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

FAQs

Why is my ham and bean soup not thick? ›

Ham and bean soup thickens primarily due to the breakdown of the beans as they cook, releasing starches into the broth, which helps to create a thicker consistency. Additionally, some recipes may call for mashing some of the beans or adding a roux (a mixture of fat and flour) to further thicken the 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.

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

This ham and soup will stay good for 3-4 days in an airtight container stored in your fridge. You can definitely store your soup in the freezer if you'd like. You can store it either in a large airtight container, or in smaller individual containers. Thaw either in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat.

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.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

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.

Add plain instant mashed potatoes (which are essentially just dehydrated potatoes) to the finished soup recipe as a thickening agent. Simple? Yes.

A handful of uncooked rice. That's all folks, just a handful of white rice. Any kind will do: jasmine, basmati, short grain, long grain. When added to a brothy (or watery, even) soup, and left to simmer for 20-30 minutes, the rice breaks down, releasing its starch and thickening the liquid that it's cooking in.

Bottom Line. If beans make you uncomfortably gassy, sprinkle a little baking soda into their soaking water. It will reduce the volume of gas produced by the legumes, plus, they will cook quicker. If you're even shorter on time, you may want to try some of our favorite recipes to make with a can of black beans.

How do I get my beans creamy? ›

After your beans have cooked down for a few hours, you're gonna want to mash some on the side. or add it to a food processor, blend them, and then mix them back in with the pot to get that nice, creamy texture. Mwah.

To cut down on the gassy properties, you can add a little baking soda to your recipe. The baking soda helps break down some of the beans' natural gas-making sugars. I tested this while fixing one of my favorite slow cooker recipes: red beans and sausage.

If you reheat food that was forgotten on the counter overnight or was left out all day, will it be safe to eat? TWO HOURS is the MAXIMUM time perishable foods should be at room temperature (ONE HOUR at temperatures 90 degrees F and higher). This INCLUDES the time they're on the table during your meal.

Food should not be at room temperature for more than two hours. Shallow containers or small amounts of hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating. Cover foods to retain moisture and prevent them from picking up odors from other foods.

Like other leftover foods, homemade soup can safely be stored in the fridge for three to four days, per standard guidance from the USDA. This includes soups and stews that contain fish, meat, and poultry. If the soup will not be eaten within that time frame, store it in the freezer instead for up to four months.

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.

If you want a smooth soup, puree with an immersion blender. If you were short on peas, you can thicken with a slurry—a raw starch such as rice flour or cornstarch mixed with water, then whisked into the soup. The soup needs to come to a boil for the starch to gelatinize.

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.

Does soup thicken as it cools? Soup that contains some amount of starch, whether it be potatoes, rice, pasta, or an added thickener like cornstarch or flour will definitely thicken once it cools.