HAM and BEAN SOUP RECIPE!!! + WonkyWonderful (2024)

FAQs

Why is my ham and bean soup not thick? ›

One of the simplest ways to thicken up your ham and bean soup is by adding more beans. The beans will naturally release starch as they cook, which will help to thicken the soup. You can either mash a portion of the cooked beans with a fork or blend them in a food processor before adding them back to the soup.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Excessive cooking or stirring may damage cornstarch integrity and cause your ham and beans to thin out.

"Broths and condensed soups are notorious for being salty," she says. She warns that many spice blends contain added salt, too. Be sure to read the labels of your ingredients. You may also have to avoid adding salt if you're cooking with sodium-filled meats like ham or bacon.

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.

Overcooked beans are perfectly safe to eat, but while they may be edible, they'll be less pleasant to consume. Signs that your beans are overcooked include them being very soft and mushy. Tender beans are ideal, but if they lack firmness and don't keep their shape, they have probably simmered for too long.

This soup-thickening hack couldn't be easier. Unlike using flour, which requires either making a little roux before you start cooking or a beurre manié afterwards, or using a cornstarch slurry that can create a gloppy texture, the instant mashed potato flakes can simply be sprinkled into the finished dish.

Baking soda creates an alkaline environment which reduces soaking and cooking time and preserves the beans' skin. As a result, the old bean's color comes to life, keeping them vibrant instead of dull. Compared to the grainy texture offered by old beans, baking soda beans can yield a creamy and smooth texture.

In 99 percent of cases, it's because they're not using enough salt, and aren't seasoning as often as they should. The key to making soup that doesn't taste like plain beans and oregano floating around in hot water is to season your food at every step of the cooking process.

**Soak beans overnite in water with 1/4 cup of vinegar (Key ingredient for "removing gas") Have the beans well covered with water for soaking-remember they expand quite a bit and you don't want them to expand above the water level."

Does putting a potato in soup reduce salt? ›

The potato will absorb extra salt and liquid. Remove the potato from the pot. Taste the food. If the saltiness is still too much, you can add water or broth to dilute it.

Dilute with water or broth.

Adding more liquid to the soup will dilute the salinity and make the salt level more palatable. Remember that many boxed broths contain salt as well, so use one that is low-sodium or unsalted to remedy an oversalted pot of soup.

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.

Rice, lentils, and beans release a lot of starch and naturally thicken soups simply from simmering, but you can also mash half the cooked rice/lentils/beans before adding to the soup for a simple way to thicken your dish. Alternatively, blend half or all of the soup for a smoother texture.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

The longer you simmer and reduce the beans, the more the sauce will thicken. If you don't cook the beans long enough, the sauce will stay loose and runny, according to Home Cook World.