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This hearty 15 bean soup simmered with a smoky ham hock delivers deep, comforting flavor. A mix of beans cooks down with veggies and fresh herbs for a rich, rustic texture. Finished with lemon juice and tender chopped ham, it’s a slow-cooked, one-pot meal that’s ideal for a cozy dinner.
The long simmer lets the beans turn creamy, the vegetables soften into the broth, and the ham hock deepen with smoky richness. It’s the kind of pot that rewards patience.
If you love this 15 Bean Soup, try my Chicken and White Bean Soup next. It’s a fresher, brighter take that still hits all the cozy, satisfying notes.
Here’s Why This Mixed Bean Soup Recipe Works
Ham hock builds the base: Simmering it upfront creates a deep, smoky broth that defines the whole soup.
Staggered cooking prevents mush: Beans and vegetables go in at different times so everything stays the right texture.
Flexible with leftovers: Add extra ham from holiday leftovers, or swap in smoked turkey if that’s what you have on hand.
Blended beans thicken naturally: A quick blend of a portion of the soup gives it a velvety finish without thickeners.
If you like this recipe, you will also love our Instant Pot 15 bean soup.
Recipe Tips
Sort the beans: Spread them out and check for tiny rocks, they sneak in sometimes.
Keep it at a gentle simmer: A hard boil breaks apart the beans and muddies the texture.
Add the lemon at the end: It brightens the broth and tightens the flavors.
Let it rest: Like most bean soups, it’s even better on day two as the flavors deepen and the broth thickens.
Use the ham hock for the full simmer: Don’t shortcut it, the collagen needs time to break down and give the broth body.
Dice veggies evenly: Uniform pieces cook at the same rate and keep the texture clean, not chunky in some spots and mushy in others.
Skim as you go: A quick skim during the long simmer keeps the broth clear and the flavor more focused.
Don’t skip the herb bundle: Thyme stems and bay leaves release more flavor when simmered whole, and tying them up keeps the pot tidy.
Taste for salt after the ham goes in: Smoked ham and the broth add salt as they cook, so adjust at the end to avoid over-seasoning.
Let some beans break naturally: Even without blending, a gentle stir during the last 20 minutes helps the broth thicken.
We recently published a handy list of shelf stable foods to stock up on so you may have a package of 15-bean soup mix in your pantry already. If not, you can buy packages of 15-bean soup mix in the bean/rice section of most grocery stores .
Ingredient Notes
15 bean mix: This blend combines beans of different sizes and textures, which is why the long simmer matters. The smaller beans soften early while the larger ones take their time. Together they create a naturally thick, hearty broth without any added thickeners.
Ham Hock: The hock does the heavy lifting in this soup. As it simmers, it releases smoke, salt, and collagen, building a deep, savory broth that you can’t get from diced ham alone.
Smoked Ham: Added at the end, the diced ham brings actual meaty bites to the bowl. It complements the hock rather than replacing it — broth from one, texture from the other.
Fresh Herbs: Whole thyme sprigs and bay leaves infuse steady, aromatic flavor over the long cook. Keeping them bundled means you get all the depth without loose herbs floating around.
Celery Leaves: Don’t toss them, they add a bright, herbaceous edge that rounds out the broth. They bring more flavor than you’d expect.
15 Bean Soup
A long simmer, a smoky ham hock, and a mix of hearty beans turn this pot into the kind of meal that only gets better as it rests. Once the lemon and herbs go in, everything balances out into a rich, bright, deeply satisfying soup. Make it once, and it’ll work its way into your cold-weather rotation before you realize it.
You can also try my Black Bean Soup next. It uses a similar slow-simmered approach but leans into warm spices and a smoother, creamier finish.
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15 Bean Soup
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Ingredients
- 20 ounces 15-bean soup mix, 1 package
- 1 Ham hock , or ham shank
- 2 quarts water
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, 16-ounces each can
- 1 red bell pepper, diced, or yellow bell pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 cup celery leaves, chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 large carrots, diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 sprigs Fresh thyme, tied together with string
- 1 teaspoon salt, See Notes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 8 ounces smoked ham, diced
Instructions
The Beans:
- Spread the bean mix out on a tray or large plate and sort through them, removing and tossing out any small rocks that may have been packaged with the beans.
- Place the sorted beans in a strainer and rinse with cold water. Add the beans to a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover the beans by 4 inches. Soak the beans uncovered for 2 hours.
While the beans are soaking,
- In a large heavy-bottomed soup pot, add the ham hock, cover with the 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for two hours.
- Drain the beans and add them to the soup pot with the cooked ham hock, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about one hour.
- Add the diced vegetables, bay leaves, thyme, coriander, salt and black pepper to the soup pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat to simmer and cook for another 45 minutes or until the largest beans of the bean mix is tender.
- Remove the bay leaves and the thyme bundle and discard.
- Transfer the ham bone to a cutting board and when it is cool, remove as much of the meat as possible and reserve.
- Ladle out 4 cups of the beans and vegetables and pulse them in a blender or food processor, being careful to not over fill the container with the hot beans, process in batches if necessary.
- Return the processed beans to the soup pot and stir to combine with the remaining beans. Stir in the lemon juice and the reserved chopped ham, adjust the seasoning if necessary, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!This recipe was first published on November 12, 2014. We updated the post with new photos. One of the original photos is below.
I love bean soups! And ham and beans work so well together, don’t they? I usually use a ham shank or two — a bit more meat on them than on the hocks. Great recipe — thanks.
Thanks, John….