Sopa de Feijão com Presunto – White Bean Pasta Soup with Ham

I made this soup with my leftover ham bone that I had frozen from Christmas. I always save any leftover ham for making soup, because it creates a rich flavorful broth, but you can substitute the bone with any meat bone, ham or even chicken. Making soup is pretty easy and allows you to be creative using your favorite vegetables and spices. In this recipe you can also substitute the white beans for any beans as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 Ham bone, or a small piece (1/2 pound of presunto cured pork)

6 cups of water

2 cups chicken broth

2 carrots (diced)

1 can or 2 cups of cooked cannelloni beans

1/2 pound of elbow pasta

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 small onion (diced)

2 cloves garlic (diced)

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt

Black pepper to taste

2 cups any green cabbage (rinsed and finely chopped)

Instructions:

In a large soup pan, saute the onion for about 1 minute. Add the ham bone, bay leaf, and garlic and saute for a few more minutes.

Add the water, broth and seasonings. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Add the carrots, beans, pasta and cabbage and cook for about 15 minutes.

Taste the soup for saltiness. If you find the soup too salty add more water. If you prefer a thicker broth, smash half of the beans with a fork and let the soup cook for a few minutes to thicken. Remove from heat and let sit until ready to serve. The soup will thicken the longer it sits.

When ready to serve, shred the ham or presunto into small pieces and place into the bowls.