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Feature image of a close up overhead shot of a bowl of Creamy Great Northern Beans and Ham.

Creamy Great Northern Beans and Ham Recipe

Mindy
Make these Creamy Great Northern Beans and Ham in about 30 minutes! We've taken this old-fashioned ham and beans recipe and given it a modern upgrade—because it's 2025, and who has time to soak dry beans and babysit ham shanks all day? Are you with me?! I'm all about getting dinner on the table fast, without the hassle. The best part? No flavor sacrificed!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 5 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 lb ham
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 tablespoon garlic
  • 2 tablespoon flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 4 cans great northern beans rinsed and drained
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Chop the ham and onion.
  • Melt the butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ham, onion, and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes to render some of the fat from the ham into the butter.
  • Sprinkle with the flour, stir, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, turn up the heat to medium-high, and continue stirring until the flour mixture is fully dissolved into the broth.
  • Mash about a cup of beans in a bowl with a fork or potato masher, then add them to the pot along with the remaining whole beans, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Tips for success

This recipe makes 10 cups.
Be sure to let the flour cook for 1-2 minutes, this helps develop a nutty flavor and gets rid of any raw flour taste.
A simmer is a gentle, slightly bubbling cook—not a full rolling boil, but just enough movement to keep things cooking evenly.
Time-Saving Tip: Take some help from the grocery store by using pre-chopped ham and onions. Packaged, pre-cut ham is in the meat section, and most grocery stores carry pre-chopped fresh onions in a plastic container in the produce section. Frozen chopped onions are a great option, too! Use about one cup of onions to equal one onion.
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*Nutritional information is automatically calculated and is only an estimate. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients and specific brands you use. If nutrition is important to you, I recommend using a calculator you trust.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cupsCalories: 295kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 22gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 2044mgPotassium: 342mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 145IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
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