a splash of acid. You may be surprised to find that the whole recipe will be transformed.

How to reheat: Stir in a heavy-bottom soup pot over medium heat. Thin with additional water or broth to desired consistency. Heat until steaming hot. Alternatively, heat portions in the microwave in a microwave-safe container for about 4 minutes on high power, stirring half way.

black bean soup with cilantro on top and greek yogurt with pico de gallo

Topping Ideas For Black Bean Soup with Ham

Black bean soup is amazing with all sorts of toppings! Here are some of our favorites:

  • Put a dollop of sour cream or a little Greek yogurt on top
  • Spoon on salsa and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro
  • Add on green onions (or scallions) and drizzle with vinegar (see our note about other options)
  • Dice avocado and add to each bowl along with cheddar cheese, and a squeeze of lime juice instead of vinegar
  • Add on corn, pico de Gallo and hot sauce.
  • Come up with your own black bean soup garnish ideas and let me know below!

What goes with Black Bean Soup?

We love serving bowls of this soup with bread of some sort or a salad on the side. Here are some ideas!

Other Bean Soups to Try

Instant Pot Ham and 15 Bean Soup
Close up of tuscan ribollita in bowl with spoon

Tuscan Ribollita {Vegetable, Bean and Bread Soup}
Sausage Kale soup with carrots and white beans in bowl

Turkey Sausage and Kale Soup
Slow Cooker White Bean Stew with Chicken and Ham {gluten-free and grain free} Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Crockpot Ham and Bean Stew with Chicken
overhead shot of ham and white bean soup in bowl

Ham and White Bean Soup

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Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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the black bean soup with pico de gallo on top with a spoon in it

Black Bean and Ham Soup

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5 from 7 reviews

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Description

Here is a delicious and satisfying Black Bean Ham Soup inspired by the soup my mom used to make for me. It has tons of smoky flavor from smoked ham hock and a thick and rich texture that is the perfect hearty meal for a winter day or evening.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 pound dry black beans, sorted
  • 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 2 teaspoons dry Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry chipotle chile powder, optional
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 1 read bell pepper, diced
  • 1 pound smoked ham hocks, about 2 small (or ham bone)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • 1/2 cup sliced scallion greens
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or more to taste (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine black beans and 6 cups cold water in a deep bowl and let soak overnight or 12 hours. Drain beans and rinse.
  2. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring often until starting to soften and brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning, pepper, and chipotle and cook, stirring until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add sherry, and cook, stirring occasionally until almost compleltly evaporated, 1 to 3 minutes. Add the drained beans, red bell pepper, ham hock and 8 cups cold water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, about medium-low, and cook until the beans are completely tender and falling apart, 1 ½ to 2 hours.
  3. Remove ham hock. Puree one or two cups of the soup in a blender (use caution) or puree a little bit with an immersion blender. Stir in salt. Remove the ham from the bone, shred meat and discard any fat. Stir the ham and vinegar into the soup, adjust salt if desired. Ladle soup into bowls top with scallion greens. Alternatively, float 1 teaspoon vinegar on top of each serving, if desired.

Notes

Storing Instructions: Store the soup in airtight containers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or heat in the microwave until just warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months. Let soup thaw in the fridge overnight, or defrost in the microwave or on the stove.

 
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cups
  • Calories: 244
  • Sugar: 5 g
  • Fat: 7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 41 g
  • Fiber: 21 g
  • Protein: 20 g

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