Ham, Sausage and Mixed Bean Soup

Soup

Ham, Sausage and Mixed Bean Soup

A cooked ham bone and smoked sausage give this mixed-bean soup its savory backbone. Tomatoes and lemon brighten the bowl once the beans have turned tender.
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Prep
20 minutes
Cook
3 hours
Soaking
8 hours
Total
11 hours 20 minutes
Serves
10 servings

Bring it to the table

About this recipe.

A hearty mixed-bean soup with a cooked ham bone, smoked sausage, tomatoes and a bright squeeze of lemon.

Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Check your pantry before you begin. Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

See the ingredient checklist
  • 8 cups Chicken broth – low sodium (plus water or broth as needed during cooking)
  • 1 meaty bone from a fully cooked ham (not a raw ham hock; keep whole)
  • 1 lb fully cooked smoked sausage (cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 1 clove Garlic (minced)
  • 1 tsp Chili powder (optional; a mild chili seasoning blend, not cayenne)
  • 1 14.5–15 oz can diced tomatoes (with juices)
  • 1 Lemon (juice added to taste at the end)
  • 1 Yellow Onion (diced)
  • 20 oz dried 15-bean soup mix (seasoning packet reserved, optional to taste)
  • Hot sauce or crushed red pepper to taste (optional)

Start the beans the night before

Soak the dried mix in the refrigerator, discard the soaking water, then give the beans a separate vigorous boil in fresh water. This matters for mixes containing kidney beans; a slow cooker alone is not enough.

Let tenderness set the pace

Different bean varieties and older beans may soften at different rates. Keep the beans covered with liquid and wait until every variety is tender before adding tomatoes and lemon.

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Use fully cooked meat

This version calls for a bone from a fully cooked ham and ready-to-eat smoked sausage. Remove the bone before serving and taste before adding salt, as the meat and seasoning packet already contribute plenty.

Inspired by Hurst’s 15 Bean Soup, adapted to a stovetop method with a separate soak and vigorous boil.

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The cooking plan

How to make Ham, Sausage and Mixed Bean Soup.

  1. Sort the dried bean mix, discarding stones or damaged beans. Rinse, place in a large bowl and cover generously with cold water. Soak in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and discard the soaking water.

  2. Put the soaked beans in a large stockpot, cover with fresh water by several inches and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil vigorously for at least 30 minutes, adding boiling water as needed to keep the beans covered. Do not cook raw kidney-containing bean mixes only in a slow cooker. Drain carefully.

  3. Return the boiled beans to a clean large stockpot. Add 8 cups broth, the whole cooked ham bone, onion, garlic and optional chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady gentle simmer. Partly cover and cook for 1–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until every type of bean is completely tender. Add hot water or broth as needed to keep the beans submerged; older beans can take longer.

  4. Remove the ham bone to a plate. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat, discarding bone, gristle and excess fat. Return the chopped ham to the pot. Add the fully cooked sausage, tomatoes with their juices and a little of the reserved seasoning packet if desired. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until hot throughout; cooked meat being reheated should reach 165°F (74°C).

  5. Add lemon juice gradually to taste. Adjust seasoning only after tasting because the meat, broth and seasoning packet can be salty. Serve with optional hot sauce or crushed red pepper.

Let’s cook

The full recipe.

Check off ingredients as you get them ready.

Changing servings? The ingredient list scales automatically. Adjust quantities named in the steps to match, and choose pans and cooking times for your batch.

Ham, Sausage and Mixed Bean Soup

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A hearty mixed-bean soup with a cooked ham bone, smoked sausage, tomatoes and a bright squeeze of lemon.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Soaking 8 hours
Total Time 11 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Soup
Ingredients Instructions Notes

Ingredients
  

  •  
    8 cups Chicken broth - low sodium plus water or broth as needed during cooking
  •  
    1 meaty bone from a fully cooked ham not a raw ham hock; keep whole
  •  
    1 lb fully cooked smoked sausage cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 clove Garlic minced
  • 1 tsp Chili powder optional; a mild chili seasoning blend, not cayenne
  •  
    1 14.5–15 oz can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 Lemon juice added to taste at the end
  • 1 Yellow Onion diced
  •  
    20 oz dried 15-bean soup mix seasoning packet reserved, optional to taste
  •  
    Hot sauce or crushed red pepper to taste optional

Instructions
 

  1. Sort the dried bean mix, discarding stones or damaged beans. Rinse, place in a large bowl and cover generously with cold water. Soak in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and discard the soaking water.
  2. Put the soaked beans in a large stockpot, cover with fresh water by several inches and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil vigorously for at least 30 minutes, adding boiling water as needed to keep the beans covered. Do not cook raw kidney-containing bean mixes only in a slow cooker. Drain carefully.
  3. Return the boiled beans to a clean large stockpot. Add 8 cups broth, the whole cooked ham bone, onion, garlic and optional chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady gentle simmer. Partly cover and cook for 1–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until every type of bean is completely tender. Add hot water or broth as needed to keep the beans submerged; older beans can take longer.
  4. Remove the ham bone to a plate. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat, discarding bone, gristle and excess fat. Return the chopped ham to the pot. Add the fully cooked sausage, tomatoes with their juices and a little of the reserved seasoning packet if desired. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until hot throughout; cooked meat being reheated should reach 165°F (74°C).
  5. Add lemon juice gradually to taste. Adjust seasoning only after tasting because the meat, broth and seasoning packet can be salty. Serve with optional hot sauce or crushed red pepper.

Notes

This revision uses a stovetop method. Kidney-containing dried bean mixes need a separate vigorous boil after soaking; a slow cooker alone is not sufficient. Add acidic tomatoes and lemon after the beans are tender.
Use an 8-quart or larger stockpot. Soaking and cooking time vary with the beans; the 3-hour cooking estimate includes the initial boil and final simmer. Yield is approximately 10 servings. Use a fully cooked ham bone and fully cooked sausage; raw ham hocks require a different cooking assessment.
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat to 165°F (74°C).
Inspired by Hurst’s 15 Bean Soup, revised to include a separate soaking and boiling step.

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