This slow cooker ham bone soup is loaded with beans and veggies, it’s the absolute best way to use up leftover ham!
What are you making for Christmas this year? I’ve decided to make Cioppino, which is a crab and seafood stew, as well as a ham. Normally I’d just do one main course but 2/3 of my kids are not into seafood! One of my favorite ways to use up leftover ham is this hearty slow cooker ham bone soup. Putting the ham bone in the soup adds SO much flavor and really makes this recipe something special.
How to make ham bone soup
The crock pot does all the work for this soup! You’ll need a bag of mixed dried beans, some basic veggies like carrots and onions and of course your ham. I remove the meat from the bone and cube it to stir into the soup, then place the bone in the slow cooker to simmer away with the rest of the ingredients. I use a 15 bean soup, it comes with the dried beans and a little flavoring packet.
You don’t need to soak your beans for this soup, but you will need to rinse them. You may wonder why all the seasonings get added at the end of the cooking time. Salt can affect beans while they’re cooking by making them tough, which is why the seasoning goes in after the beans are already cooked.
The great thing about this ham bone soup is that you don’t necessarily need to make it the day after Christmas. I often just cut up some ham and freeze it, then freeze the ham bone in a separate bag and make this soup later on in the winter. Don’t have a ham bone? Check your grocery store meat counter for ham hocks, they’re very inexpensive and they make the perfect substitute for a holiday ham bone.
What’s your favorite way to use up holiday leftovers? I’ve got plenty of ideas with my 40 Leftover Ham Recipes and 40 Leftover Turkey Recipes posts!
More slow cooker favorites
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
- Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken
Ham Bone Soup Video
Ham Bone Soup (Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion peeled and chopped
- 3 carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
- 1 ham bone
- 1 20 ounce bag dried bean soup mix
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 cups diced ham
- 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the beans thoroughly; set aside the seasoning packet for later use.
- Place the onion, carrot, ham bone, beans, chicken broth, thyme and garlic in a slow cooker.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours, or until beans are done.
- Remove the ham bone from the slow cooker. Stir in the diced ham, tomatoes, seasoning packet and salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from Spend With Pennies.
- If you don't have a ham bone, you can make this soup using 2 ham hocks instead, they're carried at most grocery stores.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on December 18, 2016 and was updated December 6, 2017 with a new and improved recipe.
Paula Albano says
I just found out that the Honey Baked Ham store sells ham bones at the store in a freezer , they’re about $2.00 a pound but after Easter they had them 2 ham bones for $12
Sara says
Great tip thanks!!
Pam Nelson says
Hi,
I bought bean packet that does not have a seasoning package. What you’ll you recommend?
Pam
Sara says
That’s not a problem, just add salt and pepper to taste, along with 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder. If you have smoked paprika on hand, add 1/4 teaspoon of that too!