Basic Ham and Bean Soup (2024)

FAQs

How do I thicken up my ham and bean soup? ›

Use Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder

Slowly add this mixture to your soup, stirring continuously. Let the soup simmer for a few minutes until it reaches the desired thickness. Remember to follow the recommended ratio of starch to liquid to avoid clumping.

Not Adding Acid

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl.

Dairy products like milk, cream, yogurt, or sour cream can help balance out the saltiness of a soup or stew. The fat and protein in dairy products can help to coat your tongue and reduce the perception of saltiness. Fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or thyme can help to mask the saltiness of soup, too.

Garlic and onions will bolster the taste of bean soup. Be sure to take a portion of the beans and mash or purée them for extra texture. Aromatics like celery or carrot will add more complex flavor notes. Despite being expensive, both mushrooms and Parmesan cheese will add some real umami (i.e., mouth feel) to the soup.

Sometimes soup just needs to simmer longer to reach the perfect consistency. Check to see if the vegetables are tender, and then taste the broth. If the soup tastes a bit watery, give it more time.

Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.

Try this method if you're making chowder or vegetable soup. Seelig suggests peeling a potato or two (or more depending on your pot size) and boiling them in the pot with your soup. Let them simmer for about 30 minutes to soak up the excess salt.

To counteract saltiness in soup, try the following suggestions: Slowly add some water or unsalted broth. Throw in some vegetables like celery, onion, white beans, cauliflower, or leeks. Add in some potatoes or pasta to the recipe.

The other factor is ginger ale's key ingredient. The ginger, though not nearly as much as the sugar, acts as an additional non-salty flavor that helps balance the saltiness. Ginger, though an alkaline as opposed to an acid, can reduce the saltiness of a ham in more ways than just its flavor.

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

How can I deepen my soup flavor? ›

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

Adding Worcestershire Sauce To Soups

It will work in a broad range of dishes from your favorite French onion soup to velvety tomato bisque. It definitely does a great job of amping up the meaty flavors of a beef stew as well as giving vegetable soups a flavor lift, too.

If your beans are still too watery after prolonged cooking and mashing, consider adding a thickener like cornstarch, all-purpose flour, or arrowroot. To do this, first, make a slurry of equal parts thickener and water, then slowly add it to your refried beans. They should thicken considerably.

If your pea and ham soup is looking a bit watery, don't despair: just keep cooking until you get closer to your desired texture. While some recipes say to thicken with cornflour, this is not necessary. Just be patient and keep simmering. Remember the soup will thicken as it cools.

Add a slurry at the end.

A slurry is a mixture of flour and water, whisked together until smooth and added towards the end of cooking; it's a super-simple way to thicken any soup. For slow cooker soups, add your slurry with at least 30 minutes of cook time left so that the raw flour can cook and thicken the soup.