Navy Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic (about 3 cloves)
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 (15.5 oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed (about 5¼ cups total) – navy, Great Northern, or cannellini
• Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
• 1½ lb smoked ham hock
• 1 dried bay leaf
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• Optional: chopped fresh parsley or thyme, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic; cook about 5 minutes until crisp-tender.
2. Stir in broth, beans, thyme, ham hock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer about 1 hour.
3. Discard bay leaf. For a thicker soup, mash some beans or blend briefly with an immersion blender.
4. Remove ham hock, shred the meat, and return it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve hot, garnished with parsley or thyme if desired.

Recipe adapted from Blair Lonergan at TheSeasonedMom.com.