Not sure what to do with that leftover ham bone? This easy ham soup recipe turns it into a rich broth loaded with tender vegetables instead of beans.
Make it in a crock pot or on the stovetop for an easy, hearty soup that's perfect after a holiday ham.
🤔 Why use a ham bone for soup?
- Makes the broth: The ham bone can create its own broth as it cooks with the vegetables, or add rich ham flavor to another broth.
- Provides the meat: A meaty ham bone can provide 2–4 cups of ham, plenty for the soup.
- Easy prep: Just trim large chunks of fat and rinse off any sugary coating.
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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!!"
📝 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
What: Hearty ham and vegetable soup with potatoes, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and a meaty ham bone.
Why: An easy, delicious way to use a leftover ham bone after a holiday meal.
How: Cook everything together until the vegetables are tender, then remove the bone, shred the ham, and return it to the soup.
🐖 Ingredients
- Ham bone: Use a meaty ham bone; add extra diced ham if needed.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, and diced tomatoes. Kidney beans are optional.
- Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth or water.
- Seasoning: Garlic powder and pepper, with bay leaf or crushed red pepper optional. Add salt only 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
Meaty ham bone: You want about 2–4 cups of ham for the soup. If your bone is short on meat, add diced leftover ham or ham steak.
Glazed ham: Scrape or trim off as much sugary coating as practical, rinse the bone well, and remove large pockets of fat.
Ham hocks: They add excellent ham flavor but usually don't provide enough meat. Add extra diced ham as needed.
No ham bone? Use 2–4 cups of diced ham and chicken broth instead of relying on the bone to make the broth.
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🥣 Broth, Vegetables, and Seasoning Options
Broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth, or water if using a ham bone. For stronger flavor, add a little chicken or ham bouillon near the end.
Vegetables: Carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, and diced tomatoes are the base. Low-sodium, rinsed kidney, black, or white beans are optional. Frozen corn or green beans can go in at the start; add frozen peas near the end.
Seasoning: Garlic powder and pepper are enough, with bay leaf or crushed red pepper optional. Add salt only at the end—the ham and broth may provide plenty.
❄️ Storage
- Refrigerate: Store for 3–4 days. If desired, refrigerate overnight and remove any solidified fat before reheating.
- Freeze: Freeze in meal-size portions for 3–4 months, leaving room for expansion.
- Reheat: Thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
🐖 Ham Soup Recipes
More ways to use a leftover ham bone:
- Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup — Classic, hearty, and economical with dry white beans.
- Puerto Rican Chuletón Soup (Christmas Ham Bone Soup) — A holiday-style soup with vegetables, spices, and tender shredded ham.
❓ FAQs
Use low-sodium broth and beans, rinse canned beans, and add salt only at the end if needed. You can also use water instead of broth when cooking with a ham bone.
📖The Recipe Card
Ham and Vegetable Soup with a Ham Bone
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 (optional) - drained and rinsed
- 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 ¾ of the way through cooking, 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
- A meaty ham bone should provide about 2–4 cups of ham. Add diced ham if needed.
- Scrape and rinse off any sugary glaze and trim large pieces of fat.
- Use low-sodium broth and beans. Add salt only at the end, if needed.
- If the broth needs more flavor, add a little chicken or ham bouillon.
- Refrigerating overnight makes excess fat easy to remove.
- No ham bone? Use 2–4 cups diced ham and chicken broth.
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 and refreshed photos.
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!