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Sacha Hirschfeld

Ham and Bean Soup With Collard Greens

The perfect recipe for your leftover Holiday Ham! This hearty soup packs big flavor and freezes exceptionally well.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6
Course: Soups
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups ham cut into ½" cubes
  • ½ cup dry white wine like sauv blanc or pinot grigio
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 onion medium size, white or yellow; chopped
  • 1 cup carrots chopped
  • ¾ cup celery chopped
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Hot sauce like Franks or Tabasco
  • 1 tsp dried mustard
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning like Lawry's
  • ¼ tsp ground clove
  • ¼ tsp red chili flakes optional; see notes
  • kosher salt to taste
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 15.5 oz cannellini beans 1 can, drained; see notes
  • 3 cups collard greens remove stem running top to bottom; cut into large strips; see notes

Equipment

  • Dutch-oven or soup pot
  • measuring spoons
  • measuring cups
  • wooden spoon
  • can opener
  • 1 medium bowl to transfer the ham after panfrying
  • 1 soup ladle

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the cubed ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp around the edges, about 4 minutes. Transfer the ham to a bowl or plate; set aside for now.
  2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom and sides of the pot. Let it bubble gently and reduce by half, about 4 minutes.
  3. Melt the butter and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute, while stirring constantly and taking care not to brown. Add the onions, carrots, celery, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, mustard, oregano, rosemary, lemon pepper, clove, red chili flakes, and salt; stir to combine. Cook, while stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5-6 minutes.
  4. Add the drained cannellini beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  5. Add the ham back. Let it simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Run a wooden spoon along the bottom every 10 minutes or so, to shift any ingredients settling to the bottom.
  6. Add the collard greens and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Taste, and adjust any seasonings as needed.
  7. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino (optional).

Notes

RED CHILI FLAKES, TO USE OR NOT?
Although this recipe calls for a small amount, you may want to skip if you're sensitive to heat. The hot sauce, dried mustard and lemon pepper are more important flavor-wise, so if you want to skip the red chili flakes if you want to cut one heat source.
CAN I USE OTHER KINDS OF BEANS?
Absolutely! Swap any can of your favorite beans or whatever you have on hand. Some suggestions would be: pinto, kidney, chickpeas, great northern, and black beans.
WHAT IF I CAN'T FIND COLLARD GREENS?
Finding collard greens can be tricky to find depending on where you live and what foods you have access to. If you can't get your hands on collards, use spinach, Swiss chard, or kale. 
SOUP STORAGE TIPS:
This soup will keep well in the fridge for 3 days. It's actually better a day or two after.  
IS THIS SOUP FREEZER FRIENDLY?
Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. This soup freezes exceptionally well, thanks to no potatoes and dairy!