White bean soup with ham & spinach



Oh, ham, so juicy and delicious. What am I to do with you after the holidays are over?

 Over Christmas, my husband and I were given a 9 ½ pound ham. After baking this ham and having bounds of leftovers, I decided I needed to make some more recipes with this delicious piggy. I'm sure many of you are experience a bounty of leftover ham after Easter. This soup is super easy to make with lots of short cuts. A variety of spices gives it depth and flavor, including crushed red pepper - This will give it a little kick, but adds great flavor so only add if you can tolerate spiciness. Leftovers can also be frozen from a rainy (or snowy) day.

What you need:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups diced, cooked ham

3 oz fresh baby spinach, chopped (about 1 to 1 ½ cups)

3 cans (15 oz) white beans (Northern, Navy, or Cannellini – I used one of each)

6 cups Chicken or Vegetable broth

1 cup dry white wine

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

1 tsp sage

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp parsley

Salt & pepper, to taste

What you do:

1. Drizzle olive oil in bottom of a stock pot and place over medium heat Melt 2 tbsp of butter in stock pot, as well.

2. Toss diced onion, carrots, and celery in stock pot. Cook for about 6-8 minutes, until soft. Add minced garlic and cook for additional 5 minutes.

3. Add 1 tbsp flour and mix well to dissolve with butter and coat vegetables.

4. Deglaze stockpot with 1 cup of your favorite dry white wine and allow to cook for several minutes.

5. Add broth. Increase heat and bring to boil.

6. Add seasonings/spices, diced ham, and beans. Decrease heat to medium-low and cover for 8-10 minutes.

7. Add fresh baby spinach and cover & simmer for additional 5 minutes. You may want to adjust the seasonings/spices to taste at this time.

8. Serve soup with fresh, crusty, buttered bread, and a glass of Pinot Noir if you prefer red, or Sauvignon Blanc if you prefer white.