American · main

Ham and Bean Soup

Ham and Bean Soup reads umami 8.1, richness 7.3 and smoke 5.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 3 hr 11 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.1 · Richness 7.3 · Smoke 5.8 · Salinity 5.4 · Allium 4.1 · Sourness 3.5 · Sweetness 3.3 · Herbaceous 2.3 · Earthy 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Funk & Ferment 1.1 · Bitterness 0.9 · Fruity 0.9 · Floral 0.8 · Heat 0.7 · Citrus 0.7

What's in it (15)

Time & effort: about 3 hr 11 min (2 hr 11 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 73 kcal, 12.3 g protein, 4.1 g fat, 1.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

  1. Place the dried beans in a large pot, cover with 2 inches of water, and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour to quick-soak, then drain and rinse.
  2. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just turning golden at the edges, 7-8 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
  4. Add the drained beans, ham bone, broth, bay leaves, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are tender, 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  5. Remove the ham bone and let it cool slightly, then pull off any meat and shred or dice it; discard the bone and bay leaves.
  6. Return the shredded ham meat and the diced ham to the pot; simmer uncovered 15 more minutes to thicken slightly, mashing a few spoonfuls of beans against the side of the pot for creaminess.
  7. Stir in the vinegar and season with the salt, plus more to taste.
  8. Ladle into bowls and top with the parsley.

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Keep reading: what umami, richness, smoke mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.