What Is Ham with Green Beans and Potatoes?

Ham with green beans and potatoes is an old-fashioned dish that’s made by boiling green beans with chunks of potatoes and ham on the stove. The result is a thick stew, similar to pinto beans with ham, that’s flavorful and filling. Although it’s great when served with cornbread, it can be a one-pot meal, too.

Is Ham, Green Beans and Potatoes PA Dutch?

Yes! Ham, green beans and potatoes is a classic PA dish. In fact, Lori Fogg of ACoalCrackerInTheKitche.com says that Pennsylvania Dutch green beans with potatoes and ham is a popular dish in the Pennsylvania Dutch and Coal Regions of eastern Pennsylvania. Since this dish is so versatile, she’s used everything from smoked ham hocks to leftover holiday ham to make it.

Ham with Green Beans and Potatoes on the Stove Ingredients

My ham with green beans and potatoes on the stove recipe is easy one-pot meal because it only has a few, simply ingredients:

Ham Meat – 1 cup, about 1/2 pound. I used shredded leftover ham, but cubed ham steak is OK, too.

Ham Hock – 3/4 lb. A little bit bigger or smaller is perfectly fine.

Green Beans – 2 lbs. I used frozen, but you can use fresh, too.

Potatoes – 1.5 lbs. I used a mix of red and yellow potatoes for the color.

Vegetable Stock – about 3 cups. I used homemade vegetable stock, but storebought is fine.

Onion – 1 medium onion, about 1/2 pound, chopped.

Garlic – 5 cloves, chopped.

Black Pepper – 1 teaspoon

Garlic Powder – 1 teaspoon

Onion Powder – 1 teaspoon

Optional Ingredients:

Onion Soup Mix – 1 oz packet. Onion soup mix is a secret ingredient in many southern recipes.

Sugar – 1 teaspoon. A bit of sugar helps to bring out the flavor.

Tools:

Large Pot – Make sure your pot is big enough for the green beans, potatoes, and ham. .

Wood Spoon – A big wooden spoon to stir the pot when it’s on the stove will come very handy.

How to Make Ham with Green Beans and Potatoes on the Stove

Learning how to make southern ham with green beans and potatoes is easy if you follow my instructions:

Make the Ham Hock Stock

The first step in my ham with green beans and potatoes recipe is making the ham hock stock. I made the stock by boiling a ham hock in homemade vegetable stock on medium heat for 2 hours, stirring the pot and flipping over the ham hock every once in a while to make sure it cooked evenly.

Add Chopped Garlic and Onion

Once the ham hock stock is done, it’s time to add chopped garlic and onion. Add the aromatic vegetables first so that they have time to lose their bite before adding the green beans.

Add the Frozen Green Beans

When the pot came to a boil again, I added the 2 lbs of frozen green beans.

Add the Spices (and Onion Soup Mix and Sugar, If Using)

After adding the green beans, I then added the black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Although I didn’t add the onion soup mix and sugar at this point, you can add it now as well, if using.

Boil the Green Beans for 1 Hour

Once the green beans are in the pot, cook them for 1 hour on medium heat..

Cut the Potatoes into Chunks

As the 1 hour comes to an end, it’s a good time to start cutting the potatoes into 1/2-inch chunks. Although the chunks don’t all have to be the exact same size, you do want the chunks to be roughly the same size so they cook evenly.

Take the Ham Hock Out of the Pot (to Make Room for the Potatoes)

Before adding the potatoes to the green beans, take the ham hock out of the pot. This will not only make room for the potatoes but also give the ham hock time to cool down so you can cut off the meat.

Add the Potatoes and Cook for 30 Minutes

After the green beans have cooked on medium heat for 1 hour, add the chunks of potatoes to the pot and cook for 30 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Add Ham / Cubed Ham Steak

Once the potatoes are in the pot, add the leftover ham shank or cubed ham steak to the pot.

Take the Meat Off the Ham Hocks and Add the Meat to the Pot

At this point, the ham hock should be cool enough to handle, so use a fork and knife to tear off the meat. Then, add the ham hock meat to the pot along with the other ham.

Serve

The potatoes should be done within 30 minutes. Once your ham with green beans and potatoes is done, it’s time to serve!

Ham with Green Beans and Potatoes Recipe FAQ’s

What Goes with Ham, Green Beans and Potatoes?

Although a large bowl of this is hearty and filling enough to be a one-pot meal, here are some sides that would go very well with this southern classic:

Skillet Cornbread – Crumbling some southern cornbread into your bowl is a good way to soak up the broth.

Biscuits – Biscuits make any meal more filling, and this dish is no exception.

Rice – Whether you make white or brown rice, it would definitely be a nice addition.

How Many Servings Does This Recipe Make?

Although it depends on the serving size, I think that this recipe would make 6-8 portions which, if served with a slice of cornbread or scoop of rice, would be enough for a full meal.

How to Store Ham with Green Beans and Potatoes?

Once the pot cools down to room temperature, store your ham with green beans and potatoes in the refrigerator, covered. If kept in the refrigerator, ham with green beans and potatoes should keep for 2-3 days. After that, it will start to lose flavor.

Can You Make Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes in a Crock Pot?

Yes! You could definitely make this recipe in a crock pot. Since I don’t have my own recipe–yet–,this SavoryWithSoul.com crockpot green beans with ham and potatoes version is worth a look.

Can You Make Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes in an Instant Pot?

Yes! Even though I’ve never made this dish in an instant pot, this FlavorMosaic.com instant pot recipe shows that it’s possible. If you make my recipe in an instant pot, let me know how it turns out!

Do You Have To Thaw the Green Beans First?

No. Since you’re going to cook the green beans on the stove, there’s no need to thaw them before adding them to the pot. All you have to do is open the bags and dump the green beans into the pot.

Can I Make This Recipe with Cubed Ham Steak?

Yes! If you don’t have leftover ham at home, you can definitely buy a ham steak and cut it into smaller pieces and use that.

How to Spice Up Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes

Although the ham hock, onion soup mix, and spices gave the green beans plenty of flavor, there are a few things you can add if you want to take the flavor to the next level:

Crushed Red Pepper – Crushed red pepper is a lot more powerful than it looks, so be careful. I wouldn’t add more than 1/2 teaspoon to the pot.

Hot Sauce – Just like southern-style collard greens, a few dashes of hot sauce really make a bowl of green beans and ham come alive.

Ham with Green Beans and Potatoes Recipe Variations

If you liked this green beans with potatoes and ham recipe, you might like these other variations:

Cheesy Casserole – With a cheesy sauce and breadcrumb topping, this recipe by Lydia of ThriftyFrugalMom.com is full of flavor.

Smoked Turkey – You don’t like ham, smoked turkey is another good way to add smoky flavor. I recommend turkey wings or legs since they’re nice and meaty.

More Ham and Bean Recipes

If you’re craving southern-style ham and bean recipes on the stove, here are a few more you might like:

Pinto Beans and Ham – Once again, a combination of ham hock and leftover ham make this amazing.

Navy Beans and Ham – This recipe gives a somewhat bland bean a ton of flavor.

Other Frozen Bean Recipes

If you like using frozen beans, you’re going to want to try these other recipes, too:

Frozen Purple Hull Peas – This southern summertime classic can be made at any time of the year.

Lima Beans and Ham – Similar to this recipe, a bit of sugar is the secret ingredient.

Ham with Green Beans and Potatoes Recipe Directions

YouTube Video

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

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