White Bean & Ham Soup (gf) Recipe

Prep vegetables and ham

Dice the onion, carrots, celery, and potato (if using) into roughly 1/4–1/2-inch pieces. Mince the garlic. Dice the Baker country ham into small bite-sized pieces (about 1/4-inch). Drain and rinse the canned cannellini beans.

Sweat aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat until the butter melts and foams. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and thyme and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Add ham and potatoes

Add the diced Baker country ham and the diced potato (if using) to the pot. Cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes to warm the ham and allow some fat to render and coat the vegetables.

Add beans and broth

Pour in 6 cups of low-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth. Add the rinsed cannellini beans and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook until the potato is tender and flavors meld, about 15–20 minutes.

Mash some beans for body

Remove about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the cooked beans with a slotted spoon into a bowl and mash roughly with a fork or potato masher. Return the mashed beans to the pot and stir — this will thicken the broth without cream. Simmer 3–5 more minutes.

Season and finish

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste and season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, adjusting to taste (note: country ham can be salty, so season lightly). Stir in chopped parsley. Keep soup warm on lowest heat while you prepare the pesto.

Make pesto

In a small food processor or blender, combine 1 cup packed basil leaves, 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 1/2 clove minced garlic, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Pulse to break down ingredients, then stream in 3 tablespoons olive oil while pulsing until the mixture comes together but still has texture. Taste and adjust salt or lemon as needed. If too thick, add a little more olive oil (1/2–1 tablespoon).

Adjust for texture and seasoning

If you prefer a chunkier pesto, pulse less; for a silkier pesto, process longer and add more oil. Keep pesto in a small bowl and cover to prevent browning while serving.

Serve

Ladle the soup into bowls. Spoon a teaspoon to a tablespoon of pesto into the center of each bowl (amount to taste) or place pesto at the table for guests to add. Drizzle a small teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil over each bowl and finish with an extra sprinkle of chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper.

To accompany

Serve with gluten-free crusty bread or crostini on the side. The pesto brightens the soup and the ham provides savory depth — adjust pesto quantity per bowl depending on desired herbiness.