Instructions:
- Begin by preparing the navy beans. Rinse them under cold water in a colander, removing any debris. Place the rinsed beans in a large pot with enough cold water to cover them by at least two inches. Let them soak overnight or for at least 8 hours, then rinse and drain again.
- In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots, cooking until they become soft.
- Reduce the heat to low, then add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, dried marjoram, dried thyme, crushed rosemary, and Cajun seasoning (if using). Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth, add the bay leaves, ham bone, and soaked navy beans to the pot. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the beans are tender, which typically takes around 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Once the beans are tender, remove and discard the bay leaves. Take out the ham bone, cut the ham into bite-sized pieces, discard the bone, and add the ham to the soup.
- Season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Ladle it into bowls and sprinkle with chopped fresh thyme before serving.
Notes:
- For a quicker version, you can use two (16-ounce) cans of navy beans, rinsed and drained. This will significantly reduce the simmering time to less than 30 minutes.
- If navy beans are unavailable, you can substitute with Great Northern Beans, Cannellini Beans, Pinto Beans, or white beans.
- Remember to remove and discard the bay leaves before serving to avoid any sharp edges.
- Various cuts of ham such as ham hocks, ham shanks, ham steaks, or ham bones can be used in this recipe. If using ham steaks, they can be found prepackaged in most grocery stores.
- If you prefer a creamier texture, you can use an immersion blender or stand blender to puree a portion of the soup after removing the ham bone but before adding the diced ham.
