Lavender Ham and White Bean Soup

Mila Robinson

This ham and bean soup is one of my favorite recipes. The family has been making it for decades. Because it just gets better as the days go by, we'll enjoy it for dinner one night and then for lunch for several days afterward. Some stews and soups improve the next. It's because the flavors from the beans, ham, and vegetables have time to blend. The starch from the beans settles more into the broth making the soup thicker and more stew-like too.

3.50 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3

Course Ham and White Bean Soup

Cuisine French (Provençal)

Servings people

Ingredients

• 1 pound 2 1/2 cups dry white beans, like cannellini, navy or Great Northern.
• 2 quarts water
• 2 to 3 pounds smoked ham shanks
• 2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced onions about 1 small onion
• 1 cup chopped celery about 2 to 3 ribs
• 2/3 cup chopped carrots about 1 medium carrot
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic minced
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh Italian Parsley
• Tabasco optional

Instructions

Method

1. Soak the Dry Beans:

• Sort the beans for debris. Place beans in a pot and cover with water, bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let beans soak for at least an hour. Drain the water and rinse the beans.

2. Simmer the Ham Shanks:

• While the beans are soaking, place shanks in a separate pot cover with 2 qt. water. Add Herbes de Provence and Lavender. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about an hour.

3. Sauté the Onions and Garlic:

• Heat olive Oil on medium high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more.

4. Add Vegetables and Beans to the Ham Broth:

• Once the shanks have simmered for an hour, add the drained beans, the cooked onions and garlic, and the chopped celery and carrots.

5. Simmer the Soup:

• Cook for another 40 minutes or so, uncovered, until the vegetables are soft, and the meat easily pulls away from the bone. Remove and discard the bones and pull off any meat and return it to the soup.

6. Season to taste:

• Add several drops of Tabasco to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a spoon of coarsely chopped fresh Italian Parsley.

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Lavender Ham and White Bean Soup