Ham Bone Soup

The flavor of our Ham Bone Soup is comforting, delicious, and a great way to warm up on a cold winter night. It blends savory ham, tender vegetables, and creamy beans into a satisfying bowl of soup.

 

 

Did you make a spiral ham recently? I hope you saved the bone with large bits of ham stuck to it.

Using that leftover bone is the best way to make this ham bone soup.

While you can get a ham bone at your local grocery store, sometimes they are stripped and don’t have any leftover meat. 

The best way to make ham soup is after cooking a holiday meal or feast dinner so you have a large bone with plenty of meat to flavor the dish.

If this is your first time using a ham bone, you are going to love it. It makes such a cozy soup and is really so easy to do that even brand new cooks can make a soup with tons of flavor.

I enjoy this as a standalone meal, but you can pair ham and kale soup with your favorite crusty bread or salad for a complete meal.

The next time you have a leftover hambone and a chilly evening, a large bowl of this soup is the perfect way to wrap you in a blanket of coziness with every spoonful.

 

 

What Ingredients are in Ham Bone Soup?

• Ham Bone: Adds depth of flavor and richness to the ham bone recipe.
• Bacon: Provides a smoky undertone and crispy texture in the ham bone bean soup recipe.
• Onions: provides the savory base to the bean soup with ham bone broth 
• Carrots: Offer sweetness and earthiness to the soup base.
• Great Northern Beans: these white beans bring creaminess and protein to the dish, and canned beans are so easy.
• Kale: Adds a pop of color, texture, and nutrients.
• Water: Forms the base of the ham bone and bean soup broth.
• Salt: Enhances flavors and balances the ham bone soup with beans.

Pro Tip: Use a meaty ham hock for the most flavorful broth. If your leftover ham bone is stripped, plan on adding extra ham to the soup.

 

 

How to Make Ham Bone Soup:

1. Cook bacon until crispy; reserve for garnish.
2. Sauté onions and carrots in bacon grease over medium heat until softened.
3. Add ham bone and water; simmer covered for an hour.
4. Remove bone; puree ham bone broth and return bone and ham broth to pot.
5. Add beans; cook, then add kale.
6. Discard bone; shred meat and return to soup.
7. Serve hot, garnished with crumbled bacon.

Pro Tips:

• Pureeing the broth thickens the broth of the soup.
• Allow flavors to meld by simmering slowly.

 

 

Can I Make Ham Bone Soup Ahead of Time?

Yes you can make hearty bone soup ahead of time.

Prepare the soup in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.

How to Store Ham Bone Soup:

Store leftover bean soup with ham bone in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Make sure the leftover soup cools completely before refrigerating to maintain freshness.

 

 

Can I Freeze Ham Bone Soup for Later:

Yes, you can freeze this ham bone soup recipe for later!

Freeze cooled soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

What Do You Do with the Bone After Cooking Ham Bone Soup?

After cooking ham bone and bean soup, the bone has been used.

Dispose of it responsibly, as it has served its purpose in flavoring the soup.

 

 

What to Serve with Ham Bone Soup:

Serve ham bone bean soup with your favorite crusty bread. I also like it with a side salad or roasted vegetables.

Where to Get a Bone for Ham Bone Soup:

The best place to get a bone for soup with ham bone is a leftover bone from a holiday dinner bone-in ham.

You can also get a meaty ham bone from your local butcher.

Pro Tip: Anytime you cook a ham shank, save the bone. Even if you don’t make the soup that day, put it in a freezer bag to save for later use. 

 

 

How long can you keep a ham bone for Ham Bone Soup?

You can keep a ham bone for ham and kale soup in the fridge for about 3 days.

It will stay in the freezer for 3 months, or a deep freezer for 1 year.

I have frozen a leftover Christmas ham bone on December 25 and made the soup March 15, and it was perfectly delicious.

Is Ham Bone Soup Healthy?

Yes, Ham, kale and bean Soup is healthy.

It is packed with protein, fiber, and essential nutrients from vegetables, making it a nourishing option for a balanced diet.

 

 

Is Ham Bone Soup Gluten-Free?

Yes, this ham bacon soup recipe is gluten-free.

There are no wheat-based ingredients, and since you are making your own ham stock, there are no prepackaged ingredients to worry about.

This delicious soup is one of my favorite ways to use leftover holiday ham bones.

This great recipe makes a large pot of ham bone soup which is perfect for chilly days when you need a hearty soup.

What to Serve with Ham Bone Soup?

• Potato Leek and Bacon Bake
• Sriracha Meatballs
• Beet Arugula Goat Cheese Salad
• Apple Parsnip Salad
• Simple Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Power Greens Salad

 

Additional Soups You’ll Love…

• Butternut Squash Soup with Cream Cheese
• Lentil Noodle Soup
• Seafood Bisque Recipe
• Colorado Green Chili Pork
• Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
• Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
• White Corn Chicken Chili
• Peach Gazpacho
• Creamy Pumpkin Soup

 

Originally Posted: April 13, 2015

Photos & Text Updated October 14, 2024

 

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