Rinse the dried Great Northern beans well, picking out any broken pieces or small stones. For an overnight soak, place beans in a large bowl, cover with several inches of water, add 1 teaspoon salt, and let sit 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse before cooking. If you skip soaking, plan for a longer simmer time.

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion is translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.

Add the bay leaf, dried thyme, dried oregano, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir well so the vegetables are evenly coated with the seasonings.

Add the soaked (or unsoaked) Great Northern beans to the pot. If using ham, stir in the diced ham and nestle the ham bone or ham hock into the center. Pour in the broth and 2 cups water. The liquid should cover the beans by about 1–2 inches; add a bit more water or broth if needed.

Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the pot just to a boil. Once it starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and let it simmer gently. Stir every 20–30 minutes to prevent sticking.

For soaked beans, start checking for doneness at 60–70 minutes. For unsoaked beans, plan on 90–110 minutes. The beans are ready when they taste creamy all the way through and the broth has thickened into a hearty stew. If the liquid reduces too quickly before the beans are soft, add another cup of warm water or broth as needed.

If you prefer a soupier texture, stir in extra water or broth and simmer a few minutes more. For a thicker stew, use the back of a spoon or a potato masher to gently mash a portion of the beans in the pot to naturally thicken the broth. Remove the ham bone or ham hock, if used, and discard any large pieces of fat.

Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the chopped fresh parsley (or dried parsley). Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon, salt, or pepper as desired. If serving with Parmesan, you can stir a small handful directly into the pot or reserve it for sprinkling at the table.

Ladle the Great Northern beans into bowls. Garnish with extra parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, grated Parmesan, and red pepper flakes if you like a bit of heat. Serve warm with crusty bread, cornbread, or over rice or mashed potatoes.

For a slow cooker version, sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil as in steps 2 and 3, then transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add rinsed dried beans, broth, water, seasonings, diced ham, and ham bone or hock if using. Cook on LOW for 8–9 hours or HIGH for 5–6 hours, until the beans are very tender and creamy. Adjust thickness by mashing some beans or adding more broth, then finish with lemon juice and parsley before serving.