Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
An old-fashioned classic, this easy ham bone soup recipe is a nourishing and satisfying supper that’s full of flavor! Smoky and rich, the homemade soup comes together quickly on the stovetop or in the Crock Pot (no soaking the beans). Delicious with a side of cast iron skillet cornbread!
Table of Contents
A version of this simple ham bone soup recipe dates back to Colonial Virginia (and beyond!), where home cooks repurposed leftover ham scraps and leftover ham bones to flavor soups and stews. This practice continues today — especially when we have leftover Christmas ham or Easter ham — because a ham and bean soup is both economical and delicious!
We take great pride in our ham here in Virginia — whether it’s a salty, cured country ham, a big Smithfield ham on a holiday table, or a quick ham steak fried up in a skillet. Virginians certainly won’t discard a perfectly good ham bone if we can use it to simmer a hearty pot of soup, and this particular recipe happens to be one of our favorites!
Is ham bone soup good for you?
Yes! This ham bone soup is loaded with nutrients, thanks to plenty of vegetables (like cabbage and potatoes), lean protein from the ham, and fiber-rich beans. It’s a complete meal in one pot, with about 165 calories, 3 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber, 24 grams of carbohydrates, and 13 grams of protein per 1-cup serving.
How Long Can You Keep A Ham Bone For Soup?
Wrapped tightly, a leftover hambone will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you’re not planning to use it right away, you can also store the bone in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What kind of beans in ham and bean soup?
This recipe works well with any canned white beans, such as Great Northern beans, navy beans (also called Yankee beans), or cannellini beans (white kidney beans). The canned beans do not need to be pre-soaked in water, so this is a quick and easy version of the classic soup. If you prefer to start with dried beans, try this recipe.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for an easy ham bone soup. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Olive oil: to sauté the vegetables. You can substitute with butter, if you like.
- Carrots, celery, onion, and garlic: aromatics that flavor the base of the soup.
- Ham bone: for rich, smoky flavor. You can substitute with smoked ham hocks or ham shanks, too.
- Bay leaf: makes the soup taste like it’s been simmering on the stovetop all day long!
- Fresh thyme: for savory flavor. If you don’t have fresh thyme, you can substitute with a smaller amount of dried thyme.
- Chicken broth: I prefer less-sodium chicken broth (since the ham bone and diced ham add a good amount of salt to the soup), but you can substitute with regular chicken broth or vegetable broth as well. For a real treat, use homemade chicken broth or chicken stock! Some recipes call for water, but since this quick method doesn’t require simmering the ham bone in water for hours to make a ham broth, the water wouldn’t be very flavorful here.
- Diced tomatoes: add flavor and nutrition to the soup.
- Russet potatoes: you can substitute with red potatoes or gold potatoes. If using these smaller red or gold potatoes, you don’t need to peel them.
- Green cabbage: for a touch of sweetness, great texture, and healthy bulk.
- Canned white beans: use navy beans, cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, or just about any other variety that you prefer. Pinto beans are also fine!
- Diced ham: use leftover ham from a holiday meal, or purchase smoked ham at the grocery store. I like to use thick-cut boneless ham steaks when I don’t have leftovers to enjoy, or you can purchase a package of diced ham for a shortcut.
- Kosher salt, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper: for even more flavor!
How to Make Ham Bone Soup with Beans
This ham bone soup with canned beans comes together quickly in one pot on the stovetop. You can also let it simmer in the crockpot (those instructions are included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post). Here’s the quick version:
- Saute the veggies in olive oil.
- Add the ham bone, seasoning, broth, and tomatoes.
- Simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the potatoes and cabbage, and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the beans and diced ham; simmer for about 10-15 more minutes.
- Discard the ham bone and bay leaf, season with salt, pepper, and cayenne, and then ladle into bowls to serve!
Serving Suggestions
A warm bowl of this cozy, easy ham bone soup goes well with any of these sides:
- House Salad with Candied Pecans, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, a Classic Caesar Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or a Wedge Salad
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Bacon and Chives, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
- Cast Iron Cornbread, Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Broccoli Cornbread, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Corn Sticks, or Broccoli Cornbread
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Bread or One-Bowl Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Cheddar Chive Beer Bread (No Yeast, No Knead) or Honey Beer Bread
- Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
- A loaf of crusty bread, such as Dutch Oven Bread, No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread, or French Baguette
Preparation and Storage
Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It’s a great make-ahead option for busy weeks.
How to Freeze
Allow the soup to cool to room temperature. Stored in an airtight container or in individual freezer bags, the soup will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating and enjoying.
How to Reheat
Place the soup in a pot and warm over a low flame, just until heated through. You can also microwave individual bowls for about 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- Slow Cooker Method: sauté the vegetables and garlic in olive oil, as instructed, then transfer them to a Crock Pot. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the beans and diced ham), cover, and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Add the beans and diced ham during the final hour of cooking. Discard the ham bone and bay leaf.
- If you prefer a dried bean soup that starts with soaking the beans, try this recipe.
- Instead of a ham bone, use smoked ham hocks or a ham shank.
- For extra veggies, add fresh spinach at the very end or kale when there’s about 10 minutes left so that it has time to wilt in the hot soup. You can also swap out the diced tomatoes and use green beans if you prefer.
- Use even more fresh herbs. In addition to thyme, try parsley, rosemary, chives, basil, or oregano.
- I used chicken broth, but vegetable broth will also work well.
- Leftover roast chicken would be great in this soup. Stir it in at the end, just like you would the ham.
- Spicy: add extra cayenne or garnish with crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
Tips for the Best Ham Bone Soup Recipe
- Some folks start with water rather than chicken broth; however, since this quick recipe doesn’t require simmering the ham bone for hours and hours, the water won’t be flavorful enough and the ham broth won’t be rich.
- Ham bones can be quite salty, so I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth or unsalted broth and seasoning with herbs or extra salt and pepper at the end.
- Puree or mash some of the beans (and veggies) to thicken the soup. You can use a potato masher, the back of a spoon, or an immersion blender.
- This dish just gets better as it sits in the fridge, so feel free to make a pot in advance and reheat the ham and bean soup the next day. It will have great flavor and a thicker texture!
More Ham and Bean Soup Recipes
Southern Black Eyed Pea Soup
10 hrs 45 mins
Split Pea Soup with Ham
1 hr 30 mins
Bean Soup {Stovetop + Slow Cooker}
10 hrs 45 mins
Southern Ham Bone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 ham bone (about 1 ½ lbs.)
- 1 bay leaf
- Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 8 cups low-sodium or unsalted chicken broth
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, not drained
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 8 ounces each)
- ½ head green cabbage, cored and shredded or finely sliced (about 8 cups)
- 2 (16 ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed (use navy beans, Great Northern beans, or cannellini beans, for instance)
- 1 lb. diced ham
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of cayenne pepper or hot sauce, to taste
- Optional garnish: splash of apple cider vinegar or squeeze of fresh lemon juice; additional hot sauce; chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley or thyme)
- Optional, for serving: cast iron cornbread
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, and celery. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the ham bone, bay leaf, thyme, chicken broth, and tomatoes. Add black pepper, to taste. Wait to salt the pot until later, since the ham bone can be salty and you might not need too much extra salt by the end.
- Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the potatoes and cabbage; simmer (covered) for about 30 more minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Stir in the beans and the diced ham. Simmer for about 10-15 more minutes, just until the beans and ham are heated through. Discard the ham bone and bay leaf. Taste and season with salt and cayenne pepper or hot sauce, if desired.
- Ladle into bowls, garnish with optional toppings, and serve!
Notes
-
- Some folks start with water rather than chicken broth; however, since this quick recipe doesn’t require simmering the ham bone for hours and hours, the water won’t be flavorful enough and the ham broth won’t be rich.
-
- Ham bones can be quite salty, so I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth or unsalted broth and seasoning with herbs or extra salt and pepper at the end.
-
- Puree or mash some of the beans (and veggies) to thicken the soup. You can use a potato masher, the back of a spoon, or an immersion blender.
-
- This dish just gets better as it sits in the fridge, so feel free to make a pot in advance and reheat the ham and bean soup the next day. It will have great flavor and a thicker texture!
- Slow Cooker Method: sauté the vegetables and garlic in olive oil, as instructed, then transfer them to a Crock Pot. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the beans and diced ham), cover, and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Add the beans and diced ham during the final hour of cooking. Discard the ham bone and bay leaf.
