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Ham Bone Soup Recipe

Ham Bone Soup

iamwinfred
This Ham Bone Soup turns a leftover holiday ham bone into a rich, smoky, and deeply satisfying pot of comfort. Simmered low and slow with navy beans, potatoes, and plenty of vegetables, it tastes like it took all day even though most of the work is hands-off. It is budget friendly, freezer friendly, and the perfect way to stretch one more meal out of your holiday ham.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 290 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or heavy stockpot A heavy pot is really the only thing that makes a noticeable difference here
  • Cutting board and a sharp chef's knife
  • Wooden spoon
  • Ladle
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Colander For draining and rinsing the dried beans
  • Slow cooker (optional) If you prefer the low and slow hands off method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 meaty leftover ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks if you do not have a bone on hand
  • 1 pound dried navy beans 454g, rinsed and sorted
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 30ml
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 large carrots peeled and diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 bay leaves divided
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 cups water 1.9L, or a mix of water and low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 medium russet potatoes peeled and diced
  • 2 to 3 cups diced leftover ham
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh parsley chopped, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Place the dried navy beans in a large bowl and cover them with several inches of cool water. Let them soak on the counter for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
  • If you are short on time, use the quick soak method instead: boil the beans in water for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and let them sit, covered, for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the soaked beans before using them in the recipe, and set them aside.
  • Place the ham bone in your Dutch oven or stockpot and add the 8 cups of water or water and broth mixture. Add one of the bay leaves and bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium high heat.
  • Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour so the bone releases its flavor into the liquid. Remove the ham bone from the pot and set it on a plate to cool slightly, but keep the broth in the pot.
  • While the bone simmers, or right after you remove it, push the broth to one side or ladle it into a separate bowl temporarily. Heat the olive oil in the same pot over medium heat.
  • Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  • Pour the reserved ham broth back into the pot with the sautéed vegetables. Add the drained, soaked navy beans, the remaining bay leaf, dried thyme, and black pepper.
  • Bring the soup back up to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 60 to 75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender. Check the beans for doneness around the 60 minute mark, since older dried beans can take longer to soften.
  • While the broth simmers, remove any remaining meat from the cooled ham bone and shred or chop it into bite sized pieces. Once the beans are almost tender, stir the diced potatoes into the pot.
  • Continue simmering, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Stir in the shredded ham from the bone along with the extra diced leftover ham, and heat through for about 5 minutes.
  • Discard both bay leaves from the pot. Taste the soup and add salt as needed, keeping in mind that ham can already be quite salty. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top with freshly chopped parsley.
  • Serve immediately while warm, with crusty bread or cornbread on the side.

Notes

  • Simmer the broth gently rather than boiling hard, since a rolling boil can make it cloudy.
  • Taste before adding salt, because ham bones vary a lot in how salty they are.
  • Soak the beans ahead of time so they cook through evenly with the rest of the soup.
  • Skim any foam that rises to the top during the first simmer for a cleaner tasting broth.
  • Let the soup rest for 10 minutes off the heat before serving so the flavors settle.
  • Swap the navy beans for great northern beans or cannellini beans.
  • Add a can of diced tomatoes for a slightly brighter, tangier broth.
  • Stir in chopped kale or spinach during the last 5 minutes for extra greens.
  • Use split peas instead of navy beans for a thicker, creamier texture.
  • Add a small pasta shape like ditalini for a heartier, more filling bowl.
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
  • Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout. Add a splash of water or broth when reheating, since the soup thickens as it sits.
  • If you plan to freeze most of the batch, consider leaving the potatoes out and adding fresh ones when you reheat it, as potatoes sometimes turn a little grainy after freezing and thawing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5CupCalories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 20gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 740mgPotassium: 700mgFiber: 9gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 15mg
Keyword easy soup recipe, ham and bean soup, ham bone soup, leftover ham bone recipe, navy bean soup
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