Pick through the beans and remove any debris then cover with 2 quarts of cold water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the beans before adding them to the soup.
Add drained beans, ham bone, bay leaves, oregano, and basil. Cover with 8 cups (2 quarts) of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then cover with a lid and simmer for one hour or until the beans are tender, stir occasionally.
When the beans are tender, remove the ham bone and shred or dice the meat off of it. Add the ham to the soup along with diced veggies, tomato sauce, seasoning, and 2 cups cubed ham. Cover and simmer for another 30 minutes.
Serve bean and ham soup in a bowl with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, chili sauce, tortilla chips, crackers, or sourdough bread.
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Notes
Crockpot & Instant pot instructions are included in the body of this post.
The longer the beans soak the less time it will take to cook the beans before they're tender. For this reason, cooking time may need to be extended.
One serving of this ham and bean soup recipe equals 1 ½ cups.
If you forgot to soak the beans, just use the quick soak method. To do this, cover the beans with a few inches of water and bring to a boil. Next, turn the heat off and soak the beans for an hour before adding them to the soup.
If the soup is too thick, feel free to add additional water or broth, no more than one cup at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
If you prefer a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to give the soup a creamy texture.
Store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze for longer storage.