Ham Bone Soup
If you saved that ham bone from your holiday ham, this is the perfect recipe to make with it! You can make it on the stove or in the crockpot! Enjoy!
If you saved that ham bone from your holiday ham, Ham Bone Soup is the soul-warming, leftover-genius dinner you make on the day after Christmas or Easter. A simmered broth flavored by the bone, full of tender ham, white beans, potatoes, carrots, celery, and aromatics. Served with a hunk of warm cornbread, this is the kind of comfort food that turns leftovers into something genuinely better than the original meal.
I love this recipe because it honors the holiday ham twice. First as the main course, second as the star of this incredible soup. The ham bone, even after the meat is mostly carved off, has so much flavor still locked inside. Simmering it in broth for hours releases all that savory, smoky, salty depth into the liquid, creating a stock you cannot replicate any other way.
This recipe works on the stove OR in the crockpot, so you can pick whichever fits your day. Stove gives you a 2-hour cook with more control. Crockpot is set-and-forget for 8 hours. Either way, the bone does the heavy lifting while you go live your life. The white beans add creamy heft, the potatoes catch the broth, and the carrots and celery round out classic soup vegetables.
Serve in deep bowls with a side of fresh cornbread (the recipe makes this part too with a box of cornbread mix). The cornbread is non-negotiable, it is the perfect partner for soaking up the salty-savory broth. Leftover soup actually tastes better on day 2 and 3 as everything melds. Make a giant pot, eat for days, and feel smug about turning trash into treasure. Let's make it.
📝 Ingredients
- 1 leftover ham bone (with meat still on it)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 oz) can white beans (navy or great northern), drained and rinsed
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth (enough to cover the bone)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- 1 lb diced potatoes
- 1 box cornbread mix (to serve on the side)
👩🍳 Directions
- 1
Heat EVOO in a large pot over medium-high heat
- 2
Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic — cook until softened
- 3
Stir in Italian seasoning, bay leaves, pepper, and a pinch of salt
- 4
Add ham bone, pour in broth, and scatter potatoes and beans around it
- 5
Cover, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally
- 6
Remove ham bone, shred off any remaining meat, and return meat to the pot
- 7
Taste and adjust seasoning
- 8
Serve warm with cornbread
- 9
Crockpot Method:
- 10
Add all ingredients to the crockpot
- 11
Cook on low for 8 hours
- 12
Remove the ham bone, shred off remaining meat, and stir it back in. Remove bay leaves.
- 13
Taste and adjust seasoning before serving
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Ham bone: One leftover ham bone with some meat still on it. The bone is the soul of the soup. Smoked ham hocks are a great substitute.
Onion, carrots, celery: Classic mirepoix aromatics. One large onion, 3 carrots sliced, 3 celery stalks sliced. The savory base of the soup.
Garlic: 3 cloves minced for depth.
White beans: One 15-ounce can of navy beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed.
Chicken or vegetable broth: 8 cups, enough to cover the bone. Use low-sodium since the ham bone brings plenty of salt.
Diced potatoes: 1 pound. Yellow or red potatoes (waxy) hold their shape best. About 4 medium potatoes.
Bay leaves: 2 leaves for aromatic depth. Remove before serving.
Italian seasoning: 1 tablespoon. A pre-blended mix of herbs for savory depth.
Salt and pepper: To taste. Wait until the soup is done before adjusting salt, the ham bone is unpredictable.
Cornbread mix: One box for serving on the side. Jiffy or homemade. Non-negotiable for soaking up the broth.
How to Store, Reheat & Freeze
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Flavor genuinely improves on day 2 and 3 as everything melds. Reheat gently on the stove over medium heat, adding a splash of broth or water if the soup thickened too much.
To freeze, cool completely and portion into freezer-safe containers or bags. Freezes for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stove. The potatoes may soften slightly after freezing but the flavor stays incredible.
What to Serve With Ham Bone Soup
Cornbread on the side is essential. A slice of buttered cornbread crumbled into the broth is iconic Southern. A simple green salad with vinaigrette balances the heartiness. Crusty French bread, dinner rolls, or sourdough also work for sopping up broth. For drinks, sweet tea, iced tea, or a glass of crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio pair beautifully. Perfect for the day after a holiday ham, cold-weather Sundays, or any time you want a meal that warms you from the inside.
💡 Tips for Success
- Save that ham bone from your holiday ham. Wrap it tight and freeze if you are not using it within 2 days. It keeps in the freezer for up to 3 months with all its flavor intact.
- Use a bone with some meat still on it. The bone provides the flavor, but the leftover meat is what gives you tender ham chunks throughout the soup. About a cup of ham meat is the sweet spot.
- Saute the aromatics (onion, carrots, celery, garlic) FIRST before adding the broth. This builds layers of flavor that you cannot get by just dumping everything in.
- Drain and rinse the white beans before adding. The starchy canning liquid can make the soup gummy.
- Use enough broth to cover the bone completely. About 8 cups is usually right for a typical bone. Add more water if needed during cooking.
- Simmer gently, do not boil hard. Hard boiling makes the broth cloudy and tough. A gentle simmer keeps everything clear and tender.
- Remove the bone before serving and shred off any remaining meat back into the pot. The bone has done its job by then. Discard or save for stock making.
- Remove the bay leaves before serving. They are flavor not food.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What if I do not have a ham bone?
Use 2 cups of diced ham (deli ham, smoked ham steaks, or leftover ham) plus 2 tablespoons of bacon grease or smoked paprika for that smoky depth. Not quite the same as a real bone but very close.
Can I use a smoked ham hock?
Absolutely. Smoked ham hocks give an even deeper, smokier flavor than a leftover ham bone. Use 2 hocks for the same effect.
Crockpot or stove, which is better?
Both produce excellent results. Crockpot is hands-off (low for 8 hours) and convenient for busy days. Stove (1.5 to 2 hours) is faster and gives you a little more control. Pick based on your schedule.
Can I add other vegetables?
Yes. Diced tomatoes, frozen peas, corn, kale, or collard greens all work great. Add quick-cooking veg in the last 30 minutes of stove cook or the last hour of crockpot.
Why white beans specifically?
Navy beans or great northern beans hold their shape during long simmering and complement the salty ham beautifully. Cannellini beans also work great. Avoid soft beans like black beans or chickpeas, they break down too much.
How long does it keep?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Soup actually tastes better on day 2 and 3 as everything melds. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth if needed.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cool completely and portion into freezer-safe containers. Freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The potatoes may soften slightly but the flavor stays incredible.
Made this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @holleyinthekitchen — I'd love to see it!