Canned Pinto Beans and Ham Recipe
Make a hearty canned pinto beans and ham recipe with smoked ham hocks, broth, onion, garlic, and bay leaves in about 90 minutes.
Canned Pinto Beans and Ham (Ham Hock Beans)
If you want a warm, hearty dinner without babysitting a pot all day, this canned pinto beans and ham recipe is the move.
You still get that slow-simmered, smoky flavor, but canned beans cut the time way down.
Smoked ham hocks, onion, garlic, and bay leaves do the heavy lifting here.
I like serving these beans with cornbread or a simple slaw, and leftovers reheat like a dream.
If you like this recipe, don’t forget to try our glazed ham, cheesy ham biscuits, and ham and cheese pasta salad.
How to Make My Canned Pinto Beans and Ham Recipe
Scroll to the recipe card below for full instructions and ingredient amounts!
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ham hocks, chicken broth, water, diced onion, garlic, bay leaves, and pepper.
- Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
- Drain and rinse the pinto beans, and carefully pour them into the broth. Stir to combine, and continue simmering for 20-30 minutes.
- Use tongs or forks to break apart the ham hocks and separate the meat from the bones.
- Serve warm!
Quick Tips
- Rinse and drain the canned pinto beans so the broth stays clean.
- Simmer the ham hocks the full hour before adding beans for the best flavor.
- Taste at the end before adding salt, since ham hocks and broth can already be salty.
Can You Use Another Type of Canned Beans?
Absolutely! Navy beans, kidney beans, lima beans, or cannellini beans are excellent substitutes for canned pinto beans.
You can use one type of bean or a variety of beans. The flavor of the dish will change depending on the kind of beans you choose.
Can You Use Dry Pinto Beans in Place of Canned?
Yes, you can substitute dry pinto beans in this recipe. However, you’ll need to pick through the beans and discard any small pieces of rock or foreign objects.
Add the beans to a large bowl of water for an overnight soak. Then, drain the beans and cook as written.
It may be necessary to increase the cook time to get the beans completely cooked through and tender. Add additional water or broth if needed.
What Can You Use in Place of Ham Hocks?
If ham hocks are not available, there are several other flavorful options that you can use in your recipe. Smoked turkey necks or turkey legs could add a different but equally delicious flavor.
A leftover ham bone, with or without much meat left on it, can also be a great substitute. Pieces of salt pork or a ham shank would work well too.
These choices will infuse your beans with a rich, savory taste similar to ham hocks. Remember to adjust your seasonings as these substitutes may have different salt levels.
What Do You Serve with Ham and Beans?
Southern pinto beans are a classic! While these beans don’t require elaborate side dishes, there are a few select foods that make them stand out. Here are a few ideas:
- Cornbread: Buttery cornbread is a favorite to pair with ham hocks and beans.
- Greens: Complement the richness of the ham with a side of spinach, kale or collards.
- Baked potatoes: Add a touch of comfort food with these hearty baked potatoes.
- Slaw: Make a light and tangy slaw to add as a side.
- Dessert: End your meal in the best way possible with a sweet treat like banana pudding or peach cobbler.
Reader Tip
One reader added sliced carrots while the broth simmered, and another said serving with cornbread was a hit with picky eaters.
How to Store Beans with Ham Hock:
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezer: For longer storage, cool the beans and broth completely and store in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. You may need to add a bit of liquid to keep the beans from drying out.
Other Recipes to Try:
How to Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 ham hocks, ¾ to 1 pound
- 1 large onion, diced or sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 62 ounces pinto beans, four (15 ½ ounce) cans of beans, drained and rinsed
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Instructions
- In a large soup pan or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the chicken stock, water, ham hocks, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and pepper.1 large onion2 garlic cloves2 bay leaves½ teaspoon black pepper2 ham hocks4 cups chicken broth4 cups water
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to cook for to 1 hour (or longer for a richer flavor).
- After 1 hour, add the pinto beans. Stir to combine, and continue to simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes.62 ounces pinto beans
- Remove any meat from the ham hock, and stir it into the beans. Discard the bay leaves before serving.
How to Store Leftovers
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
*2/14/26: Post text updated. Recipe is unchanged.
Meet Kimberly
Hi, I’m Kimberly Vargo! Comfort food is at the heart of everything I make like easy dinners and sides to desserts, cocktails, and condiments. A lot of my inspiration comes from old family recipes, personal favorites, and vintage cookbooks.
This is delicious ! My grandbabies are very picky eaters and loved this soup. Made cornbread to go with it!!
Thank you Kay! We’re glad everyone enjoyed the soup. Have a lovely day!
Do you have any guidance on how to convert this recipe to use dried beans instead of canned? Thanks!
Hi Kat!
There’s a FAQ in the post/article above the recipe that has some info about using dry beans. I’d use about 2-2.5 cups of dry beans to yield the same amount of canned beans used in the recipe and make sure to soak them overnight. You can use water, broth, or a combination of both, and add any spices or flavorings you’d like. The cook time and amount of liquid will need to be increased since dry beans take longer to cook. Hope that helps! 🙂
I am making this today. I had some fresh carrots that I sliced and put in the broth as it all simmered. I’ll put the kidney beans in later. They are already cooked in the can at the factory.
Thank you
Fritomann
Carrots are a great addition. We hope you enjoy the ham hock and beans. Have a lovely evening! 🙂
Could you use pork broth instead of chicken?
Hi Angie!
Yes, pork broth would work. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 🙂
Is it safe to can pinto beans that are cooked with hamhocks
Hi Patricia,
Unfortunately, we’re not sure. We don’t can food, so we’re not able to provide an answer about canning. However, one of our other readers may be able to help, so we’ve approved your question in case someone else wants to chime in. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂