Ham Kale White Bean (Printable)

A comforting blend of ham, kale, and white beans in a rich broth, perfect for chilly evenings.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb cooked ham, diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 4 cups chopped kale, stems removed
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Beans and Legumes

07 - 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 cup water

→ Herbs and Spices

10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - Salt to taste

→ Oils

15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced ham and cook for 2 minutes to warm through.
04 - Add cannellini beans, chicken broth, water, bay leaf, dried thyme, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
06 - Add chopped kale and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until kale is tender and flavors meld together.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed. Remove bay leaf before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinner without the stress or takeout guilt.
  • The ham does all the flavor work, so you're not fussing with spice layering or complicated technique.
  • Kale softens into something genuinely delicious here instead of that bitter, chewy texture that makes people skip greens entirely.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—it genuinely changes the texture and keeps the broth from getting cloudy and starchy.
  • The kale transforms completely when it cooks; it won't stay bright green, and that's exactly what you want, not a failure.
03 -
  • Buy ham from the deli counter and ask them to slice it slightly thicker than usual, then dice it yourself—it costs less and tastes noticeably better than pre-packaged.
  • If your broth tastes too salty once you've added everything, add a peeled potato to the pot for 10 minutes, then remove it—the potato absorbs excess salt without diluting flavor.
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