Growing up, Potato Green Bean Soup was one of my all time favorite meals. I have strayed away from the original recipe and added some of my own flavors, but this soup is still one of the best. I've probably made this four times already since it got chilly outside. Yum, yum, yum!!! Potato Green Bean Soup is insanely delicious, and it is also affordable which is great for the holiday season.
Every time I make a ham, there is always so much left over and I have a feeling I'm not the only one. So, what I do, is separate it out into about half pound portions and freeze it. That way I have it ready for my many left over ham recipes. This, my friends, is one of those recipes.
Potato Green Bean Soup
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2 cup - Potatoes
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1/2 to 1 - Medium Yellow Onion (diced)
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1 - Clove of Garlic
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2 cup - Green Beans (cut into 1 inch pieces)
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2 cup - Cubed Ham
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2 cup - Chicken Broth
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1 1/2 cup - Whole Milk
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Salt and Pepper to taste
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Dash of Chili Pepper Flakes (to taste)
Start by prepping your veggies and slightly thawing the ham (if you froze it) Peel and chop the potatoes into half inch pieces, dice the onion and mince garlic. Now, rinse and snap the tips off the fresh green beans, then cut into one inch pieces. Dice the ham into bite sized pieces, about the same size as the potatoes.
In a large pot, heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, or butter. Add the onion, garlic and potato. Saute until the onions are translucent, this will take about five minutes and your house already smells AMAZING, because garlic... Now, add the ham and saute just until it's heated through. Now add two cups of chicken broth and green beans, or just enough to cover the veggies. Tip: If you do not have chicken broth on hand, just add water and one or two chicken bouillon cubes. Turn the stove up to high heat and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until the potatoes and green beans are tender. This takes ten to fifteen minutes, you will know the potatoes are done when a fork can penetrate the potato easily.
Once the veggies are tender, add the whole milk, salt, pepper and chili pepper flakes to the pot and turn the heat down to medium. Simmer for about ten minutes more. While the soup is doing it's final simmer, I go through and smash a few potatoes with a fork. This helps thicken the juice a little without adding flour or cornstarch. If you want the broth in the soup thinner, you can skip this step, the soup will still be delicious.
The soup is done, and perfect to serve on a cold winter day! You will all really love this one. It's hearty and full of flavor with the ham and chili pepper flakes. There are also a few different textures so this soup is a real treat. Thanks for cooking with me! Next time you have some left over ham you're trying to figure out what to do with, be sure to try this one.
Ashley Tuttle
