How to make Southern cajun ham and sausage soup

Cooktop Cove: How to make Southern cajun ham and sausage soup

By Audrey Michels

There’s something so nostalgic about a hearty soup. This one is inspired by 15-bean soups, but there’s no need to soak beans overnight or simmer for hours on end. Using canned beans and sautéing the sausage beforehand means there’s plenty of time to clean the kitchen, set the table, do dishes, finish work, and still enjoy a satisfying soup at the end of the day.
Like most soups, this Southern Cajun ham and sausage soup goes well with some crusty bread, but it can also hold its own. Just make sure you remove the ham bone and bay leaf before serving!

Southern cajun ham and sausage soup

20 minutes

1 hour

1 hour 20 minutes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb andouille sausage, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

4 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1 meaty ham bone

1 cup diced ham

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can cannellini beans, drained

2 cans fire roasted tomatoes

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon dried rosemary

1 dried bay leaf

Place a large saucepan over a medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic, cumin, and sausage and sauté until the sausage is browned all over, about 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, pepper, and celery and sauté until they begin to soften, 5-7 minutes.

Add the chicken stock, ham bone, ham, beans, canned tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring to a simmer.

Allow the soup to simmer 1-1 ½ hours, depending on desired consistency. Remove ham bone and bay leaf and serve.