Simple, hearty ham and bean soup is the kind of easy dinner recipe you can fall back on again and again, especially in cold months. The secret to this soup is store-bought diced ham: it lets you skip all the prep and adds a salty, smoky flavor to the broth without having to simmer a ham hock for hours. (Using leftover ham also makes this a fantastic lunch the next day.) Canned beans also save time; they only need a ten-minute simmer before it's ready. Serve this soup with crusty bread or buttermilk drop biscuits for a family meal that feels like true comfort food.
Follow this rule for using fresh versus dried herbs: For soups that have a short cook time like this recipe, use fresh thyme sprigs rather than dried. If you don't have kitchen twine, use one of the sprigs to tie the others together. Save dried herbs for slow cooker meals and spice mixes.
Mirepoix (pronounced meer-PWAH), is the French word for a combo of diced celery, carrot, and onion. These are also called aromatics because they give off such a great aroma when sautéed. Mirepoix is used most often in French and American cooking. Cajun cuisine uses a trinity (celery, green bell pepper, and onion) and many Latin cuisines use sofrito (peppers, onion, garlic, and cilantro).