Creamy White Bean Soup

Name: White Bean Tortellini Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 large onion, chopped; 2 carrots, thinly sliced; 2 stalks celery, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1/3 cup flour; 6 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 2 cups cooked and cubed ham; 1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and rained; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 2 bay leaves; 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon; 1 teaspoon dried parsley ((or 1 tablespoon fresh)); 1/2 tsp EACH dried oregano, dried thyme, ground cumin; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes ((optional)); 4 cups (1 pound) uncooked refrigerated cheese tortellini; 2-3 cups half and half (*); fresh parsley; Parmesan cheese

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This Ham and Bean Soup is the epitome of comfort food on your table in 30 minutes!

There is Ham and Bean Soup. Then there is Creamy Ham and Bean Soup. Then there is Creamy Ham and Bean Soup with Tortellini which is 1000X more delicious! This is the Best Ham and Bean Soup simmered with ham, white beans, onions, carrots, celery, seasonings and pillowy, cheesy tortellini. It is lusciously creamy, bursting with flavor, SO easy and lick your bowl delicious! 30 minutes never tasted so good!

top view of creamy Ham and Bean Soup in a white bowl with a spoon

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Why you’ll love this recipe for Ham and Bean Soup

This Ham and Bean Soup will have everyone excited for leftover holiday ham or deli ham. It’s easy to whip up in 30 minutes but impresses with its aromatic, creamy goodness AND tortellini! The cheesy tortellini melts in your mouth with delight and will have everyone clamoring for more!

From my little family to yours, (click HERE for IG pic), I hope you had an absolutely magical Christmas full of the spirit of Christmas, love, and laughter. And ham. Lots of leftover ham so you can make this Creamy White Bean and Ham Tortellini Soup ASAP, because it too, is magical. Magical in its flavor, texture bursting perfection and magical in its ONE POT preparation – hallelujah!

Does it get any better than creamy soups? From my New England Clam Chowder, White Chicken Chili, Slow Cooker Potato Soup to my Chicken Gnocchi Soup, Loaded Zuppa Toscana and now this Creamy White Bean and Ham Soup. It’s warm, comforting, and satisfying, virtually a meal-in-one and crazy delicious.

The idea for this Ham and Bean Soup came a few weeks ago when Patrick thought it would be fun to bake a ham, just the two of us. His eyes were bigger than our stomachs – way bigger. I knew immediately I wanted to make Ham and Cheese Breakfast Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Sauce (a must!) with the leftovers but there were still leftovers – thankfully.

It was then time for white bean and ham soup, but not just any white bean and ham soup, but a lightened up creamy soup with pillows of cheese filled pasta because biting into cheese stuffed tortellini makes every slurp better! Consequentially, I think this is the BEST Ham and Bean Soup out there. I hope you agree!

hearty, cozy, Creamy Ham, White Bean Tortellini Soup simmered with onions, carrots, celery and seasonings is SO easy and lick your bowl delicious! love the addition of cheesy tortellini!

Ham Bean Soup Recipe Ingredients

This Ham and Bean Soup is all about building layer upon layer of flavor.

Aromatics: The firsts layer comes from aromatic celery, carrots, garlic and onions. If you’re feeling super lazy you can substitute the garlic and onion for 1 teaspoon each powders.
Ham: You can use leftover ham OR visit your deli counter and ask for approximately ½ pound ham sliced into 1/4″ slices. Now, all you have to do is slice the ham the other direction to create cubes.
Beans: I like to use cannellini beans which are the same as white Italian kidney beans. The are available in both dried and canned forms, but for our easy Ham and Bean Soup, we are going to utilize the canned variety but feel free to soak your own dried beans for this recipe if you prefer. Look for dried beans that are glossy and evenly colored for the best flavor.
Tortellini: The tortellini in this Ham and Bean Soup elevates it above all others, in my humble opinion. You will need 1 pound uncooked cheese tortellini. Please use fresh, refrigerated tortellini as it is more fresh and tastes far superior than dried tortellini.
Seasonings: This Ham and Bean Soup is seasoned with Dijon (because ham and mustard belong together), chicken bouillon, dried parsley, dried oregano, dried thyme ground cumin, pepper, red pepper flakes. It may seem like a lot of ingredients but they are just a quick measure and dump. If you aren’t sure how much red pepper to add, then you can add a pinch then add more to taste at the end of cooking.

Chicken Broth: Take care your chicken broth is low sodium otherwise your soup might be too salty due to the already salty ham.
Half and Half: I often don’t keep half and half on hand, but keep heavy cream on hand. If you’re like me, you can substitute the half and half with half cream and half milk. For a healthier alternative you may substitute the half and half with evaporated milk mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch.

Creamy White Bean Soup substitutions and variations

Although I am biased to tortellini in this Ham and Bean Soup, you can make Ham and Bean soup with potatoes instead.
In addition to the onions, celery and carrots, you can add zucchini, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, etc.
I love creamy Ham and Bean Soup but you are welcome to make this soup just with broth. To make a non-creamy version, eliminate the flour an cornstarch and replace the half and half with chicken broth.

How to make Bean and Ham Soup

Let’s take a closer look at how to make this recipe with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Cook Mirepoix: First, melt butter in olive oil then saute onions, followed by carrots, celery, and garlic. Mirepoix (pronounced “meer-pwah”), is simply a fancy French term for the combination of diced carrots, onions and celery sautéed in butter/olive. Every chef will tell you that every great soup starts with mirepoix because it adds depth of flavor that can’t be achieved any other way.

showing how to make Ham and Bean Soup by cooking onions, carrots, celery and carrots together with olive oil

Roux: Next, sprinkle in some flour and cook a couple more minutes. Cooking will get rid of the raw flour smell and raw flour taste, as opposed to just mixing the flour in broth or cream like other recipes sometimes do. The flour will work to thicken our Ham and Bean Soup. If you don’t want a creamy Ham and Bean Soup recipe then skip the flour.
Add broth: Next, stir in the chicken broth, chicken broth whisked with cornstarch, white beans, ham and hand picks herbs and seasonings. Again, if you don’t want a creamy Ham and Bean Soup, then skip the cornstarch.
Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 15-20 minutes while your house fills with the savory herb aroma. I like to cover my soup with the lid so it comes to a boil more quickly, then remove it while the soup simmers. You will want to simmer for as long as it takes for your carrots to be tender – this will depend on how thick you sliced your carrots.

Add Tortellini: Finally, add your tortellini and boil for 2 minutes or so until cooked al dente. You don’t wan’t to overcook your tortellini or else they will fall apart. Al dente tortellini also makes for better leftovers. If you aren’t sure if they are done or not, you can scoop up a tortellini, run it under cold water and taste it, taking care not to burn yourself.

showing how to make ham and bean soup by simmering until vegetables are tender

Make Creamy: Stir in desired amount of half and half to make Creamy Ham and Bean Soup. If you would like a less “chunky” soup but still want it creamy, then add additional half and half. For a less “chunky” soup that is also less creamy, then thin with chicken broth.

Tips for making White Bean Tortellini Soup

Buy/prechop Mirepoix. Chopping the celery, onions and slicing the carrots is probably the most time consuming part of this Ham and Bean Soup recipe, but it’s so worth it. You can chop all your veggies in advance or you can even buy mirepoix by the jar at Trader Joes and other grocery stores for an easy shortcut.
Ham Substitute: This is HAM and Bean Soup, but it is also fabulous with other proteins for when you don’t have ham on hand or if you want to mix it up! You can use lean ground turkey, lean ground beef, Italian Sausage and even shredded chicken.
Salt to Taste. I usually specify the amount of salt in a recipe, but for this Ham and Bean Soup, you will want to add salt to taste. The amount of salt needed will depend on the saltiness of your ham and what it has already been seasoned with. Once you taste our soup a the end of cooking and if you feel like it is missing something, it is most likely salt. Start with a pinch then add more if needed.

How to thicken White Bean Ham Soup

This Ham and Bean soup is made thick and creamy by first starting with a roux, or cooking flour in butter, then adding chicken broth whisked with cornstarch. You can whisk the cornstarch with as little as ½ chicken broth, just enough so it dissolves completely into a smooth slurry.

By using both a roux and the slurry cornstarch, we are able use less butter and half and half instead of heavy cream. The cornstarch thickens the broth and makes it behave like heavy cream so we get all the richness without the fat.

If you would like an even thicker soup, you can use some heavy cream in place of the half and half because the more fat, the creamier the soup.

Alternatively, if you are looking for less calories, you can use milk and increase cornstarch to 3 tablespoons but it will not be as creamy.

What to serve with Ham and White Bean Soup

How to store Bean and Ham Soup

Ham and Bean Soup is a hearty meal-in-one, it barley needs a thing! You can keep it simple with a big green salad and garlic bread or crusty bread.

If you are looking for a few more refined options, we love it with Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks, or Cheesy Pesto Pull Apart Bread, Wedge Salad. and Fruit Salad.

Ham and Bean Soup should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When stored correctly, it should keep for up to 5 days, but as with everything, use your best judgment.

Reheating Creamy White Bean Soup

The Tortellini in the Ham and Bean Soup will soak up some of the liquid, so you will want to add a splash of milk to the leftovers and reheat gently in the microwave or stove top.

Freezing White Bean Ham Soup

Yes and No. No, I do not recommend freezing completed Creamy Ham and Bean soup due to the creamy nature of the soup and the tortellini. The fat in creamy soups tends to separate when frozen leaving you with an unpleasant texture and the tortellini becomes mushy.

You can freeze by preparing the Ham and Bean Soup up to the point of adding the half and half and tortellini. In other words, complete the recipe, but do not add the half and half and tortellini.

1. Follow recipe up to the point of adding the tortellini and half and half – do not add half and half and tortellini.
2. Let soup cool completely.
3. Add Ham and Bean Soup to a freezer size bag or airtight freezer safe container.
4. Push out any excess air, seal, seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
5. When ready to eat, let soup thaw in the refrigerator.
6. Transfer soup to a Dutch oven/soup pot and warm over the stove.
7. Once simmering, add tortellini and half and half per recipe directions.

Ham and Bean Soup. So crazy easy, so hearty, so satisfyingly delicious, so begging to be curled up in a large bowl and adored each spoonful by you. Because you, Santa and the Elf on the Shelf deserve to put their feet up with Creamy Ham and Bean Soup. You deserve your own magic.

Looking for more easy soups recipes?

Minestrone Soup
White Chicken Lasagna Soup
Lasagna Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Miso Soup with Chicken, Veggies, Shiitake Mushrooms
Lemon Chicken Soup with Tortellini
Creamy Basil Italian Parmesan Soup

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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

Servings: -8 servings

Total Time: 30

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 25

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup flour
6 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups cooked and cubed ham
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and rained
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
1/2 tsp EACH dried oregano, dried thyme, ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
4 cups (1 pound) uncooked refrigerated cheese tortellini
2-3 cups half and half *

Garnish (optional)

fresh parsley
Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Melt butter in olive oil in Dutch oven/large soup pot over medium high heat. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook, while stirring, for 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour then cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes (it will be thick).
Turn heat to low and gradually stir in 5 ½ cups chicken broth. Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with remaining ½ cup chicken broth and add to soup. Stir in ham, beans, Dijon mustard, bay leaves, bouillon and all remaining herbs and spices.
Bring to a boil; cover, and reduce to a gentle simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Add tortellini and boil for 1-2 minutes or until cooked al dente.
Stir in half and half, adding additional half and half or broth if desired for a less “chunky” soup and warm through.
Garnish individual servings with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

*may use nonfat half and half and increase cornstarch to 3 tablespoons

HOW TO MAKE SOUP NOT CREAMY

For a non-creamy version, omit the flour and cornstarch and replace the half and half with chicken broth.

but do not add the half and half and tortellini.

HOW TO FREEZE Ham and Bean Soup

Follow recipe up to the point of adding the tortellini and half and half – do not add half and half and tortellini.
Let soup cool completely.
Add Ham and Bean Soup to a freezer size bag or airtight freezer safe container.
Push out any excess air, seal, seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat, let soup thaw in the refrigerator.
Transfer soup to a Dutch oven/soup pot and warm over the stove.
Once simmering, add tortellini and half and half per recipe directions.

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128 Comments

Rachael White says

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Can’t wait to try this! Just to let you know, when I clicked on your pin for this post on Pinterest it led to this site, which had your pic and full recipe posted: http://www.cucinadeyung.com/2017/05/one-pot-creamy-white-bean-and-ham.html?m=1
Didn’t know if you’d given them permission to do that, but I know a lot of sites are stealing recipes so thought I’d let you know just in case. I’ll be pinning from your URL instead.

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Rachael, thank you so much for letting me know. Pin redirecting is a HUGE problem right now. People find the most popular pins then funnel them to their site – even if its completely unrelated. I’m glad you were able to find the original recipe – I hope you love it!
  
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Susan says

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Can I use other white beans, like Great Northern or Navy beans?

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- Jen says
  
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  Absolutely, enjoy!
  
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Pattie Panagakos says

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I have a daughter who eats dinner before the family because of her job – I wonder if I can make the tortellini on the side for her and just pour the soup over – so that it they don’t get Snuggie waiting for the rest of the family to eat an hour and half later—- would love to make this tomorrow with my left over Easter ham =} just unsure how to make it work and keep it “fresh” haha any tips would be appreciated =} I have tried several of your dishes all have been great and work great for families with busy schedules

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Pattie, I’m so pleased you are enjoying my recipes, thank you! Yes, cooking the tortellini separately will work perfectly, just toss it in a little olive oil so i doesn’t stick together. Enjoy!
  
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Catherine says

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I cannot tell you how many times I make this soup for me and my son-in- law. Love it! I do not use the tortellini tho, and just use an extra can of beans. However I was re-reading the recipe tonight and saw your comment about potatoes. Would you just add diced ones in at the same time as the carrots? I think that would be an interesting change. I also liked the suggestion someone made about spinach and bacon. Yummm. And, being a widow, I freeze a couple bags of this for myself and even a little runny, it’s still out-of- this-world good!! Thank you so much for this recipe!!

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Catherine, I’m thrilled this Creamy Ham and Bean Soup is such a favorite and you enjoy freezing it too! Yes, I would add the potatoes at the same time as the carrots – I think it would be fabulous!
  
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Carolyn says

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Have you made this in a crock pot?

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi, Carolyn, I hope this recipe turned out for you! I have been working my way through a backlog of comments and see yours somehow got lost in the mix! I appreciate you and hope you’re well!
  
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Lisa says

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Made this tonight with a few substitutions as I didn’t feel like going out to the store. I used rotisserie chicken and black and dark kidney beans. I also used whole milk instead of half and half. It came out amazing even with all my substitutions. Tons of flavor. My husband loved it!

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- Jen says
  
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  I’m so happy to hear that Lisa! I love it when I already have everything to make a recipe work at home!
  
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Tami says

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“4 cups (1 pound) uncooked refrigerated cheese tortellini” – is this the hard, dried stuff in the box or the soft tortellini in the refrigerated section?

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- Jen says
  
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  It is the softer kind in the refrigerated section “refrigerated cheese tortellini” Enjoy!
  
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Rose says

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I always like to have a cup of soup or salad with dinner so when I came across this I thought it would be perfect for tonight. It was a big hit. I made it just as is and it was delicious. I am not a big fan of any kind of mustard but it gave the soup such a flavor I wouldn’t think of leaving it out. This was very filling and to be honest we could have just had a bowl of this with some bread and it would have been satisfying enough for dinner. We had the rest the next day for lunch and it was even better.

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- Jen says
  
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  Sorry for my delayed response Rose, but thank you so much for taking the time to comment! I’m so pleased you loved this recipe so much – including the mustard 😉
  
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Angela says

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It was delicious. I added an additional tablespoon of Better Than Chicken Bouillon at the end and an additional large garlic clove when adding the garlic, because we love garlic. I made everything in the morning, except for adding the Tortellini and Half and Half. When I came home, the house still smelled the wonderful aroma of the soup. Took out of frig and finished it up. I thought it was so delicious. My husband and father in-law are getting fussier and fussier. My husband said it was good, in a way that he would have it once in a great while and my father in-law said it was strong, I asked him how and he said it smelled strong. I told him there was a lot of spice in it to make it taste good….impossible to please these two negative Nellies. Anyways I thought it was delicious and I love that I can make it ahead of time for the most part and just finish it up with the last two ingredients. I will keep this one on as a regular rotation….in the cold months. They also refuse to eat soup during summer. Oh yes, you didn’t say to remove the bay leaves at all, but I assume that was a given. Thank you!

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- Jen says
  
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  I’m so pleased you liked it Angela! It sounds like your opinion is the only correct one in the house – haha ;)! And your so right – a strong smelling soup is a flavorful soup!
  
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Delina says

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Very rarely do I find a recipe that I don’t have to tweak, but this is one of them! It is amazingly perfect just as it is. Since I’m taking it to someone who had surgery today, I left out the hot pepper flakes. It has so much flavor and it definitely is a comfort food! Thanks s much for sharing!

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- Jen says
  
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  Thanks for taking the time to comment Delina, I’m so pleased this recipe was a hit! And you’re so kind to make it for a friend!
  
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Jessi says

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Just made this recipe and it is AWESOME! Very good!!!!!

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- Jen says
  
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  Thank you so much Jessi!
  
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Michelle Winget says

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OMG! Your soup is absolutely amazing! I read all your comments and to the lady who was concerned about the mustard…put it in. It really gives it wonderful flavor! I’m thinking of adding it to other recipes .And adding spinach and bacon sounds delicious too.I can’t wait to try your sausage tortellini soup. I used rotisserie chicken also. I’m going to follow you! Thank you!

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Michelle! I am so happy you found my site and are enjoying my recipes! Thank you so much! I hope you have a wonderful week and find more recipes to enjoy!
  
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Debi says

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Made this because I had left over ham from Easter and it was a great soup with lots of flavors and textures! I had all of the ingredients on hand except the tortellini so I just used a fun pasta I had in my pantry. I will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing:)

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- Jen says
  
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  You’re so welcome, thanks for taking the time to comment! I’m so pleased it will be on repeat!
  
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Barbara says

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Love, love, love this soup! We served it over rice with Parmesan cheese and green onion on top.

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- Jen says
  
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  Yum! I am so glad you enjoyed it!!
  
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Brenda Castellano says

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Very yummy! I used Italian sausage because I didn’t have ham, other then that I did the recipe as written. Loved it!

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- Jen says
  
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  Yay! I’m so pleased to hear it was a winner!
  
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Amy says

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I had every intention of following this to the tee! Then found out in the process I had no bay leaves or thyme shoved back in my spice cabinet! Rather than substituting, I rolled with it and it was still amazing! And, the consistency (before adding half and half) was to our liking, so we didn’t add anything else after the tortellini. The low sodium chicken broth is key…do not use regular! Fantastic recipe for the huge pile of leftover ham from Christmas. Thank you!!

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- Jen says
  
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  Yay! I’m so glad that it was a winner!!
  
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Sandy says

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DELICIOUS! Served with crusty bread.

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- Jen says
  
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  Yum! Sounds like a perfect pairing!!
  
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Jonna Carlile says

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This soup was SO DELICIOUS! Recipe is a keeper! Everyone loved it and loved having a ham soup that wasn’t potato-based. A wonderful way to use up leftover Easter ham!

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- Jen says
  
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  Thanks Jonna! So happy to hear it will be a keeper!
  
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Stacy S. says

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This was delicious! Next time I won’t use tortellini, maybe cavetelli. Otherwise, wouldn’t change a thing.

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- Jen says
  
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  Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
  
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Laura says

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This soup is a staple in this house!! My boys inhale this and ask when I will make it again .sometimes I will add zucchini ( i cut about the same size as the carrots)

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Laura! I am thrilled to hear that this is on rotation in your home and your boys love it! Thanks so much for your sweet review! Zucchini sounds amazing!
  
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See More Comments

This Ham and Bean Soup is the epitome of comfort food on your table in 30 minutes!

PIN THIS RECIPE TO SAVE FOR LATER

Why you’ll love this recipe for Ham and Bean Soup

Ham Bean Soup Recipe Ingredients

Creamy White Bean Soup substitutions and variations

How to make Bean and Ham Soup

Tips for making White Bean Tortellini Soup

How to thicken White Bean Ham Soup

What to serve with Ham and White Bean Soup

How to store Bean and Ham Soup

Reheating Creamy White Bean Soup

Freezing White Bean Ham Soup

Looking for more easy soups recipes?

WANT TO TRY THIS RECIPE?

PIN IT to your recipe BOARD TO SAVE FOR LATER!

FIND ME ON PINTEREST FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES! I AM ALWAYS PINNING :)!

Tools Used in This Recipe

White Bean Tortellini Soup

Save This Recipe To Your Recipe Box

Ingredients

Garnish (optional)

Instructions

Notes

HOW TO MAKE SOUP NOT CREAMY

HOW TO FREEZE Ham and Bean Soup

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