White Bean and Ham Soup

• 20 ounces dried Great Northern Beans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion
• 3 stalks celery
• 2 carrots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 8 cups water
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 2 cups cooked diced ham
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse and sort through the beans, discarding any rocks or debris. Set aside.
2. Dice the onion, celery, and carrots. Mince the garlic.
3. Add the oil to a large stock pot over medium heat. When hot, stir in the onion, celery, and carrot.
4. Cook vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 more seconds.
5. Add the water and Italian seasoning to the pot along with the dried beans.
6. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to a simmer, and cover with a lid. Cook, stirring every 30 minutes, for 2 hours or until beans are mostly tender.
7. Add the ham, salt, and pepper to the soup. Continue simmering for 30 minutes to an hour more, or until beans are fully cooked.
8. Add additional water or chicken stock to the pot to thin the soup to your desired consistency just before serving. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Instapot: 

1. Complete steps 1 and 2.
2. Add all the ingredients to the pot.
3. Cook for 40 minutes.
4. Conclude with step 8.

Crockpot: 

1. Complete steps 1 and 2.
2. Add all the ingredients to the pot.
3. Cook for 4 hours high or 8 hours low.
4. Conclude with step 8.

Serves 8