Ham Bone Soup
This ham bone soup recipe turns a leftover ham bone into a hearty, smoky soup with white beans, Yukon Gold potatoes, and a rich, silky broth that feeds eight.
Equipment
- Large stockpot or Dutch oven - At least 6 quarts / 5.7 L
- Chef's knife - For dicing vegetables and cutting meat off the bone
- Cutting board - Sturdy wooden or plastic
- Soup Ladle - For serving
- Large spoon or skimmer - For removing foam during the first simmer
- Tongs - For lifting the hot bone out of the pot
- Mixing bowl - To hold the shredded meat while you discard the bone
Ingredients
- 1 meaty ham bone - leftover from a baked or spiral ham, about 1.5 to 2 lbs / 680 to 900 g with meat still attached
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - 30 ml
- 1 large yellow onion - about 1½ cups / 160 g, diced
- 3 medium carrots - about 1½ cups / 180 g, peeled and sliced
- 3 stalks celery - about 1 cup / 120 g, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth - 1.9 L
- 1 can diced tomatoes - 14.5 oz / 411 g, with juice
- 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes - about 1 lb / 450 g, peeled and diced
- 2 cans great northern beans - 15 oz / 425 g each, drained and rinsed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt - add at the end, taste first, the ham is already salty
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley - chopped, for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika - optional
- pinch red pepper flakes - optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook 6–7 minutes until onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Nestle the ham bone into the pot. Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes with juice. Add bay leaves, thyme, and black pepper. Do not add salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
- Simmer gently, partly covered, for 1 hour. During the first 15 minutes, skim off any foam or scum that rises to the surface.
- Lift the ham bone out with tongs and let cool slightly. Pull or cut the meat from the bone into bite-sized pieces. Return meat to the pot and discard the bone, fat, and gristle.
- Stir in diced potatoes and simmer 20–25 minutes until fork-tender. Add drained beans and optional smoked paprika; simmer 10 more minutes.
- Remove bay leaves. Taste broth and add salt only if needed. Stir in parsley and red pepper flakes if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Notes
- Salt at the very end, never at the start. Cured ham bones release a lot of salt as they simmer, so starting with low-sodium broth and waiting to taste prevents an overly salty pot.
- Use Yukon Gold over russet potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape through the long simmer, while russets tend to break down and cloud the broth.
- Freeze the bone for later. Wrap the leftover bone tightly and freeze for up to 3 months so you can make this soup weeks after the holiday.
- Skim early. Skimming the foam that rises in the first fifteen minutes keeps the finished broth clear instead of murky.
- Simmer low, not hard. A gentle bubble draws out flavor without boiling the broth down too fast or turning the vegetables to mush.
- Let it rest. This soup tastes noticeably better after a night in the fridge, once the smoky flavor has time to spread through everything.
- Cut the meat small. Bite-sized pieces of ham spread through the pot so every spoonful gets some.
- No-bean version: Skip the beans and double the potatoes for a lighter, more brothy soup.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Add a splash of broth or water when reheating if the soup has thickened.
- Slow cooker method: Sauté vegetables first, then add everything except potatoes and beans to the slow cooker. Cook on low 6–7 hours, then remove bone, add potatoes and beans, and cook 1 more hour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 19gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 720mgFiber: 8gSugar: 4g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!