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Satisfying ham and veggie soup uses your leftover ham bone and comes together in less than 30 minutes! Make this recipe ahead of time and freeze with great results. No ham bone? Use chunks of ham to make this veggie-packed fall favorite.
Ham bone soup is the perfect way to warm up in winter with lots of veggies and savory broth. This soup is just as good in the summertime too when you are craving a delicious and easy to fix meal! Be sure to save your ham bone anytime you have a ham dinner or special occasion such as Easter or Christmas. When you taste this ham bone soup, you are convinced it took hours to prepare but, in reality, you can have it on the table in about 30 minutes!
What is ham bone soup?
Ham bone soup uses your leftover ham bone to flavor soup. Ham usually contains extra sodium, so the liquid used to make the soup will soak up all this delicious seasoning. Add in your favorite soup veggies to create a quick and delicious homemade soup. Makes a great potluck dish or family meal.
Why this recipe works:
- Uses leftovers from your holiday meal to make an economical meal full of veggies.
- Uses ketchup for a touch of sweetness.
- The hambone will season the soup in under 30 minutes making this a great weeknight meal idea.
- Recipe can be made in advance and reheated the next day. (It’s even better!)
The ingredients for ham bone soup:
- Save the hambone from your holiday ham. Sometimes this bone is a joint-use one part for the soup and freeze the other bone for later.
- Use both canned and fresh veggies. Since this soup will be slightly higher in sodium, try to use lower sodium canned veggies if desired.
- Use water as the base rather than chicken broth which contains too much sodium. Add in a few seasonings and you are done!
Easy step by step method to make ham bone soup
- Step 1. Start with a ham bone and place in a large pot and cover with water. The size of your pot will be determined by how large the ham bone is.
- Step 2. Next add in tomatoes, carrots and seasonings and cook until carrots are tender.
- Step 3. Add remaining veggies and simmer a few more minutes to combine flavors.
Expert tips for making Ham Bone Soup:
- If you decide to make soup later, just freeze your ham bone. It will thaw just fine when you simmer your soup.
- If your ham bone has lots of ham still left on it, cut this ham up into chunks to disperse in the soup.
- Use lower sodium canned veggies if desired. The soup bone will add enough flavor to the soup.
- Make this soup low carb by using non starchy veggies like carrots, green beans, celery, peppers, cabbage, etc.
Frequently asked questions:
- Can a person with diabetes eat ham bone soup? Ham bone soup contains about 33gm carb per serving. This amount of carbs can be decreased, if desired, by leaving out the corn and limas and replacing it with a lower carb veggie like celery or more tomatoes and green beans. Check out my list of 25 “free food” veggies to help you stay full for more ideas about lower carb veggies you can include in this recipe.
- Can you freeze ham bone soup? Yes! Perfect for a quick meal later.
- Can you make ham bone soup the day before? Actually, this soup is even better made the day before, so yes!
- What can I use if I don’t have a ham bone? Many grocery stores sell ham chunks which may be used in place of the ham bone. A small amount will go a long way as ham chunks are usually high sodium.
(This recipe updated with step by step instructions and all new content October 2019.)
Hope you enjoy this Ham Bone Soup recipe! Be sure to check out these other favorites:
Top 10 Comfort Foods Made Diabetes Friendly
Skillet Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
Did you make this recipe? Please leave your comment and star rating below!
Ham Bone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ham bone, leftover, or ham chunks
- 29 oz stewed tomatoes
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 14.5 oz green beans
- 11 oz corn
- 15.25 oz lima beans
Instructions
- Place ham bone in a large pot and add about 6-8 cups water (enough to cover bone). Add tomatoes, carrots, ketchup, worcestershire sauce and thyme to pot. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes.
- Add remaining veggies to pot. Taste broth and adjust seasonings as desired. Simmer another 10-15 minutes to combine flavors.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve later.
Notes
- If you decide to make soup later, just freeze your ham bone. It will thaw just fine when you simmer your soup.
- If your ham bone has lots of ham still left on it, cut this ham up into chunks to disperse in the soup.
- Use lower sodium canned veggies if desired. The soup bone will add enough flavor to the soup.
- Make this soup low carb by using non starchy veggies like carrots, green beans, celery, peppers, cabbage, etc.
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