Tuscan Bean & Ham Soup

Priscilla's Tuscan Bean & Ham Soup

I absolutely love soups and the easier the better! This is one packed full of flavor, protein, and fiber! I have always loved bean and ham soups and wanted to make one that reminded me of something I had in a restaurant in San Diego many years ago. I have been making this for the last few years and it happens to be one of my to-go-to soups, the other being my potato soup.

Yield: 10

Cook time:  60 minutes

Calories:  284     Protein:  22.7 g     Fiber:  11 g

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup fresh diced onion (or 1 tbsp minced onion dried)

3 tsp minced garlic

20 oz ham, diced (16 - 24 oz is best)

5 cans Cannellini white bean, drained and rinsed

6 cups unsalted chicken broth

1 tsp dried rosemary

2 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

Instructions:

1.  In a large soup pot, add olive oil and heat on medium. Add onion, if using fresh, and minced garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until garlic is aromatic (if cooking fresh onion, cook until translucent).

2.  Add the ham and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes. (Add the dried minced onion now if using that instead). Pour in the cannellini beans and mix carefully. Sautee and cook for about 2 - 4 minutes, stirring occassionally.

3.  Pour in the chicken broth. Stir. Add in the rosemary, salt, and peppers and bring to a simmer. 

4.  Cover half way and simmer for 30 minutes.

5.  Add the baby spinach. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.

6.  Add the parsley and season with more salt and pepper if desired, to taste.

 Note:

If you want to spice things up, I recommend the Progresso Spice it Up Chicken Broth. This also is awesome in gumbo!