Southern Ham Bone Soup

An old-fashioned classic, this easy ham bone soup recipe with beans is a nourishing and satisfying supper that’s full of rich, smoky flavor!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword bean soup with ham bone, easy ham bone soup, ham bone soup, ham bone soup with beans, ham bone soup with canned beans

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 30

Servings cups

Calories 165kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

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

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!

- 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.