The only thing I like more than frugal cooking is having it taste like it cost a fortune and took hours. This bean and ham soup was declared by my husband (and readers who emailed me) as the best soup ever, and it took very little hands on time. Can you see me doing the moon walk in the kitchen? Me, neither, but it's a little funky and jazzy, though I won't win any dance awards.
Cooking healthy wholesome food for my family, while maintaining a frugal budget, is one of my favorite things to do. I know many of you are in the same spot as I am. My aim over the next few months is to share my tips and tricks for keeping a food budget of $350 a month, with our favorite recipes, to help you and hopefully learn some new recipes.
Now, along with using common, healthy, and cheap inexpensive ingredients, it has to taste amazing, too. Because, hello, it doesn't matter the cost or the health benefits if it doesn't taste good. At least, that's the way it rolls at my house with my family.
One of the best ways to create frugal meals is to cook a large piece of meat at the beginning of the week. I purchase whole chicken and hams when they're on sale and freeze them. We raise our own grass fed beef, so I always have a good supply on hand, but you can read my tips for finding a good deal on grass fed beef here.
I cook the large portion of meat at the beginning of the week, typically Sunday's for us. Then throughout the week, I prepare different meals from the meat, or freeze some for later use.
I'd cooked a ham a few weeks back and from one ham, we had almost a full weeks worth of meals, including lunches. I froze the ham bone with bits and pieces of ham still attached. You'll get the most bang for your buck if you can purchase meats with the bone still in, as you can then make bone broth or stock for future meals.
Bean and Ham Soup
This soup is hearty and filling, but still quite healthy. It can be prepared in a slow cooker or on the stove top, whatever your day allows for. I made mine in cast iron Dutch oven.
I use my home canned beans, so I don't have to soak them the night before, but if you don't have home canned beans (we grow heirloom beans and save the seed, so except for the cost of the canning lid, they're free for us) then dried beans are usually cheaper to use. Soak them the night before in water.
Chop all of your vegetables up in fairly even size, so they cook evenly.
Put your ham bone in a large stock pot, Dutch oven, or slow cooker. Dump in all your vegetables. Now add the beans, undrained. Pour in 4 cups of water. Bring to a low simmer on the stove top. Allow to simmer for about 2 hours, stirring every now and then. Once meat is falling off the bone, transfer bone to a plate. Using tongs, pick off any good chunks of meat remaining on the bone, and put meat back into soup. Add a dash of pepper and salt. Serve.
Cost break down estimates:
Ham bone= $3.00 (Total ham was 18lbs and cost $20)
Beans= Price of one canning lid $.10 or store bought dried beans 1/2 pound $.70
Onion & garlic=We grew it ourselves (how to grow garlic), store estimate $1
Rutabaga=$1
Carrots=$.30
Celery=$.50
Total cost for bean and ham soup=$6.50, per serving $.54 Prices may vary where you live. These are estimates if you purchased everything out right. I try to purchase as many organic products as I can. My cost was less than listed above because I still have garlic, onions, and beans in our pantry from this year's garden.
Love down home from scratch cooking? Then you've got to get your hands on The Made-From-Scratch Life!
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Bean and Ham Soup-Frugal Suppers
Ingredients
- 1 ham bone with meat
- 1 cup diced onion
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 cup chopped rutabaga or parsnips
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 4 cups white beans
- 4 cups water
- Dash of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Chop all of your vegetables up in fairly even size, so they cook evenly. Put your ham bone in a large stock pot, Dutch oven, or slow cooker. Dump in all your vegetables.
- Add the beans, undrained if using canned, drained if you soaked dried beans the night before. Pour in 4 cups of water.
- Bring to a low simmer on the stove top. Allow to simmer for about 2 hours, stirring every now and then.
- Once meat is falling off the bone, transfer bone to a plate. Using tongs, pick off any good chunks of meat remaining on the bone, and put meat back into soup. Add a dash of pepper and salt. Serve.
Note: If cooking in the slow cooker, cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or high for 2 hours.
I love making this soup because my family enjoys it — we’ve never eaten a rutabaga before this recipe and honestly, had to look up on YouTube how to dice one 🙂 This soup also freezes well and tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to get happy together. I serve this soup with cornbread on the side.
Simple and delicious. This is kind of like the pea soup that was a tradition in my dad’s family. Instead of beans we use split peas. But I made it with the beans and love it.
This sounds great! I’m curious to take a step back from this and learn how you prepared the ham itself. This is one thing (sadly) I’ve never done in my home kitchen.
This looks tasty but might I suggest that you swap cage-free organic for pastured organic. From what I know, it seems like a kinder option!
I raise my own 🙂
This looks yummy. And a way to try a new (to use) veggie – rutabaga. I’ve wanted to try them before but never have. One question though – can you really buy an organic ham for around $1/lb???
The price of ham will definitely vary on where you live. I used our cost which is just cut and wrap to the butcher and feed costs.
Bought a ham butt earlier this week on sale . 6 and one half pounds for under 7 dollars, much less than a pound of deli meat. Had a delicious meal and plenty left over for lunches and casseroles. I saved the ham bone with some meat on it to cook with green beans , potatoes and tomato sauce which my aunt used to cook to stretch the meals. Stumbled upon your email today and decided your soup would be a good use of it as the temperature here is about 15 degrees today. I have everything on hand and I opened a can of white beans the other day by accident to add to chili I had made but then found the black beans. Thanks for the inspiration ! Off to rattle some pans
We love ham & bean soup, and make it every time we buy a ham. My recipe is almost identical to yours, except I’ve never put rutibaga in mine, but will give it a try next time ?
Hi Melissa, I live alone with 4 cats and a 15 year old poodle which I inherited when Sam’s owners emigrated to the UK. I have already made 3 Gammons this month and there is never anything left for soup. Maybe I will save the bone which is already promised to another doggie…
Wishing you and your family well for 2019 and may I share this video with you that was a real blessing to me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4fvMgNfN0I
Blessings from Frances in a cold and wet South Africa
Melissa, I did a soup something like this right after Christmas. We had a large family,
and extended family gathering and so, a 12 lb spiral and a 15 lb picnic ham AND a 22 lb fried turkey..I’ve frozen the soup fixins for at least the rest of the Winter season. Your soup recipe will come in handy.
Now that is some awesome prep work for easy meals Ethel! Nice work.
I wish I had a bowl of this soup for lunch. I love the Mexican flair and the spice!
Hello Melissa,
Can you can this recipe?
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[…] Beans and Ham Soup […]
[…] Beans and Ham Soup […]
Hi I’d like to see this with dried beams, but 4 cup seems like a lot. How much dried beans should I start with to make this? Thanks.
Amber,
You can make it with dried beans, I’d soak 2 cups of dried beans overnight or at least for five hours and then use them in the soup.
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[…] saving and heirloom gardening. Beans can be used in multiple dishes. I make this easy and frugal bean and ham soup and these 10 minute refried beans. They can also serve as your vegetable if you run out of fresh, […]
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I made this soup tonight and it was astonishingly good. I used canned beans and a ham steak, which I cubed. Also, I had 3 cups of chicken broth, so I used that with 1 cup water.
I can’t wait to make this again! Great recipe!
Thanks, Lisa. Chicken broth is always a great sub in for any soup for the liquid. We really enjoy this one, too!
[…] Frugal Bean and Ham Soup […]
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Can you can the ham with the beans? I am new to canning meat.
You may use a pressure canner recipe for bean and ham soup. My Ball Complete Book of Home Canning has a recipe for ham and split pea soup that your pressure can. I haven’t canned this soup as we eat it fresh as I make it.