30 Minute Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tsp cooking oil
• 8 oz diced ham
• 2 diced carrots
• 2 diced celery stalks
• 1 diced onion
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cans cannellini beans (rinsed & drained)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bundle of thyme
• Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Sauté the ham in an oiled Dutch oven or soup pot.
2. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and salt. Sauté until the veggies are soft.
3. Add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.
4. Add the beans and stock. Deglaze the pot and add the bay leaf and thyme.
5. Bring to a simmer and let it go for about 10 minutes.
6. Pull the bay leaf and thyme out. Add pepper to taste.

Notes

Top with parsley if feeling fancy. Also throw a loaf of French or Italian bread in the oven for 5-10 minutes before serving and dip it into the soup.