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
- Umami & Savory — 8.8 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 3.6 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 3.7 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 6.2 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 7.4 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 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)
- dried navy beans — 454 g
- smoked meat — 680 g
- unsalted butter — 27 g
- yellow onion — 110 g
- carrots — 120 g
- celery — 80 g
- garlic — 9 g
- low-salt chicken broth — 1893 g
- bay — 2 g
- thyme — 1 g
- black pepper — 3 g
- salt — 5 g
- ham cooked — 473 g
- apple cider vinegar — 15 g
- parsley — 7 g
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)
- 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.
- 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.
- Add the garlic; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Stir in the vinegar and season with the salt, plus more to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and top with the parsley.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf with Ketchup Glaze — American
- Kielbasa and Cabbage Stew — Eastern European
- Santa Maria Tri-Tip with Pinquito Beans — American · Californian
- Maple-Glazed Meatloaf Minis with Bacon — American
- Kartoffelsalat (Potato Salad) — German
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.