Not sure what to do with that leftover ham bone? This easy ham soup recipe turns it into a rich, comforting broth loaded with vegetables instead of beans. It’s perfect when you want a hearty ham soup with more color, more nutrients, and less heaviness.
Just rinse off any sugary glaze for a savory soup, then cook it low and slow in a crock pot or Dutch oven. The vegetables turn tender, the broth turns rich, and the ham shreds perfectly—a perfect post-holiday recipe.
Jump To (scroll for more)
Featured Comment by Sandra:
"Just finished eating this delicious soup, and the only thing we altered to the recipe was we added 1½ cup of chopped ham (only because we had the leftover ham). We definitely will make this again whenever we have a ham bone. Great recipe!!"
📝 Brief Recipe Summary
What it is: A hearty ham soup recipe made with a leftover ham bone—perfect when you want more vegetables than beans in your ham soup.
Why you’ll love it: Minimal prep, rich homemade flavor, and dependable results whether you use a crock pot or a stovetop Dutch oven.
How to make it: Rinse or trim the ham bone to remove any sugary glaze, add vegetables, broth, and seasonings, cook until tender, then shred the ham and finish simmering.
Jump to the Recipe Card or continue reading for details and options.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS RECIPE POST ON:
🐖 Ingredients
- Ham bone — A meaty leftover ham bone works best; rinse off any sugary glaze for a clean, savory broth.
- Vegetables — Carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, and diced tomatoes. Low-sodium kidney beans are optional.
- Chicken broth —Low-sodium, or use water and let the ham bone create its own broth.
- Seasoning — Garlic powder, pepper, and bay leaf or crushed red pepper (optional). Add salt only at the end, if needed.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Ham and Vegetable Soup
1. Prepare the ham bone by rinsing off any sugary glaze and removing large pieces of fat.
2. Peel and trim the potatoes and carrots. Chop the onion and celery. Rinse the beans if using.
3. Combine the ham bone and all ingredients in a large crock pot or Dutch oven. Cook on LOW for 8 hours in the crock pot or simmer covered for about 3 hours in a Dutch oven.
4. About ¾ of the way through cooking, remove the ham bone, strip off the meat, and return the shredded ham to the pot.
5. Finish cooking until the vegetables are tender. Serve immediately, or refrigerate overnight and scrape off any solidified fat before reheating.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
🐖 Ham & Ham Bone Options
For leftover ham bone soup, you need a meaty bone. After cooking, you’ll want about 3 cups of shredded ham, but anywhere from 2 to 4 cups works fine. If your ham bone isn’t very meaty, just add extra diced ham to reach the amount you prefer.
Honey-glazed hams: Many holiday hams have a sugary coating. That sweetness doesn’t belong in the soup, so scrape or trim off as much as you reasonably can, then give the bone a good rinse. While you’re at it, remove any large pockets of fat.
Adding extra ham: If you’re short on meat, or you want a meatier soup, add chopped ham from another source—like a ham steak or leftover slices. Leaner ham will make a slightly lighter broth.
Ham hocks: A ham hock adds great flavor but doesn’t have much meat. If using one, plan to add extra ham so you still end up with 2–4 cups total.
Save this recipe!
Enter your email address and we'll send the link straight to your inbox!
🥣 Broth, Vegetables, and Seasoning Options
Broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth to keep the salt level under control, or simply use water and let the ham bone create its own flavorful broth. If you want a stronger taste, add a little chicken or ham bouillon near the end of cooking.
Vegetables: Carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, and diced tomatoes form the base of the soup. Low-sodium kidney beans are optional and can be swapped for black beans or a white bean if you prefer. Frozen corn or green beans can be added at the start; frozen peas should go in near the end, so they stay firm.
Seasoning: Keep it simple. Garlic powder and pepper work well, with a bay leaf or pinch of crushed red pepper as optional add-ins. Add salt only at the end—the ham bone, broth, and beans already bring their own salt, and you may not need any extra.
🐖 Ham Soup Recipes
If you enjoy this ham bone vegetable soup, here are two more great ways to use a leftover ham bone:
- Crock Pot Ham Bone and Bean Soup — Classic, hearty, and economical with dry white beans.
- Puerto Rican Chuletón Soup (Christmas Ham Bone Soup) — A flavorful holiday-style soup with vegetables, spices, and tender shredded ham.
❄️ Storage
If possible, refrigerate the soup overnight before the first serving. The excess fat will rise to the top and solidify, making it easy to scrape off.
Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days, or freeze for 3–4 months.
For freezing, divide into meal-size portions and leave room for expansion.
To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, then warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
❓ FAQs
You’ll want about 3 cups of shredded or cubed ham, but anywhere from 2 to 4 cups works. If your ham bone isn’t very meaty, add ham from another source to reach the amount you prefer.
Ham is naturally salty, so it helps to keep the added salt low.
1. Wait until the end of cooking to add any salt—and only if needed.
2. Use low-sodium broth and beans.
3. Rinse canned beans before adding.
4. Use water instead of broth and let the ham bone create its own broth.
Yes. Ham contains a good amount of fat. If you want a leaner soup, refrigerate it overnight and scrape off the solidified fat from the top before reheating. Trimming excess fat and glaze from the ham bone at the start also helps.
📖The Recipe Card
Ham and Vegetable Soup (Crock Pot or Stovetop)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 ham bone with meat
- 2 carrots - diced
- 2 ribs celery - chopped
- 1 medium onion - chopped
- 2 medium Russet potatoes - cubed
- 14 oz diced tomatoes
- 48 oz water - or low-sodium chicken broth
- 14 oz light kidney beans - drained and rinsed (optional)
- 1 bay leaf - (optional)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper - (optional)
- salt - ONLY IF NEEDED AT THE END
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Rinse the ham bone under running water to remove any sugary glaze and trim off any large pieces of fat.
- Peel and cube 2 medium Russet potatoes. Dice 2 carrots, chop 2 ribs celery, and chop 1 medium onion.
- Rinse one 14-oz can of low-sodium light kidney beans if using.
- In a large crock pot or Dutch oven, add 6 cups (48 oz) water or low-sodium chicken broth, 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional), and 1 bay leaf (optional). Add the prepared vegetables and optional beans; stir well.
- Place the ham bone into the pot. Cook on LOW for 8 hours in a crock pot or simmer covered for 2½–3 hours in a Dutch oven.
- About 75% into the cooking time, remove the ham bone, strip off the meat, and return the meat to the pot.
- Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender. Serve immediately, or refrigerate overnight and skim off solidified fat.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Your ham bone should have some meat on it. Add extra diced ham if needed—you want about 3 cups total, but 2 to 4 cups will work.
- Rinse and scrape well if your ham had a sugary glaze. Trim easy fat, but don’t obsess.
- Use low-sodium broth and beans; do not add salt until the end, and only if needed.
- If the broth tastes mild, add a little bouillon when you return the shredded ham.
- Refrigerating overnight makes it easier to remove excess fat.
- Nutrition will vary widely depending on the ham and fat content.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally Published April 13, 2013. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
This recipe is featured in What to Do With Leftover Ham.
Jeanne T says
OMG this is great, I did make it with 38 ounce chicken broth and added water for the rest. I didn't add two potatoes just one because I used white beans. Just a little idea put some shredded swiss cheese on the bottom of your soup bowl, you won't be sorry.
DrDan says
Hi Jeanne,
I do love a good soup and thanks for the suggestions.
Dan
Sandra Bowman says
Just finished eating this delicious soup and the only thing we altered to the recipe was we added 1&1/2 cup of chopped ham (only because we had the leftover ham). We definitely will make this again whenever we have a hambone. Great recipe!!
DrDan says
Thanks for the note. Glad you liked it.
DrDan
Adam Turner says
In the slow cooker as I type. I used fresh garlic instead of the powder and no tomatoes. Also added a tbsp of Italian seasoning. Oh and used kidney beans and northerns. My ham bone was bigger than the one in the picture so I had to add 1/3 more broth.
I also added some rice.
I sure hope it tastes as good as it smells. This house smells incredible.
Rick Bradley says
I recommend that you try a smoked pork shoulder in place of the ham. You'll find that it's processed with WAY LESS salt, has a very similar flavour so #1 will be pleased and after cooking low and slow (5hr @ 275F) the fat that hasn't rendered can pretty much be rubbed off by hand. I save the cooking liquor and then use the bone and some more veg the next day for a total of about 4L of broth.
Paul says
I see a can of tomatoes in the ingredients but you do not mention
them in your directions. . . thanks for the great recipe!
DrDan says
Thanks for the error catch. I'm editing the post now.
Dan
Dorothy says
My family loved this soup. So easy to prepare on a cold morning and letting it cook all day in the crock pot. My husband 'put it together' the first time and it was a hit. I agree that it can become salty with the ham. I used all the low sodium ingredients as suggested and felt it was just right. I also added some frozen chopped spinach and bow tie pasta near the end of cooking time. I was just as good a couple of days later. Will make this again.
DrDan says
Thanks so much for the note.
DrDan
Susan says
Forgot my rating!
DrDan says
Thanks so much for the note(s) and Rating
DrDan
Susan says
Your recipe was delicious! I made a few modifications when I made mine. I left out the onion only because I didn't have one on hand. I added 4 cloves of fresh garlic, black beans instead of kidney beans, canned corn, a couple of bay leaves, and turmeric spice because it's good for you. It was a huge hit! Thanks again!
Rena says
Just trying this recipe now. Followed it exactly except using black beans. Will do a taste test at 3 hour mark and may adjust seasonings if needed, also thinking of adding some zuchine and yellow squash. Still on the fence re: the squash. Will rate after eating tonight. Also, if you oversalt a dish grating a potato into the broth helps reduce the saltiness.
Donna says
I made this recipe but added 1 - 8oz can tomato sauce after tasting the broth and feeling it needed a little more tomato taste. I also threw in a couple of handfuls of broad noodles during the last 30 minutes of cooking. I got a late start in preparing the dish, so I cooked mine on high for 5 hours and it came out delicious.
DrDan says
Thanks for the note. I love to hear modifications.
Again thanks for the comment and rating.
DrDan
June says
Googled "ham bone soup" and found your site. I wanted a ham bone soup with no dried beans (don't have any on hand right now). I was planning on making my soup basically like your recipe, but would use water instead of broth. Good comments. I do have part of a can of black beans. I will rinse those and add, that made me think of corn, so will add some of those and maybe tomatoes. We shall see what tomorrow brings! Thanks for the great ideas.
Dave says
Really great flavors in this dish. Great use of the entire ham. Sodium was not a problem. Only modifications were to add a few extra vegetables Thanks for the recipe.
Dave in Ann Arbor, MI
DrDan says
Thanks for the note Dave and Happy Harbaugh Day there in AA
DrDan
Dave says
Really great flavors in this dish. Great use of the entire ham. Sodium was not a problem. Only modifications were to add a few extra vegetables.mthanks for the recipie.
Runnerchick says
I made this tonight and it was amazing! I had a hambone from Sunday's dinner so I did a search and came up with this :) I used 16 ounces of low sodium chicken broth and the rest was water. It was seriously good!