What to Serve with Ham and Bean Soup: 6 Best Side Dishes (2024)

Name: 6 Best Sides for Ham and Bean Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Side Dish
Ingredients: Crusty Bread; Green Chili Cornbread; Collard Greens; Green Salad; Coconut Rice; Sweet Potato Fries

Updated Feb 16, 2023Recipe Marker

Are you trying to decide what to serve with ham and bean soup? Stick around as we share a list of the most popular side dishes that go well with ham and bean soup.

There’s nothing like eating some hearty ham and bean soup during the colder months or when you just need something comforting to get you through the day.

If you want to take heartiness to the next level, pairing this soup with other food items is imperative. Here are some ideas on what to serve with ham and bean soup.

What to Serve with Ham and Bean Soup

1. Crusty Bread

Ham and bean soup gets quite thick and rich thanks to the starch that comes from the beans and the savory flavors that the ham imparts.

If you are a fan of a no-fuss meal, this pairing will speak right through the soul with little to no effort.

This combination works wonders since the crusty bread, say sourdough or even some garlic bread, will sop up the broth, further elevating the play of flavors.

The bread likewise serves to neutralize the earthy and salty taste of ham and bean soup.

If you plan to take this up a notch, we suggest amping up the flavors of your crusty bread with garlic and butter.

This lends a strong and herby flavor to the bread, while the creaminess of the butter makes it all the more rich and indulgent.

2. Green Chili Cornbread

Cornbread is one of the perfect pairings with ham and bean soup.

There’s a mild sweetness that comes from cornbread, complementing and contrasting the salty and umami flavors of the soup.

Those who make cornbread using buttermilk will even taste some tanginess to it that rounds out the flavors of the cornbread nicely.

It’s also worth mentioning that since this version is made with green chilis, you can expect some heat to peek through, particularly if you choose to add jalapenos.

This heat is accentuated by hints of earthiness, but you can easily take these out if you’re not fond of chilis.

3. Collard Greens

Ham and bean soup has Southern roots, so it makes sense to play around with Southern flavors as well.

You don’t have to look far since collard greens are enough to bring you right back to memory lane.

Collard greens have a strong earthy taste, sometimes even erring on bitterness.

However, the aromatics cooked with it, such as onions and garlic, help these become milder and even more palatable, bringing out their savory taste.

Despite its earthy and somewhat bitter taste, you cannot deny that collard greens are downright nutritious.

These are rich with vitamins and minerals and these balance the rich and salty tastes of the soup.

4. Green Salad

For those who simply want something light and refreshing to go with their ham and bean soup, you won’t go wrong with a fresh green salad.

Take your pick of greens from the market, such as lettuce, kale, spinach, and whatnot, but we think that a simple salad made with lettuce as the foundation would already work well.

To make it taste even more refreshing, add some toppings like tomatoes and cucumbers.

These two will bring some brightness to the salad, while also giving it some tanginess and acidity, balancing out the salty and umami flavors from the ham and bean soup.

Give the salad more sharpness by adding some red onions.

You can likewise add some croutons for crunch and finish it off with a combination of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

This dressing ties in the salad with its complex flavors, giving a thick and sweet flavor that’s also tart at the same time.

5. Coconut Rice

As mentioned, ham and bean soup is such a hearty dish. With so many components in it, you may just want to eat this with rice to make it a complete meal.

Coconut rice is a good side dish that you can serve with this soup since it imparts a mild, nutty flavor.

The coconut rice also has a hint of sweetness to it, but the buttery and savory taste also peeks through, making it a perfect dish to go with many other meals you have planned.

With some chopped red chilis, this lends some heat that’s balanced by the creaminess of the coconut milk.

Bring some brightness to this by spritzing some lime juice to finish it off.

6. Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potatoes are healthy and nutritious.

Packed with a ton of fiber and vitamins, these are downright addicting to munch on and it’s no wonder because these are crispy and crunchy all at the same time.

Despite being golden on the outside, the texture of these sweet potato fries inside is spot on.

It opens to a light and fluffy interior that’s every bit as flavorful.

The Takeaway

Ham and bean soup is one of the easiest comfort foods you can create at home.

There are various side dishes to serve with it, so take your pick from our list of what to serve with ham and bean soup and you’re sure to have a banger on your table.

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