This tasty White Bean Soup with Ham is a classic bean soup recipe that’s is perfect for dinner on a cold day. And check the net carbs; I bet this is lower in carbs than you might think.
PIN White Bean Soup with Ham to try it later!
No matter how much we long for warm weather, Utah always gets some cold snowy days in April (and sometimes even in May.) When that happens I make something like this White Bean Soup with Ham! And when it’s cold outside I love to make soup on the stove, simmering it all day and letting the smells fill my house.
Last weekend when I woke up to snow on the ground I decided it was a good day to update this favorite soup recipe with better photos! I bumped up the flavor with fresh parsley and rosemary, and this soup has a lot of ham and celery, so the net carbs are probably lower than you might think. I don’t even dare hope this is the last snow for this year, but the soup did taste great on a cold spring day.
Get new recipes via email:
What ingredients do you need?
How can you add flavor to ham and bean soup?
When I make bean soup I like to use either homemade ham stock or homemade chicken stock if I have some in the freezer. If not I would add a tablespoon or two of Goya Ham Flavor Concentrate (affiliate link) or Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base (affiliate link) to the water. When I’m using ham with a rind, I simmer the rind in the soup for part of the cooking time and then remove it.
What if you don’t have fresh rosemary?
I’m not such a fan of dried rosemary in soup, because it floats to the top and makes dark flecks on the surface of the soup. But I love a pinch of ground rosemary (affiliate link) when I want some rosemary flavor.
More Tasty Soup with Beans:
Check out Sausage and Bean Soup with Chard, White Bean Soup with Ham and Chard, or CrockPot Bean Soup with Ham and Kale to see more tasty bean soup recipes from the past!
How to Make White Bean Soup with Ham:
(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)
- Soak beans for at least 8 hours or overnight in cold water, then drain and rinse.
- Put the soaked beans, 2 quarts homemade ham stock, homemade chicken stock, or water, and dried thyme into a large soup pot and start to simmer.
- While the soup is simmering, dice the ham. (I like small pieces for meat and vegetables in soup, but you can make them bigger if you prefer.)
- If your ham has a rind, add it to the simmering soup.
- Also finely dice the carrots, celery, and onion.
- Add the diced ham, carrots, celery, and onions to the soup and simmer at least 30 minutes more. (Those dark pieces in the photo are the ham rind.)
- After soup has cooked for one hour taste for seasoning, adding some ham flavor concentrate (affiliate link) or Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base (affiliate link) if you want more flavor.
- Add finely chopped fresh parsley and fresh rosemary (or ground rosemary) to the soup, along with a couple more cups of water if needed.
- Continue simmering until the soup is flavorful and the beans are well-softened. (This can take more than an hour if you’re using old beans that have been sitting in the pantry. If it does, you may need to add more water again a few times.)
- When beans are soft, remove ham rinds (if using), season soup with fresh ground black pepper, and serve hot.
More Dishes with White Beans:
Tuna and White Bean Salad
Italian Sausage and White Beans with Sage
Amy’s Amazing White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry white beans (soaked 8 hours or overnight, then drained)
- 2 quarts chicken broth or ham broth (see notes)
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 cups finely chopped celery
- 1 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cups finely chopped ham
- 1 envelope Goya brand ham flavor base (optional)
- about 2 additional cups water
- finely chopped fresh rosemary or a small amount of ground rosemary
- 2 T finely chopped fresh parsley (or use 1 T dried parsley)
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak beans 8 hours or longer in cold water, drain and rinse well.
- Put beans, 2 quarts of ham or chicken broth or stock (or water with ham or chicken base), and thyme in large soup kettle.
- Simmer 30 minutes.
- While soup simmers, chop veggies and ham so that pieces are about 1/4 inch square. (If you’re using ham with a rind, cut it off and add to the simmering soup.)
- Add celery, carrot, onion, and ham to soup pot and simmer 30 minutes more.
- Taste soup for seasoning.
- Add up to 2 cups more water, ham or chicken base if needed, rosemary (or ground rosemary) and parsley to soup pot.
- Simmer one hour on very low heat or until beans are nicely softened and soup is flavorful. (If you’re using old beans from the pantry the cooking time will be longer, and you may need to add more water more than once.)
- When the beans are softened, remove ham rind (if using), season soup to taste with fresh ground black pepper and serve hot.
- This freezes well, so you may want to make a double batch and put some into individual containers to take to work for lunch.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 187Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 1582mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 17g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This White Bean Soup with Ham would be a great choice for the original South Beach Diet. If you want to make it for phase one, leave out the carrots and remember that dried beans should be eaten in small amounts for phase one. This isn’t a low-carb recipe, but there’s a lot of ham and celery so if you check the net carbs it’s probably lower in carbs than you might think.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Soup Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You can also Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This white bean soup recipe was posted in 2011. It was last updated with more information in 2021.
Share This:
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
There’s a definite chill in the air. Can you feel it? Well, maybe not in some parts of the country, but here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn is on its way, if not already here.
The best part of fall is the comfort food and there is no food more comforting than this short rib chili. Well, maybe my Shrimp and Bacon Chowder. Or perhaps my keto Cream of Mushroom Soup. And my Buffalo Chicken Soup is also pretty darn spectacular.
But this keto chili recipe definitely makes the short list.
Chili is and always has been one of my favorite foods, because even not very good chili is pretty darn comforting when you’re cold and hungry. How can you go wrong with meat cooked slowly in rich spices and a thick tomato broth? You can’t, that’s all. You can’t go wrong.
And the crazy part is that while I make chili all. the. time, I don’t actually have a good keto chili recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. Until now, that is.
What makes the best keto chili?
Well, what really makes good chili is a matter of opinion and taste. And probably a few feuds as well. Everyone has their own take on the best way to make chili.
In my experience, a slow simmered chili recipe is best, as it allows the flavors to develop and intensify over time. So don’t be fooled by promises of “fast and easy”. Good chili is usually easy to make but it takes time to cook.
Keto chili should be devoid of any higher carb items like beans, though. That goes almost without saying, because beans are high in carbs and many consider them inflammatory. Onion needs to be kept to a minimum as well, since it’s surprisingly high carb.
Tomato sauce, paste, and puree can also send the carb count up if used too liberally. I like to keep my chili to less than 5g total carbs per serving, so I use a single can of diced tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes help bring out the best flavor.
But the focus of a good keto chili recipe should always be the meat and the spices. Use beef with a high percentage of fat for a satisfying meal, and be generous with the chili, cumin, and garlic.
Can you make keto chili ahead of time?
I find myself wanting to answer this question with a smart ass comment like “Is the pope Catholic?”. Because chili is perhaps the best make ahead meal on the planet.
It’s one of those dishes that seems to actually get better when it’s eaten the next day or even a few days later. And one of the benefits of keto chili is that there are no beans to get mushy as they sit and soften. So it’s just as good or better than the day you made it.
So go ahead and make a huge pot of this short rib chili. This particular recipe serves 10 people. Let it cool to room temperature and then split it up however you see fit. You can do individual servings, or portion it out for your family size.
The chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. We froze our leftovers back in May and I just fed my family the second portion about a month ago!
Because it contains acidic ingredients like tomatoes, I recommend storing in glass containers if you have them. If not, good BPA-Free tupperware works too.
Tips for making Short Rib Chili
Short ribs are ideal for comfort food dishes like this, because they are fatty and rich, and become incredibly tender with slow braising.
Always brown the ribs first: This step adds 10 minutes or so, but it’s worth it. Browning the meat in lard or oil helps bring out the best flavor, before the liquids are added. Otherwise, you are essentially just eating stewed meat. Transfer the ribs to a plate while making the rest of the chili.
Sweat the onions and other veggies: While I do keep the onion to a minimum, it definitely helps add flavor. So add the onion and green pepper to the pot and sauté in the oils and fats with a little bit of salt. This will help them release their juices and flavor.
Add the spices into the hot oil: Before adding any liquids into the pot, you want to briefly sauté the garlic, jalapeño, and spices in the hot oil. This enhances and intensifies the flavor.
Adjust the heat to your liking: My husband and I like our chili pretty spicy but our kids have more tender palates. So we keep the heat at a medium level. I always add the seeds from the jalapeño but you can leave them out if you want less spice. You can also leave out the cayenne. Or you can add more jalapeño and cayenne too.
Now add the liquids and the meat: Once the spices and garlic are fragrant, stir in the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer before adding the meat.
Slow braise in the oven: You’re looking at a good two to three hours of cooking, but this time is completely inactive. You can be doing lots of other things during this time. Slow braising makes the meat from the short ribs fall off the bone and shred more easily.
Doesn’t this keto short rib chili sound like the perfect comfort food?
Check out my Keto Soups & Stews cookbook for more delicious comfort food recipes.
Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
Print
Pin
Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: keto chili, keto chili recipe, short rib chili
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 428kcal
Ingredients
- 3 lb bone in short ribs
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup bacon fat, lard, or other high-heat oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper minced (leave the seeds in for more heat)
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- ⅓ cup beef bone broth
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300F and season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.
In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt the bacon fat or lard. Once hot, add half the short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and brown the remaining short ribs. Transfer to the plate.
Add the onion and pepper to the pot, sprinkle with salt, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne, and cook another minute, until fragrant.
Stir in the roasted tomatoes and bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add the short ribs back into the pot, cover and transfer to the oven.
Cook 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove the ribs, shred the meat and return the meat to the pot. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with your favorite chili toppings.
Nutrition Facts
Keto Short Rib Chili
Amount Per Serving (1 serving = about 1 cup)
Calories 428
Calories from Fat 319
% Daily Value*
Fat 35.4g54%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1.2g5%
Protein 22.6g45%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Join the Conversation (0)
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
- Calories N/A
- Total Fat N/A
- Saturated Fat N/A
- Cholesterol N/A
- Sodium N/A
- Total Carbohydrates N/A
- Protein N/A
Hi, I'm Alex!
I love sharing easy, healthy, and family-friendly recipes that anyone can make at home.
Be the first to comment on this recipe!