Ham and Beans with Randall Beans – A Leftover Ham Recipe
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Ham and Beans with Randall Beans is a comfort food at its best. Using canned beans and leftover ham results in a quick dinner, and no one will know that it took a matter of minutes to make.
Ham and Beans with Randall Beans Recipe
I have a big secret. I love all beans. I’ll take them anyway I can get them. And ham and beans rank at the top of my list.
As a child, I’m almost embarrassed to say that I hated ham and beans. I remember my Granny sending some home with my Mom to eat, and all I saw was a gelatinous goop. What a shame that I didn’t appreciate all the effort Granny put into her homemade ham and beans, starting with a big ham bone.
I love making the real deal ham and beans. I often use an Instant Pot to make this ham and beans recipe. However, I don’t always have a ham bone or the time to start from scratch. That’s why I turn to a big shortcut. Randall Beans are the real deal. Using Randall Beans instead of starting with dry beans saves hours and hours.
What can I add to my ham and beans for flavor?
You could add almost anything to your ham and beans to make it your own. Some suggestions are carrots, celery, leeks, pesto, bay leaf, paprika, rosemary, thyme, chili powder, garlic, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, etc.
What do I serve on top of ham and beans?
Raw onion, sour cream, diced tomatoes, chow chow, pesto, relish, jalapenos, and crumbled cornbread are all great toppers for ham and beans.
Ingredient List
- Butter
- Onion
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Randall Great Northern Beans (or your other favorite)
- Diced ham
How to Make Best Ham and Bean Soup with Canned Beans
Step by Step Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan or skillet.
- Add diced onion; and sauté on the stove until soft.
- To the onions, add diced ham. Heat until warm.
- Add undrained Randall beans to the onions and ham.
- Simmer until warm.
- Season with black pepper, and salt, if desired.
Storage Instructions
Let leftover ham and bean stew cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
For the full recipe and ingredients list for best ham and beans with canned beans, scroll to the bottom of this post.
Do you drain Randall beans?
There is not a correct answer for this question. Some cooks like to use the bean juice that comes with canned beans because it’s thick and salty. Others, prefer to drain the beans to lower the sodium content. For ham and beans, do not drain the juice from the beans. If you drain off the liquid, you’ll need to add more liquid such as chicken broth or ham broth to make a soup.
Recipe FAQs
- Use White Northern Beans or Pinto Beans, your preference.
- This Randall Beans and Ham recipe calls for 1 to 2 cups leftover diced ham. Use as little or as much as you desire.
- This is a great basic ham and bean soup recipe. Add whatever seasonings and add ins you like.
- Do not drain the beans. The bean juice is needed to make a soupy consistency. If you prefer a lower sodium option, drain the beans and add low sodium chicken broth instead.
- Check out our Amazon Store for our favorite kitchen products and pantry essentials.
What to serve with ham and beans?
Cornbread is the obvious choice, but we sometimes substitute crackers for cornbread if we’re in a hurry. I also like to serve a tangy side dish that pairs well with the hearty, comfort food.
- Sweet Cornbread
- Parmesan Zucchini Squares
- Sweet and Sour Coleslaw
- Broccoli Cornbread Casserole
- Tomato Dill Salad
- Mom’s Cucumber and Onions
- German Red Cabbage
- Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Old Fashioned Ham Recipes
This leftover ham and bean soup starts with a great ham recipe, and we have many of those. Check out our favorite old fashioned ham recipes.
- Orange Cream Soda Crock Pot Ham
- Cranberry Ham (Instant Pot Recipe)
- Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
- Ginger Ale Ham
Other Leftover Ham Recipes
Leftover ham is a great starting ingredient for so many recipes. Check out this Leftover Ham Recipes post for a complete list! We love using it to make these ham and cheese crescent rolls or this leftover ham and noodle casserole.
Equipment
Check out our Amazon store for all the equipment needed for this recipe. I highly recommend a vegetable chopper to make chopping onions easy as can be.
Ham and Beans with Randall Beans
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 small onion
- 1 – 2 cups diced ham
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 48 ounces Randall Beans (Great Northern, Pintos or Mixed), do not drain
Instructions
- In a saucepan or skillet, melt butter.
- Add onions and sauté until softened. Add diced ham and cook until warmed.
- Add undrained beans. Simmer until heated through.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
- Use White Northern Beans or Pinto Beans, your preference.
- This Randall Beans and Ham recipe calls for 1 – 2 cups leftover diced ham. Use as little or as much as you desire.
- This is a great basic ham and bean soup recipe. Add whatever seasonings and add ins you like.
- Do not drain the beans. The bean juice is needed to make a soupy consistency. If you prefer a lower sodium option, drain the beans and add low sodium chicken broth instead.
- We also have a Creamy Ham and Bean Soup. Try it out!
- The nutritional information is auto-calculated and can vary depending on the products used.
Nutrition
Loved this. I added celery and carrots. I did not drain the beans and i did add some vegetable broth. I never used Randall beans before (i always used dry beans) and I will only use them for my bean soup now.
did you add the carrots and celery with everything else or cooked them first with the onions.
I would cook the carrots and celery with the onions. The vegetables will soften to match the consistency of the canned beans. Serve with cornbread and you’re set!
I grow up in KY, and ate this often growing up. I remember making it, because Mom worked, and it was easy dinner. And everyone loved it! I had been craving it lately. I kept thinking is it really just onions, ham, and beans. I looked for a similar recipe, but all had other ingredients. Thank you for letting me know that my memory is in tact, and yes that is all we put in it back in the day! Now to make and serve it to my northern boyfriend. Hope he loves it as much as I do!
This would be delicious served with some spoonbread! yum! I’m from Kentucky. I used to serve these two together a lot. I use the simple recipe on Jiffy’s website.