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Homemade Pinto Beans & Ham Soup

Today I am sharing my version of my mother’s Pinto Beans Soup. What makes my recipe a little different from hers is the addition of a few more ingredients for extra flavor. Because you need to soak the dried beans for 8 hours, it is not a quick recipe to make. But “good things come to those who wait” and the flavor more than makes up for the wait. See my full recipe below.

I recommend serving the Homemade Pinto Beans & Ham Soup with our family-favorite Green Tomato Relish and freshly-baked Skillet Cornbread

Freshly-baked Skillet Cornbread tastes great and compliments the homemade soup. My mother always uses Martha White’s Cotton Country Buttermilk Cornbread Mix. This is really easy to make, just follow the package directions; adding water, stirring, and baking. What Else Do You Need?

I also recommend baking the cornbread in an 8″ Cast Iron skillet – like the Lodge brand shown below (available at Amazon).

WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?

Print Recipe

Homemade Pinto Beans & Ham Soup

Prep Time8 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time11 hours
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bean Soup, Country Bean Soup, Homemade Bean Soup, Pinto Bean Soup, Southern-style Bean Soup
Servings: 8

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • 8 – 10 Qt Stock Pot and Lid
  • Measuring Cup
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Cutting Board
  • Knife
  • Can Opener
  • Cooking Spoon

Ingredients

  • 16 Oz Dried Pinto Beans
  • 2 14 Oz Cans Chicken Broth (adds extra flavor)
  • 2 Cups Water
  • 1 Small (14-16 Oz) Cottage Ham (My mom prefers using a ham hock)
  • 1 Small Onion or ½ Large Onion (diced)
  • 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • ½ Teaspoon Mrs Dash Salt-Free Table Blend Seasoning
  • ½ Cup Tomato Ketchup (adds extra flavor)

Instructions

  • Sort through the dry pinto beans and discard any bad beans.
  • Cover the beans with water and let soak overnight at room temperature (8 hrs)
  • Drain the beans and discard the soaking water
  • Add the plumped-up beans to an 8-10 qt stock pot. Also add the chicken broth, water, cottage ham, diced onions, and spices.
  • Bring these ingredients to a rapid boil. Then lower the heat and continue cooking on the stovetop for 2½ – 3 hours.
  • During the last ½ hour of cooking, remove the cottage ham to a plate and let it cool slightly. At this time, add in the tomato ketchup, to the stock pot, stir well and continue cooking.
  • Using two forks, pull apart and shred the cottage ham into bite-size pieces on the plate. Return the shredded ham pieces back to the stock pot and mix well to incorporate.
  • Recommend serving with freshly-baked skillet cornbread.
  • Like most soups, it tastes even better on the second day. It also freezes well.