Delicious & Comforting Ham Bone Soup: Your Ultimate Guide to Using Leftovers

Indulge in the rich, comforting flavors of a hearty vegetable ham bone soup – an incredibly easy and versatile recipe perfect for utilizing those flavorful leftover ham bones. Whether you’re seeking a warm meal on a chilly evening or a nutritious option for busy weeknights, this soup delivers. Its adaptability shines through, allowing you to incorporate any vegetables you have on hand. Choose your preferred cooking method: a slow cooker for hands-off convenience, an Instant Pot for speed, or a classic stovetop approach for traditional simmering. This recipe ensures your holiday ham gives back, creating a wholesome and delicious meal that feels like a warm hug in a bowl.

For many, ham is a cherished part of holiday meals – a succulent centerpiece for Christmas or Easter feasts. It often feels like a special occasion meat, with its incredible aroma and satisfying taste. However, don’t limit the versatility of ham to just a couple of times a year! While many might relegate any remaining slices to simple lunch meat, there’s a world of culinary possibilities that extend far beyond. Embracing the full potential of a ham can transform it into a truly frugal and flavorful staple throughout the year.

As an avid home cook, I’ve discovered that ham is one of the most rewarding meats to cook with, especially when you consider its cost-effectiveness. The trick to making ham a budget-friendly option is to seize the opportunity when whole or spiral hams go on sale, often around major holidays. Stocking up by buying a couple and freezing them ensures you have this delicious protein readily available whenever inspiration strikes. This strategy not only saves money but also provides a fantastic foundation for numerous meals.

After serving a show-stopping baked ham for dinner, the journey of culinary creativity doesn’t end there. The leftover ham meat can be expertly carved and transformed into an array of delightful dishes. Think beyond just sandwiches! Thinly sliced ham is perfect for quick and easy lunches, adding a savory punch to salads or wraps. For breakfast or brunch, it elevates a simple frittata – effortlessly substituting chicken for ham in a veggie-loaded frittata recipe creates a wonderfully hearty start to the day. And when it comes to comforting casseroles, ham is a star, as demonstrated by a delectable ham pie featuring a simple cheesy crust.

But the true hidden gem, the unsung hero of the ham, is what remains after all the meat has been carved: the ham bone. This isn’t just a leftover; it’s a treasure trove of flavor and nutrients. A well-used ham bone, often with a good amount of savory meat still clinging to it, is the perfect foundation for making a rich, aromatic broth. This broth, in turn, forms the basis for one of my all-time favorite cold-weather comforts: a truly delicious and wholesome vegetable ham bone soup. It’s a testament to mindful cooking, ensuring no part of this wonderful meat goes to waste.

This ham bone soup recipe is remarkably simple to prepare, adapting seamlessly to your kitchen setup. Whether you prefer the steady, low-and-slow cooking of a Crockpot, the rapid efficiency of an Instant Pot, or the traditional charm of a large stockpot on the stove, this recipe accommodates all methods. Beyond its versatile cooking techniques, the soup itself is incredibly adaptable. It welcomes whatever in-season vegetables you have on hand, making it a perfect solution for reducing food waste and embracing seasonal produce. Each batch can be a unique creation, reflecting the bounty of your garden or grocery store.

PRO TIP: If you’re not ready to embark on your ham bone soup culinary adventure immediately after your meal, don’t fret! The ham bone, complete with any attached meat pieces, can be easily tucked away into your freezer. Simply place it in a freezer-safe bag or container and save it for when the craving for a warm, comforting bowl of savory soup strikes. This convenient storage method ensures that the flavorful essence of your ham bone is preserved until you’re ready to transform it into a hearty meal.

Crafting Your Homemade Ham Bone Soup

Creating a deeply flavorful and satisfying soup from a ham bone is a surprisingly straightforward process. To maximize both flavor and versatility, I typically break down the preparation into two distinct, yet interconnected, steps. This methodical approach ensures that you extract the most flavor from the bone, creating a rich base, before adding your chosen vegetables and beans to complete the soup. This method also allows for greater control over the final texture and taste of your soup, adapting it perfectly to your preferences.

1. Step 1: Develop a Rich Ham Bone Broth. This initial stage focuses on coaxing all the savory goodness from the ham bone into a flavorful liquid, which forms the soul of your soup.
2. Step 2: Transform into a Hearty Vegetable Soup. Once your broth is ready, you’ll add an array of fresh vegetables and beans, simmering them to tender perfection and transforming the simple broth into a robust and satisfying meal.

Making the Flavorful Ham Broth

The secret to an exceptional ham bone soup lies in starting with a robust, homemade broth. This process is not only simple but also incredibly rewarding, as it fills your kitchen with an enticing aroma. Here’s how to create that foundational broth, ensuring maximum flavor extraction and a rich base for your soup:

1. To begin, place your ham bone (or bones, if you have more than one) into your chosen cooking vessel. This could be a spacious slow cooker, the inner pot of an Instant Pot, or a large stockpot on your stovetop. It’s perfectly fine if the ham bone is still frozen – it will thaw and cook beautifully. Add a roughly chopped onion to the pot, as it will infuse the broth with a subtle sweetness and aromatic depth. Cover the bone and onion generously with water. If using an Instant Pot, remember not to fill it more than three-quarters full to allow for pressure buildup, even if it means some parts of the bone or meat aren’t fully submerged initially.
2. Allow the bone to simmer and cook until the ham meat is effortlessly falling off the bone – this is your signal that the broth has reached its peak flavor. Depending on your chosen method, this might be after you arrive home from work, or simply when the timer indicates it’s done. Carefully remove the ham bone and any large pieces of meat from the liquid, which has now transformed into a magnificent, deeply flavored ham broth. Place the bone and meat onto a cutting board and allow them to cool sufficiently so you can handle them comfortably.
3. Once the meat and bone are cool enough to touch without discomfort, meticulously pull all the tender ham meat from the bone. Discard the bone, as its work is done. Take a moment to cut any larger pieces of ham into bite-sized chunks, and trim away any excessive fat to ensure a pleasant texture in your soup. Finally, return all the flavorful, shredded, or diced ham meat back into the pot with your rich, golden ham broth. This ensures every last bit of ham flavor is incorporated into your soup, making it truly irresistible.

Crafting the Ultimate Vegetable Ham Soup

Now that you have a magnificent base of savory ham broth, tender ham pieces, and aromatic onion, the real fun begins: transforming it into a versatile and delightful vegetable ham soup. This foundation is incredibly flexible, allowing you to venture into various soup styles. You could create a classic split-pea soup, a creamy ham and potato chowder, a hearty ham and bean soup, or even a robust lentil and ham stew. The possibilities are truly endless, catering to whatever flavors you’re craving.

However, my personal favorite approach is to craft a simple yet incredibly satisfying harvest vegetable soup, embracing the bounty of seasonal produce and whatever treasures I discover lurking in the fridge or pantry. This flexible philosophy allows for endless variations, ensuring that no two batches are exactly alike and making the most of your ingredients. On this particular occasion, my “harvest” included a vibrant mix of:

• Generously chopped green cabbage, adding a pleasant texture and earthy sweetness.
• Tender, chopped kale, boosting the soup with its nutrient-rich goodness and a slight peppery bite.
• Finely diced sweet red pepper, providing a pop of color and a mild, sweet flavor.
• A touch of diced jalapeño pepper, offering a gentle warmth and subtle kick, easily adjustable to your heat preference.
• Fresh corn cut directly from the cob, imparting a sweet, crisp crunch (though frozen corn works equally well, especially out of season!).
• A defrosted container of pre-cooked, frozen garbanzo beans (chickpeas), adding plant-based protein and a satisfying creaminess.
• Beyond this list, feel free to add other favorites like diced carrots, celery, potatoes, green beans, peas, zucchini, or even diced tomatoes for more acidity. The beauty of this soup is its adaptability!

EXPERT TIP: If you’re making this fantastic ham bone soup around the holidays, it becomes an even more incredible vehicle for using up holiday leftovers! Think mashed potatoes for added creaminess, roasted carrots, green beans, or any other cooked vegetables from your holiday feast. It’s a truly ingenious way to ensure that absolutely nothing goes to waste, maximizing the value and flavor of your holiday ham and all its accompaniments.

1. Once you’ve reunited the ham meat with its rich broth, it’s time to introduce your chosen vegetables, beans, and the essential seasonings. Add your selection of vegetables and beans to the pot, along with minced garlic, freshly ground black pepper, dried or fresh thyme, and basil. These herbs contribute a wonderfully aromatic profile that complements the savory ham beautifully. (For precise measurements of seasonings and quantities, refer to the detailed recipe card below).
2. Continue cooking the soup until all the added ingredients are tender and fully infused with the delicious broth. The cooking time will vary depending on your chosen method: an Instant Pot will typically bring it to perfection in about 15 minutes of active cooking, while a stovetop simmer will take approximately 1 hour. For those opting for a slow cooker, allow it to gently cook for an additional 2-4 hours, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully. The choice is yours, aligning perfectly with your schedule and preferences!

Storage and Meal Prep: Enjoying Your Ham Bone Soup for Days

One of the many wonderful aspects of this hearty ham bone soup is that it typically yields a generous quantity, which is absolutely fantastic for meal prepping and enjoying delicious leftovers! A large pot means you’re set for several meals, making it ideal for busy individuals and families.

• Refrigeration: This delectable soup maintains its fresh taste and quality for approximately 4-5 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The flavors often deepen and meld even further overnight, making it just as good, if not better, when reheated for subsequent lunches or dinners. Ensure it’s cooled completely before transferring to storage containers to prevent condensation.
• Freezing for Future Feasts: This vegetable ham bone soup freezes exceptionally well, making it a perfect candidate for convenient future meals. To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely. Then, transfer it into freezer-safe containers, ideally in single-serving or family-sized portions. This allows for quick and easy thawing whenever you need a wholesome meal. Freeze for up to 3 months for optimal freshness. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator or use your microwave’s defrost setting for a quicker solution. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until piping hot. Having a stash of this soup in your freezer is a brilliant way to ensure you always have a comforting, nutritious, and ready-to-eat meal on hand for those especially hectic days.

So, there you have it – compelling reasons to start collecting those ham bones! Or, at the very least, to roast a glorious baked ham with a tangy mustard sauce for yourself, savor the meal, and meticulously save that precious bone for your next batch of homemade soup. A little tip from experience: once your friends and family discover your passion for transforming ham bones into incredible soups, they’ll likely be offering you their leftover bones after every holiday gathering. So, don’t be shy about accepting their generosity – it’s a win-win for everyone!

I genuinely hope you fall in love with this ham bone soup as much as I have. If you decide to make it, please take a moment to leave a recipe rating and share your thoughts. Your feedback helps others discover this comforting and versatile dish!

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4.69 from 19 votes

Hearty & Easy Ham Bone Vegetable Soup

This incredibly flavorful and comforting ham bone soup is a versatile and easy-to-make recipe, perfect for using up leftover ham bones and any vegetables you have on hand. Prepare it effortlessly using a slow cooker, stovetop, or Instant Pot for a delicious and nutritious meal.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time (Varies by Method)4 hours hrs

Total Time4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Yield: 10 servings

Author: Jami Boys

Equipment

• Large Stockpot Alternatively, a Slow Cooker, or an Electric Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)

Ingredients

• 1 or 2 ham bones with a good amount of meat still attached for maximum flavor
• 1 large onion roughly chopped for broth, or finely diced for the soup base
• 1 to 2 cups cooked beans* choose your favorite: white beans, red kidney beans, cannellini, or garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• 3 to 4 cups assorted chopped vegetables: bell peppers (any color), carrots, celery, cabbage, kale, spinach, diced tomatoes, corn (fresh or frozen), peas, or even small diced potatoes
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• salt to taste**

Instructions

To Make Ham Bone Broth:

• Place the ham bone(s) and chopped onion into your chosen cooking vessel: a Crockpot bowl, Instant Pot liner, or a large stove-top stockpot. (Don’t worry if the ham bone is frozen, it will cook just fine). Cover the ingredients with water. If using an Instant Pot, ensure the fill line is not exceeded (typically 3/4 full), even if the bone/meat is not entirely submerged.
• For Crockpot (Slow Cooker): Cook on Low for 4-5 hours, or on High for 2-3 hours, until the meat is easily falling off the bone. (See shortcut option in notes below for a one-step method).
• For Stove Top: Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1-2 hours, or until the meat is tender and easily removed from the bone.
• For Instant Pot (Electric Pressure Cooker): Secure the lid and make sure the vent is sealed. Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting (High Pressure) and set the cook time to 30 minutes. The Instant Pot will take approximately 10-15 minutes to come to pressure. Once cooking is complete, allow the pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes before performing a quick release of any remaining pressure (cover the valve with a towel to prevent splatter).

To Make the Full Soup:

• Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove all bone pieces and any large chunks of ham meat from the broth and transfer them to a cutting board. Once cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bone, chop all the ham into bite-sized pieces, and return the chopped meat to the pot with the broth. Discard the bare bone.
• Add all your remaining ingredients – the chopped vegetables, cooked beans, minced garlic, thyme, basil, and black pepper – to the pot with the ham and broth.
• For Crockpot (Slow Cooker): Continue to cook on Low for another 3-4 hours, or on High for approximately 2 hours, until all vegetables are tender.
• For Stove Top: Bring the soup back to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 1 hour, or until all vegetables are perfectly tender.***
• For Instant Pot: Secure the lid and seal the valve. Select “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” (High Pressure) and set the timer for 15 minutes. Once the cooking cycle finishes, press Cancel/Keep Warm. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then carefully perform a quick release of any residual pressure (again, covering the valve with a cloth is recommended).
• Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as needed, adding salt to taste (remember ham can be salty!). Serve your warm, comforting ham bone soup with a side of crusty bread for a truly satisfying meal.

Notes

*For utmost convenience, it’s easiest to use precooked beans in this recipe. My go-to method is to use the cooked and frozen beans I keep stocked in my freezer, or simply use 1 to 2 cans of your preferred beans, rinsed and drained. If you opt to cook dry beans with the ham bone, ensure they are soaked beforehand and drained thoroughly. This crucial step helps to significantly reduce the gas-producing enzymes, saving you from potential digestive discomfort! We learned this valuable lesson the hard way as a family!

**Ham is naturally quite salty, so it’s important to taste your soup towards the very end of the cooking process before adding any additional salt. This prevents over-seasoning and allows you to perfectly balance the flavors.

***Vegetable Brightness Tip: To preserve the vibrant green color of delicate vegetables like chopped greens (spinach, kale) or peas, consider adding them during the last half hour of cooking. This keeps them from overcooking and turning dull.

Slow Cooker Shortcut (Reader Tip): For an even simpler approach, you can throw all the ingredients (ham bone, onion, vegetables, beans, and seasonings) into a crockpot at the beginning. Cook everything together, then remove the bone after 4 hours of cooking. Cut the meat off the bone, return the meat to the pot, and stir before serving. This one-step method is great for convenience!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 291mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2827IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!

More Hearty Soups to Warm Your Soul

If you’ve enjoyed this comforting ham bone soup, you’ll be delighted to explore other hearty and satisfying soup recipes designed to warm you from the inside out. Each of these recipes offers unique flavors and textures, perfect for any occasion:

• The Best Sausage and Lentil Stew (Featuring a secret seasoning that truly makes it sing!)
• Curried Turkey and Rice Soup with Coconut Milk (A wonderfully aromatic and creamy soup, perfect for using up leftover turkey or chicken.)
• Quick & Creamy Cauliflower Cheese Soup(A surprisingly rich and flavorful soup that can be on your table in just 30 minutes!)

This recipe was originally published in February of 2010. It has been thoroughly updated and re-tested in 2017 to provide the most delicious and reliable instructions.