Ham Navy Bean Thyme (Print Version)

Savory ham and navy beans melded with fresh thyme for a cozy, soulful pot perfect for chilly days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beans & Meats

01 - 1 pound dried navy beans, rinsed
02 - 1 pound smoked ham hock or diced cooked ham

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids & Flavorings

07 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
08 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 2 bay leaves
10 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - Salt to taste

→ Finishing

12 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
13 - Crusty bread for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Place navy beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight, then drain and rinse. Alternatively, use the quick-soak method: cover beans with water in a pot, bring to a boil for 5 minutes, remove from heat, and let sit for 1 hour before draining.
02 - Heat a splash of oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until vegetables are softened, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
04 - Add prepared navy beans, ham hock or diced ham, chicken broth, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and black pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes until beans are tender.
06 - Remove ham hock from soup. Discard skin and bone, then shred any remaining meat and return it to the pot.
07 - Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Taste soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot with crusty bread on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beans become silky and absorbent, soaking up every bit of that smoky, savory broth without any fuss.
  • It fills your house with the kind of aroma that makes people linger in your kitchen, asking when dinner will be ready.
  • One pot, minimal hands-on time, and it feeds a crowd—the kind of recipe that actually gets made on busy weeknights.
02 -
  • If you skip soaking the beans entirely, add about 20 extra minutes to your cooking time and check them a few times—unsoaked beans are unpredictable, but they absolutely will cook through eventually.
  • Don't skip removing the thyme sprigs and bay leaves at the end; biting into a bay leaf or thyme stem mid-spoonful is jarring and unpleasant, and it only takes a few seconds to fish them out.
03 -
  • If your ham hock is particularly large or meaty, the cooking time might be less since there's more surface area breaking down; start checking for tenderness at the 1-hour mark rather than waiting the full 1½ hours.
  • Using half broth and half water is the sweet spot if you can't decide—you get enough savory depth without the broth overpowering the beans and ham.
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