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Ham Bone Soup

Ever wonder what else you can do with leftover ham and ham bone?  Don’t let any of it go to waste. Leftover ham bone soup is a delicious meal-in-one!

Ham Bone Soup with carrots and potatoes and beans in a bowl
Ham Bone Soup is super easy and a great way to use up the entire ham!

Easy Ham Bone Soup with Beans and Potatoes

I don’t make ham often, since we generally gravitate towards roasted turkey for the holidays and even for Easter.  But when I do make ham (the ever-popular Honey Baked Ham), the sweet and savory components of it are deliciously inviting.

If you’re lucky enough to have leftover ham, consider it a good thing, as you can transform every bit of that leftover ham into something brand new. We often make Easy Fried Rice with chopped up ham for dinner. For brunch, chop up your leftover ham and include it in Crustless Quiche or Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole. Today, we’re highlighting the cozy side of leftover ham, with this succulent Ham Bone Soup.

Benefits of Ham Bone Soup

  • A classic comfort food that is hearty, flavorful, and perfect for chilly fall/winter nights and still-cool spring evenings.
  • A great way to use up leftover ham bones and make use of all the flavor that’s left behind.
  • Easily made from ham bones, vegetables, and seasonings.
  • The ham bones are simmered in liquid to create a flavorful broth, and then the vegetables and seasonings are added to create a hearty and nutritious soup.
  • This ham bone soup is a meal in one, with potatoes and carrots.
Ham Bone Soup with chopped ham, potatoes, and carrots in a bowl
This ham soup is a meal in one, with potatoes and carrots.

What Vegetables Are Typically Used?

Carrots, onions, celery, and potatoes are commonly used in ham bone soup. You can also add other vegetables like green beans, peas, or corn depending on your preference.

We love the classic combination of carrots, celery, and potatoes. The carrots and celery provide delectable aromatics, while the potatoes make this soup extra satisfying and a meal-in-one.

What Does it Taste Like?

Ham bone soup is slow-simmered, providing unparalleled flavors in the succulent broth. The flavors are savory, with a slight sweetness from the carrots and corn. Ham bones gift you with a mildly smoky essence. If you’re using honey baked ham, you’ll enjoy a more complex salty and sweet flavor profile that’s absolutely incredible.

Ham bone soup with chopped ham, potatoes, and carrots in a bowl
Serve ham and potato soup with crusty bread or a crisp salad.

What to Serve with Ham Soup

Common Questions and Answers

Can I freeze ham bone soup?

Yes, you can freeze ham bone soup. Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. Label the container with the date and freeze for up to three months. To reheat, simply thaw in the refrigerator overnight and heat on the stove until hot.

How long can I keep ham bone soup in the refrigerator?

You can keep ham bone soup in the refrigerator for about 4 days. Make sure to store it in an airtight container to prevent contamination. Rather than reheating all of it at once, reheat only the amount you want to use each time.

Can I use any type of ham bone for ham bone soup?

Yes, you can use any type of ham bone for ham bone soup, but keep in mind that the flavor may vary depending on the type of ham. A smoked ham bone will give the soup a smoky flavor, while a honey baked ham bone will have a sweeter taste.

Is ham bone soup healthy?

Ham bone soup can be higher in sodium if the ham used is salty. Try a low-sodium ham bone or reduce the amount of added salt in the soup, if you’re watching sodium intake. Adding plenty of vegetables to the soup can increase its nutritional value. Vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Using lean ham meat and trimming the fat can reduce the amount of saturated fat in the soup.
Adding cooked grains or legumes like barley or lentils can increase the soup’s fiber and protein content, making it more filling and nutritious.

Watch us Make Honey Baked Ham

More to Cook and Eat

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Ham Bone Soup with chopped ham, potatoes, and carrots in a bowl

Ham Bone Soup

5 from 51 ratings
This Ham, Potato, and Vegetable soup is made easy in the slow cooker! It’s simple, healthy, and a delicious way to use up leftover ham bone/ham. Perfect weeknight meal!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Servings: 8
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • 1 ham bone with leftover meat attached, plus leftover ham meat cut into bite-size pieces
  • 4 carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 6 ½ cups water
  • 15 oz kidney beans, canned, drained
  • 1 cup corn kernels, from frozen or canned, drained
  • 1 TB garlic powder, or minced garlic
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • In slow-cooker, add all ingredients except for potatoes. Stir well to combine. Cook on LOW for 8 hours (or on high for 6 hours), adding potatoes for the final 2 hours only, as potatoes can get mushy if cooked too long.
  • Remove ham bone. If needed, remove attached meat and shred. Discard the bone, and return shredded meat to the slow cooker.
  • Continue cooking until soup is warmed up again. If needed, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with warm dinner rolls or a crisp salad.

Notes

  • Ham bone and leftover ham amounts/sizes will vary; this recipe is extremely forgiving and works well with varying sizes of ham bones.
  • If your ham bone is on the larger side, try a large 10-quart slow cooker.
  • Kidney beans can be swapped out with any other beans you prefer; try navy beans or great northern beans. 
  • If you’d like to make this soup over stovetop, we recommend a large Dutch oven or heavy pot. Cook on low boil for 2 hours, adding potatoes during the last 30 minutes, and continue cooking just until potatoes are tender. 
  • If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ❤️

Nutrition (per serving)

Serving: 1g | Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 704mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 3mg
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: Amerian
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose
Method: Slow Cooker, Stovetop

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Recipe Rating




38 comments

    • Chris

    This sounds so delicious, but I will be the only one eating it! Can this soup be frozen?

      • Amy Dong

      Absolutely!

    • Tristin
    • 5 stars

    I was happy to get additional use out of my leftover hambone, plus it made an incredible dinner!

      • Amy Dong

      So glad you liked it!

    • Maddy
    • 5 stars

    I just tried this and it made a delicious dinner. It was a great way to use the last of the ham from Easter.

      • Amy Dong

      Yes – no waste!

    • Hayley Dhanecha
    • 5 stars

    Such an easy, delicious and comforting soup recipe. Perfect for cold nights!

    • Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer
    • 5 stars

    Gosh this took me back to childhood Easter leftovers. Such a great, comforting recipe! Thank you for the amazing dish!

      • Amy Dong

      You’re so welcome!

    • Kristina
    • 5 stars

    My family loves this soup- it’s one of the only soups my kids will eat! We serve it with salad and homemade bread for a complete dinner.

      • Amy Dong

      My kids like this one, too 🙂

    • silvia
    • 5 stars

    I ended with a ham bone after Easter and it has so much meat on it that I didn’t want to discard it so finding your recipe was amazing. The soup is so delicious and super easy to prepare one of my favorites now.

      • Amy Dong

      Yay!!!

    • sophie
    • 5 stars

    Your Recipe for ham bone soup is nothing short of amazing! From the perfect mixture of ingredients to its straightforward instructions, you’ve definitely crafted something special.

    • Dennis
    • 5 stars

    I was so happy to find your recipe. I had a ham bone I wanted to use and your recipe made an incredibly delicious soup!

    • Jacqueline Debono
    • 5 stars

    I made this wonderful soup with our leftover ham bone from Easter lunch. It really was so flavourful. Love how easy it was too!

      • Amy Dong

      Thank you!

    • veenaazmanov
    • 5 stars

    My comfort one pot healthy meal. Love the combinations. A total filler.

      • Amy Dong

      Thank you!

    • Deanna Garrand

    I’ve been trying to find a recipe that looks close to my dear Mother’s delicious ham and vegetable soup for awhile now (she passed away several months ago). It took a bit of searching but the minute I saw the picture of yours I knew I’d found it. I can’t wait to try this soup! (Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Mom)

      • chewoutloud

      Awww, Deanna, I am so happy you found this one, of all ham and veggie soups! I think you will truly love it. How meaningful for you to remake foods that remind you of your sweet mama. Lots of well wishes to you and your loved ones today.

    • Karen
    • 5 stars

    Just tried this recipe for dinner! Delicious!

      • chewoutloud

      Yay, Karen! So happy to hear it

    • Elizabeth

    i am certainly going to try this recipe . i will add cooked navy beans rather than Kidney beans

    • judi

    Can you make this is a roaster oven?

      • chewoutloud

      Judi, you probably could as long as you tweak the temp/time to suit your roaster. Enjoy 🙂

        • judi

        This will be my first time using the roaster. Just got it for Christmas 🙂 What temp do you suggest and cook for how long?

          • chewoutloud

          I don’t have a roaster, Judi, but I do know that slow cookers reach about 175-200F on low setting and approx. 250-300F on high, but it varies depending the model. I would try going with 250F in the roaster for about 6 hours to begin with. Check periodically for desired tenderness and flavor and cook longer if needed. Be sure to put the potatoes in just during last 2 hrs of cooking. Enjoy! 🙂

            • judi

            Thank you!

      • chefwhatthehell
      • 5 stars

      You sound like the sweetest girl ever and your recipes are interesting. One little suggestion: spend a little time with a grandmother, hopefully yours, or a great-great aunt that grew up with parents from the depression. They never, ever, ever threw away food of any kind. A chicken or turkey carcass was roasted and then simmered with vegetables to become a stock….same with ham, beef and fish. You have a wonderful way with words and adding a little history could give you tons of depth and broaden your audience.

        • chewoutloud

        Thanks for the kind comments! Glad you stopped by today 🙂

      • Christine G

      What a great way to use the ham bone without having to make pea soup. Definitely going to make this with the next bone. Thanks!

      • Judy
      • 5 stars

      Delicious soup recipe and I will definitely share with family and friends. This is a keeper!

        • chewoutloud

        So glad to hear you guys liked it, Judy! 🙂

      • Liz
      • 5 stars

      Thank you for all the wonderful recipes.

        • chewoutloud

        You’re welcome, Liz, and thanks for coming over! 🙂

      • Carol at Wild Goose Tea
      • 5 stars

      Leftover ham truly is a wonderful thing! I have a family member who is allergic to ham/pork and I have been missing ham and it’s leftovers. This is not the type of soup I was expecting from the title. I like surprises. There is no doubt that this is delicious as well as easy. It cries for a wonderful bread or roll too. So that is a bennie.

        • chewoutloud

        Thank you, Carol! I enjoy your interesting comments always 🙂

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