White Bean and Collard Soup

Name: White Bean and Collard Soup
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8 or more servings
Ingredients: 3 cups any dried white beans, washed, picked over, and soaked if time allows; 1 ham bone or 2 or 3 smoked ham hocks; 12 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or water; 2 medium onions, chopped; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 1/2 pounds collard greens or kale, thick stems removed, washed, and chopped; 2 tablespoons chopped garlic (optional)

Recipe from Mark Bittman

Adapted by Emily Weinstein

Total Time: At least 1½ hours
Rating: 4(73)
Notes: Read community notes

This is an ideal soup for roasted stock, if you're able to make some. Other beans you can use in this recipe: split peas, black-eyed peas, pinto or any pink bean, or black beans. —Emily Weinstein

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Ingredients

Yield:8 or more servings

3cups any dried white beans, washed, picked over, and soaked if time allows
1ham bone or 2 or 3 smoked ham hocks
12cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or water
2medium onions, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½pounds collard greens or kale, thick stems removed, washed, and chopped
2tablespoons chopped garlic (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Drain the beans if you soaked them, then put them in a large, deep pot over medium-high heat. Add the ham bone, stock and onions. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the mixture bubbles steadily and cover partially. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very soft and any meat is falling off the bone, at least 1 hour; add more liquid as necessary so the mixture remains soupy.
Step 2
Turn off the heat; remove the bone from the pot and let cool slightly. Take all the meat off the bone, chop it, and set it aside. Mash or puree the beans, then return them to the pot along with the ham; reheat over medium heat until almost boiling.
Step 3
Add the collards, along with the garlic if you're using it, and cook until the greens are tender, about 10 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and serve.

Ratings

4 out of 5

73 user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

TeriS.4 years ago

This soup turned out great! I added fresh rosemary and thyme as well as a dried bay leaf while cooking the beans. Used navy beans and did not soak. Cooked about 2-2.5 hrs and they were tender as can be. Held out about 1.5 cups of beans and pureed the rest with an immersion blender. Hot sauce added individually when served.

LindaL4 years ago

Quite good, easy and versatile. I used meaty ham bone left over from a baked ham. Rancho Gordo Yellow Indian Woman beans (quick-soaked), collards and green cabbage, a bay leaf and a little smoked paprika. Pandemic lunch for several days!

bk4 years ago

Used ~ 4cups kale, blend beans a little less or remove some beans before blending and add back after. Added diced ham at the end that was from leftovers

Catherine4 years ago

How long should the beans be soaked? (I’m going to use cannellini/white beans). Thanks!

Lucy4 years ago

Browned my onions and garlic before adding soup stock and beans. Later added a couple of carrots and chopped up ginger bits. Only used 2cups beans, well soaked and 3 bunches of collards. Didn't have ham hock so used meaty cuts of Black Forest bacon ham. Tasted great!

TeriS.4 years ago

Houston5004 years ago

We love this soup at our house. Wonderful and easy and always better the next day. I add red pepper flakes while cooking and a bottle of Tabasco sits on the table for those who like it even spicier.

Dhw6 years ago

If you are using white beans, they MUST be soaked beforehand. I did not, since the recipe said it wasn't necessary, and after cooking a few hours, the beans were still uncooked, plus their "skins" we're intact so it was impossible to put them through a food mill to mash them.

Deb6 years ago

I have a question. Do you mash all the beans?

Elisa6 years ago

I removed about a third of the beans before pureeing the rest with an immersion blender. Glad I did, as the whole beans made it heartier.

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