Leftover Ham Bone Soup

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Leftover Ham Bone Soup is a hearty, savory, satisfying soup that uses up what you’ve got for leftovers! Flavored with garlic, onion, fresh herbs, and bay leaves, nothing needs to go to waste! {Gluten-Free}

Spiriteds, do you ever set your sights on a savory dish that produces a LOT OF SERVINGS only to shy away because WHAT WILL YOU EVER DO WITH ALL THOSE LEFTOVERS? Well, this is usually me. I WANT to roast a whole chicken or an entire turkey. Or a ham. But only four people live in my house. So what do we do with all the extras? Well, when it comes to ham leftovers, we make this Leftover Ham Bone Soup. Everyone ends up happy, nothing goes to waste, and we have meals covered for days.

And because I work from leftovers from a Savory Ham (Bone-In), I strive to keep this recipe as uncomplicated as possible.

Umm, Morgan, that ingredient list looks loooong. 

Okay, fair. Much of it is a guide, to be honest. Some chefs like to work with measurable quantities while others throw everything together, willy nilly, and call it done. The shortened version reads something like:

Ham, ham bone, broth or water, pan drippings, beans, vegetables, and herbs. Bay leaves, if you’re feeling fancy. WHICH WE ARE! Feeling fancy, that is. Because while this recipe is all about leftovers, whatever is in your crisper drawer, and water, there is something so satisfying about using up what you’ve got. It’s its own kind of a fancy.

Oh, and it’s all made in a slow cooker, so set it and forget it. Now let’s get our leftovers on! Because this Leftover Ham Bone Soup is just waiting to be made!

Ham Bone Soup ingredients

This recipe works best if you are working with leftovers from a whole ham recipe such as Savory Ham (Bone-In).

• Chopped ham. About two cups, but feel free to add more or less, as desired.
• Ham bone. I use the bone from our Savory Ham (Bone-In) recipe. It’s flavorful and fits easily in a slow cooker.
• Broth or water. I’m not picky about the broth I use. It’s whatever I have on hand. And if there isn’t any on hand, then water it is! You can definitely make a delicious, savory soup with just water. Ask my mother-in-law! Her soups, water- or broth-based, are THE BEST.
• Beans. If you have a favorite bean you like to use in soups, then go for it here. We use Great Northern beans.
• Vegetables. Carrots, corn, celery, and cauliflower taste so good in this soup. I add the cauliflower towards the end of the slow cooking time so it doesn’t turn too mushy.
• Garlic and onion. I pull these from the Savory Ham (Bone-In) pan drippings and add them to this soup.
• Fresh herbs. I’m partial to sage, thyme, and rosemary. But you can add other herbs, too, if there are others you like.
• Bay leaves. I add about 2-3.
• Optional: Pan drippings from a whole ham. If you have any pan drippings, then definitely add them here. You can count them towards the 6-7 cups of broth, and then use broth or water to make up the difference. If you are making this recipe long after your pan drippings are gone, then omit.

How to make Ham Bone Soup  

1. Add the chopped ham, ham bone, beans, broth, carrots, corn, celery, garlic, onion, garlic, fresh herbs, bay leaves, and pan drippings (if available) to a slow cooker. Cover and cook for 6 hours.
2. With about 1-2 hours cook time remaining, add the cauliflower.
3. Once the cook time is complete, carefully remove the ham bone, bay leaves, and herb stems.
4. Serve the soup immediately and refrigerate leftovers for about 1-2 days.

Recipe side notes

• This recipe builds off Savory Ham (Bone-In), including the chopped ham, ham bone, pan drippings, and roasted onion and garlic. If you have another whole ham bone-in recipe you like, then go with that one and keep as many of the leftovers as possible. Yes, including all the deliciousness that collects in the roasting pan!
• If you don’t have onions and garlic from a whole ham recipe, then sauté one onion and 3-4 garlic cloves in a dollop of coconut oil and sea salt until the onion is translucent and the garlic is browned but not burned. Then transfer them to the slow cooker.
• If you’d like a thicker soup, then add more chopped ham and/or another can of beans.
• While I normally add salt to my savory dishes, I am cautious with this one. The ham is often already salted enough that more isn’t needed in this soup. Add as desired.
• If you don’t have exact amounts of the vegetables listed, then that’s absolutely okay! Use what you DO have. The secret to this recipe is to keep it simple. A little of this and a little of that, and you’ll be in business!!!!
• In place of cauliflower, you can add a few russet potatoes. Unlike the cauliflower, they will need to be added at the start of the cook time.

More delicious soup recipes!

Savory soups are one of my favorite-est dinner categories EVER. And if you are all about Leftover Ham Bone Soup, then you can’t go wrong with any of these! Tuck them away for future reference!

• Leftover Turkey Soup
• Easy Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
• Paleo Country-Style Chicken Stew
• Simple Beef Stew

Spiriteds, stay well and stay wild. I’m so glad you’re here! ❤️

Leftover Ham Bone Soup

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Leftover Ham Bone Soup is a hearty, savory, satisfying soup that uses up what you’ve got for leftovers! Flavored with garlic, onion, fresh herbs, and bay leaves, nothing needs to go to waste! {Gluten-Free}

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 6 hours
• Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
• Category: Soups and Stews
• Method: Slow Cooker
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups chopped ham
• 1 ham bone
• 6–7 cups broth
• 1 can beans (Great North, navy, or other as desired)
• 2 cups corn
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 1 cup baby carrots, chopped
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• 3–4 bay leaves
• Several sprigs fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage leaves
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• Optional: Pan drippings from Savory Ham (Bone-In)

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Instructions

1. Add the chopped ham, ham bone, beans, broth, carrots, corn, celery, garlic, onion, garlic, fresh herbs, bay leaves, and pan drippings (if available) to a slow cooker. Cover and cook for 6 hours.
2. With about 1-2 hours cook time remaining, add the cauliflower.
3. Once the cook time is complete, carefully remove the ham bone, bay leaves, and herb stems.
4. Serve the soup immediately and refrigerate leftovers for about 1-2 days.

Notes

• We used Savory Ham (Bone-In) as the base for this recipe. If you do have pan drippings, then you can count those towards the 6-7 cups of broth or water.
• If you do not have onion and garlic from a whole ham, then slice an onion in half and sauté it in a dollop of coconut oil and sea salt, along with 4 cloves garlic. Once the onion is translucent and the garlic is browned but not burned, transfer them to the slow cooker.
• For a thicker soup, add more ham and/or another can of beans.
• If you don’t have exact amounts of vegetables listed, then that’s okay! Use up what you do have!
• In place of cauliflower you can add a russet potato or two. If using potatoes, then add them at the start of the cook time.