Ham and Green Bean Soup - Another Pennsylvania Dutch Favorite

With Pennsylvania Dutch country flavors this ham and green bean soup recipe is easy to make and great for a bean harvest or leftover ham.

One of my favorite things about visiting my husband's family was enjoying Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine. My mother-in-law was a great cook and she made all kinds of great dishes from her Italian heritage to her own creations and a few delicious Pennsylvania Dutch staples like Chicken Pot Pie.

Making Ham and Green Bean Soup

So once again, my daughter brings home a nice bag of fresh from the farm green beans and I thought why not make ham and green bean soup. This easy one-pot meal is warm and hearty and easy to make.

Green Beans or String Beans?

Sometimes you will see a reference to this same dish called Ham and String Bean Soup. For me, there is no difference between green beans and string beans. In fact, you could use just about any kind of green bean in this dish, even frozen.

Also, I used ham steak for convenience but many people use ham hocks or shanks with a bone that cooks down and adds flavor to the soup. If you use a ham hock for example you will want to cook it on low heat for several hours. Also, there may not be as much meat from it as a couple of ham steaks but the choice is yours.

This yummy soup also contains potatoes making it a complete meal with protein, vegetables and a starch.

The PA Dutch Key Ingredient

The one particular ingredient that makes me think of Pennsylvania Dutch is the addition of cider vinegar. Some people just place it on the table to add in as much as they want while eating. However, I added it directly to the pot. It gives the soup a nice tangy flavor that's unique and delicious.

Finally, this recipe uses beef broth but you could easily use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or just water.

A warm healthy and hearty meal for the whole family all in one pot.

More Pennsylvania Dutch Recipes

Ham and Green Bean Soup

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This ham and green bean soup recipe is inspired by the flavors of Pennsylvania Dutch Cuisine. An easy to make dish of healthy and hearty comfort food all in one pot.

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3-4 cups green geans
• 3/4 cup diced onion
• 2 pounds ham steak cut up
• 2 large white potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 quart of beef stock
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. In a large stockpot saute onions in the vegetable oil for 2 - 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
2. Add ham and saute for another 5 minutes.
3. Add green beans, potatoes, black pepper, and broth.
4. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for approximately 40 minutes.
5. Add vinegar and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
6. Serve warm.

Notes

You can use a couple of small ham hocks or a ham shank instead of the ham steaks. Once the soup has cooked remove the hocks or shank and pull off all the meat and shred it before adding it back to the pot.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 281Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 1686mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 27g

Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

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