Homemade Ham Bone Soup
Homemade Ham Bone Soup – Use the leftovers from a whole ham to make a delicious homemade soup of ham stock and lots of veggies!
It’s getting to be that time of year when everyone starts to think of soups and stews. The leaves are just on the verge of turning. There’s even an occasional morning when the temperature is noticeably cooler and the air less humid.
Days like these make us all start wanting to settle in for cooler weather, don’t they? And one of the best things about cool weather is the change in menu. Now, I really, really enjoy all the fresh veggies and wonderful salads that are so great in hot weather, but I always look forward to changing gears a little bit when Fall comes around.
Of course, everyone has had chicken-vegetable soup, right? And, beef with vegetables, too. But have you ever had ham soup? That is, soup made with the broth cooked from a meaty leftover ham bone. If you never have, then please let me introduce you!
How to Make Homemade Ham Bone Soup
First and most importantly, this recipe makes a LOT of soup, so go find the largest pot you have in your kitchen. Really. You know the one that’s in the very back of the cabinet because you never use it but you know you’ll need it one day? Yes, that one. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Now, see the hambone in the picture up there? That was the leftovers from either Easter or Thanksgiving or maybe last Tuesday, I don’t remember. Whenever it was, I just threw that whole thing in a sturdy ziplog bag and tossed it in the freezer. Why? Because to me the soup from a leftover ham bone is way better than the ham was the first time around! It’s so homey, warm and satisfying. Perfect for any time of year. So, let’s get started.
This is by no means an exact recipe where you have to count out or measure every little ingredient. Just play with it! Use whatever you like best, but this is my basic recipe.
Place your ham bone in a large pot with enough water to come 1/2 to 3/4 up the hunk of meat (well, I don’t know what else to call it!). Bring it to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
At the end of the cooking time, this is what you’re going to have. A pot full of very tasty, very fragrant ham stock. Remove the bone from the stock and let it cool enough so that you can handle it. Then cut all the ham that you can off the bone and return it to the pot with the stock. You can throw away the actual bone now. It has done its duty; given up its essence to the soup pot.
Now, dice the onion and celery and add them to the pot. Add the diced canned tomatoes, lima beans (actually butter beans are better if you have them), potatoes, and corn. Add salt and pepper to taste. I used a good tablespoon of salt because that’s a huge pot of soup to season.
Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for approximately 1 hour or until the vegetables are tender.
p.s. – I would have put some frozen sliced okra in this for the last 30 minutes, but the pot was too full!
I like to serve this with some good garlic bread or corn muffins.
🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like
- Creole Beef and Okra Soup
- Peas and Greens Soup
- Black Bean and Ham Soup
- Vegetable Soup
- Spanish Rice and Chicken Soup
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Homemade Ham Bone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 meaty bone leftover from a large ham
- 1 large onion
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 29 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 1 pound frozen baby lima beans
- 2 potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place ham bone in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
- Remove the bone from the stock. Cut ham off the bone and return the ham to the pot with the stock. Dice the onion and celery and add them to the pot. Add diced tomatoes, lima beans, potatoes and corn. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for approximately 1 hour or until vegetables are tender.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
My mother used to make a soup in the summer when tomatoes, corn and okra were all ripe in the garden at the same time. I THINK that was all that was in the soup – no meat or oil at all. It tasted so fresh – like summer in a bowl. Can you tell me anything about this recipe? Did you ever have it? Thanks!
Sounds like a really tasty vegetable soup, Sharon. Soup recipes are so easy to just “wing it.” I’d start with a flavorful chicken broth and add any fresh vegetables available. Season well with onion, salt, pepper. Great way to use up your leftovers.
I make something like this I use hominy instead of potatoes
One generous pot of ham stock quickly became two heaping dutch ovens of soup once the veggies were added. I followed the recipe but allowed some room for fresh cut carrots and frozen cut green beans. It’s a wonderful soup. This is Ham Stew to my family.
I can’t wait to try this!!! Well at least until this comment is done…off to raid the vegetable garden…How did you know I grow all that?
This reminds me of my grandmother’s lima bean soup! So delicious!
Every year at Thanksgiving, Christmas or anytime we have a ham bone, there is a fight over who is taking home the ham bone just to make this soup! It’s awesome!!
Thanks, Morgan. We love it. I never throw away a ham bone. It’s either made into soup right away or stashed in the freezer for later.
I’ve made this soup twice now and it’s always so delicious. I add a few more veggies, here and there. I also let it simmer for nearly 3 hours. I find this makes everything so silky and tasty, especially the lima beans and potatoes.
I find this makes enough soup for at *LEAST* three nights for our family of 5 and nobody gets sick of the leftovers. Thank you so much for the recipe.
I made ham bone soup yesterday. You are right. It makes a LOT of soup. Now, I am looking for recipients! Hey, it ‘s an easy way to keep friends happy.
Miss P
My Mom and Grandma used to make ham bone soup and now I also make it at least once every fall. You’re right… it is the perfect soup to welcome in the cool Autumn weather. Root vegetables from the garden are being harvested now, and they go perfectly with this ham bone stock. We actually used to call this soup “Boiled Dinner”… don’t ask me why. ;) It included cabbage, rhutabaga, potatoes, and carrots, along with the onion and celery. I think a lot more people will think twice about throwing out that ham bone once they get a look at that beautiful picture you have of the stock a ham bone makes! Thanks for this wonderful reminder of just how gorgeous Ham Bone Soup can be.
This looks so comforting!
This is always the very best served the next day. Allowing one day for the flavors to develop just does wonders. And, corn muffins on the side are the only way to go.
Now, if the temperature here would just dip below 90………
Miss P
We love soup like this! I especially love to add cabbage. :-)
Cabbage would be a great addition!
Tasty lookin’ soup. I guess I know what to do with the left over ham bone I always have from Thanksgiving. Sweet!!
This looks like such a hearty, flavorful soup. I’m so glad that I now I have a soup to make, other than split pea, with leftover ham bones.
So glad I could help you with those leftovers!
This is a perfect soup for the cooling temps with autumn just around the corner.
Thanks, Chef Ryan! We really like this soup and it’s my favorite for under-the-weather days instead of chicken noodle.