Got some leftover Christmas ham? Turn it into a tasty home bone soup.
This effortless recipe is filled with ham, beans, and vegetables. Just throw everything in the slow cooker and let it work its magic.
Serve it with some easy dinner rolls or homemade bread for the perfect anytime meal!
An Easy Soup for a Leftover Ham Bone
We love soups around the holidays and this ham bone soup tops the list.
- This ham bone vegetable soup recipe is easy to make.
- No need to run to the store; you probably have all the ingredients already!
- Add the ingredients to your CrockPot (or Instant Pot) let it do its thing
- This recipe can also be cooked in a dutch oven on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot.
- This recipe can be frozen for quick meals.
Ingredients in Ham Bone Soup
Ham Bone: A ham bone (or smoked ham hock) provide the base for the soup and add a lot of flavor. Save the bone from your holiday ham or spiral ham (just toss it in the freezer until you’re ready).
Broth: Use broth (or broth and water) to create the liquid base for this ham bone soup recipe. You can also add in leftover gravy or homemade turkey or chicken stock to boost the flavor. Ham is salty so be sure to use low-sodium or no-sodium broth.
Beans: Canned beans make this easy but you can certainly rehydrate and cook dried beans if you prefer.
Vegetables: Fresh or frozen vegetables can be added. Use vegetables you have leftover from your turkey dinner, such as sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, corn, carrots, squash, and more. If they’re already cooked, stir them in for the last 30 minutes of cooking to heat through so they don’t get mushy.
Other Uses For a Leftover Ham Bone
- Remove most of the meat from the bone to use in leftover ham recipes. but leave a little on the bone for flavor.
- Save the bone in the freezer until you’re ready to make soup (use right from frozen).
- Before serving, remove the bone from the soup and pick off any remaining meat. Add the meat back to the soup and discard the bone.
- Note: the bone should not be used for more than one soup as it won’t have enough flavor left.
Try using it in ham and bean soup or split pea soup.
How To Make Ham Bone Soup
This is the best ham bone soup, and since it is made in a slow cooker, all you really need to do is a tiny bit of prep.
- Dice, chop and slice your veggies.
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and cook until the vegetables are tender.
- Remove meat from the bone and add it back into the soup.
It really is one of the simplest soups you will ever make. Enjoy!
Hearty & Savory Soups
Did you enjoy this Ham Bone Soup? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Ham Bone Soup (Slow Cooker)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 meaty ham bone
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes diced, peelig optional
- 3 medium carrots sliced
- 2 ribs celery sliced
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
- 15 ounces cannellini beans drained and rinsed (white kidney beans)
- 7 cups chicken broth or water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook the onion in butter in a small skillet over medium heat until slightly softened.
- Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 9-10 hours.
- Remove ham bone, bay leaves and thyme stems (if using fresh thyme).
- Chop meat from the bone and add back into the soup. Stir and serve.
Notes
- The size of your ham bone or the amount of meat on the bone can add more or less flavor.
- Use a smoked ham hock if you don’t have a ham bone.
- Add leftover gravy or homemade stock for extra flavor.
- Replace canned beans with soaked beans. This will increase the cooking time.
- Add leftover vegetables from your turkey dinner, such as sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, corn, carrots, squash, during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
- The ham bone should not be used for more than one soup
- Store leftovers in the fridge in a covered container for up to 4-5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course, Soup
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Hi,
I have trouble getting a clear broth when making soup. I hate the taste of rendered fat in my soups. Can you give me tips for cooking the ham bode and leftover ham, so my broth is clear? You could email me a response if you like.
You can find information on making clear broth here.
I’ve made this recipe twice, once with a bacon bone and beef stock, and one with a ham bone and chicken stock – both were absolutely delicious and a hit during winter!
Simple and awesome
Delicious . I used leftover Christmas ham. My family compare other soups to this one. I will make it again for sure.
This soup is sooooooo delicious .My whole family absolutely LOVED IT. Love trying new recipes and love even more not waisting food. Thank you very much for sharing the recipe with us.
Thinking of making this I have a leftover honey baked ham bone. Can I add some garlic and is cooking the onion first necessary?
Yes, garlic would be a great addition. You can skip cooking the onion but cooking it softens the flavor and ensure it cooks through.
Very delicious! Reminds me of my mother-in-law’s bean soup, although hers is different. The flavor is similar. Plus, I love the convenience of cooking this in the slow cooker.
Okay but not very tasty. I wondered about lack of spices in recipe. If I try again will add considerably more seasonings.
Excellent recipe. Thank you. Just found your Posts and there’s lots and lots to like.
Happy New Year, Holly!
This recipe sounds wonderful. I don’t like split pea and ham soup and this gives me another option for leftover ham.
I happen to have better than bouillon ham base. I think I will try that.
Also, can I make this in the instant pot?
Thanks in advance,
Mary
Hi Mary, this soup can be made in the instant pot. For guidelines on time and temperature, you can use my Instant Pot Ham & Bean Soup. Enjoy!
I’d like to meet the cook who can dice the veggies in 5 minutes! I added sieved roasted tomatoes, eliminated the corn, no beans. Hubby doesn’t care for those.
hi, i can chop them in five minutes cause (or so) i have a chopping gadget that says jp 18. i bought it on amazon. i just slice the onion, stick in the gadget, push the top down, and voila, chopped and or diced onions. including carrots garlic celery, anything. apples….etc. it saves so much time for me anyway. worth every penny and it wasn’t expensive, i thin k around 30 or so bucks..big time saver.
jp 18?
I made this with a honey ham hambone. The results were excellent, with everyone having seconds. I substituted pinto beans that had been soaked for twelve hours covered in lightly salted water and Italian herbs and cilantro for seasoning since it’s what I had. It’s a good idea to add some clean pieces of ham during the last hour. Be careful to not add any rind because it’s salty and smoky
Made this exactly according to the recipe except I didn’t have corn, so I used a cup of frozen mixed vegetables. We really enjoyed it. If I had a ham bone, I’d make it again.
The cooking time was a little different for me as I varied between high and low on my slow cooker but was still great!
This is delicious. I am making it for the second time. This time I did slow cook my ham bone and removed the meat ahead of time as I had 2 bones. Saved the broth and I will use a mix of ham broth and water (to keep the saltiness down). Freeze any leftover ham and broth for another pot! First time I used homemade chicken broth but the soup was loved by everyone and the leftovers gone within 2 days.
We hope you love it, Catherine. Cooking it with the ham bone in is so yummy!
Are you using canned corn?
Hi Lisa, you could use canned corn or frozen corn in this recipe.