Before you throw out that leftover ham bone, use it in a delicious and hearty Ham Bone Soup your family will love.
Any time of year is the right time for this Ham Bone Soup recipe. You don’t need the holidays to serve ham, nor do you need to wait to have a leftover bone to make this soup. You can wrap your ham bones in freezer wrap and store them in the freezer for up to three months, then take them out and make a pot of soup whenever the mood hits you. You can also use ham hocks to make this soup.
Making a big pot of soup is always a good idea as you can freeze it in individual portions to be enjoyed whenever you want a steaming bowl of goodness. I often have a few quart containers of different soups in my freezer at any one time.
If you have a leftover turkey carcass, you can use that instead of the ham bone for a homemade turkey soup. You can also use the carcass from rotisserie chicken to make chicken bone soup.
Is Ham Bone Soup Healthy?
This soup is filled with vegetables, beans, and ham. It has no added fats and it even calls for low-sodium chicken broth. You get plenty of fiber, calcium, potassium, and vitamins without excess calories. Ham bone soup is filling, which can help you cut out the snacks. Best of all, it is a delicious and easy way to increase your protein intake. Just be aware that ham can contain a considerable sum of sodium, depending on how it’s cured. So you may want to check the labels and opt for a low-sodium version.
How to Save Time Using the Instant Pot
Cooking ham bone soup on the stove takes about two hours. You can save time by cooking it in an Instant Pot. The cooking time is approximately 45 minutes with a 40-minute pressure release. The question is, what are you gonna do with the 35 minutes you just saved?
INGREDIENTS
- 1 leftover ham bone
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dried navy beans, soaked overnight and drained
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups diced cooked ham
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
Simmer
Combine ingredients and simmer until beans are tender.
Shred
Remove ham bone, shred meat, and return to pot.
Serve
Add parsley, adjust seasoning, and serve hot.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
There are a few options for preparing this soup. First, you can do the prep work by cutting the vegetables the day before, especially since the beans have to soak overnight. That way, you will be ready to put everything into the pot the next day. You can also make the soup then store it for up to three days in the fridge or frozen for up to three months in airtight containers. Defrost your frozen soup overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Making this soup in the slow cooker works beautifully. You can set it in the morning and come home to a ready-to-eat dinner. You can also cook it overnight and wake up to the aroma of the simmering ham soup. Set your slow cooker to eight hours on LOW or four hours on HIGH.
Some of the most common additions to this soup include frozen corn or peas, potato chunks, diced canned tomatoes, white sweet potato chunks, and green beans. You can also add chopped kale or spinach for a vitamin boost. Cannellini, Great Northern, and white or red kidney beans are good alternatives to navy beans. You can also swap lentils in for the beans—just don’t soak them overnight. Add them when you put everything else in the pot.
Serving Suggestions
Serving bread or rolls alongside soup is always welcome. Ham bone soup goes so well with Easy Sweet Vegan Cornbread with Applesauce. This sweet, dense bread helps bring out the flavors in the soup and is perfect for dunking into the broth. Serve this light and tasty Banana Cream Pie for dessert, and sit back and receive the plaudits of your diners.
If you want to try a similar recipe, check out this one for Delicious Ham and Potato Soup. For a different take on soup, try this cool and refreshing Fruit Soup. It is not just pretty; it is delicious. (Oh, and you can add some prosecco or champagne for an adult-friendly version.)
Ham Bone Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 leftover ham bone
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup dried navy beans soaked overnight and drained
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups diced cooked ham
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
-
Place the soaked and drained navy beans, ham bone, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, and black pepper in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
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Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 1.5 hours or until the beans are tender.
-
Remove the ham bone from the pot. Shred any remaining meat off the bone and return the meat to the pot. Add the diced cooked ham and continue to simmer for about 30 minutes.
-
Stir in the chopped parsley just before serving. Adjust seasoning with salt and additional pepper if needed.
Nutrition
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