This slow cooker ham bone soup recipe is loaded with beans and veggies in a rich, savory broth. It’s the absolute best way to use up leftover ham!
I always make extra ham around the holidays so I have plenty of leftovers on hand to make soup recipes such as ham and beans, ham and potato soup, ham and corn chowder and this hearty ham bone soup.
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 honey glazed 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 leftover ham bone in the crock pot adds SO much flavor and really makes this recipe something special.
Table of Contents
Ham Bone Soup Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need onion, carrots, a ham bone, a bag of dried bean soup mix, chicken broth, thyme, garlic, ham, a can of tomatoes, parsley, salt and black pepper.
How Do You Make Ham Bone Soup?
Rinse the beans, then reserve the seasoning packet in the bag for later use. Place the onion, carrots, ham bone, beans, chicken broth, thyme and garlic in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, until the beans are tender. Stir in the ham, tomatoes, seasoning packet and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes, then sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve up a hot steamy bowl of soup.
Tips For The Perfect Soup
- It’s important to use low sodium broth because ham tends to be quite salty, and you don’t want to end up with too much salt in your soup.
- You don’t need to soak your beans for this soup, but you will need to rinse them.
- You may wonder why most of the seasonings get added at the end of the cooking time. Salt and acidity can affect beans while they’re cooking by making them tough, which is why the seasoning goes in after the beans are already cooked.
- Any type of mixed dried beans will work. I typically use a bag of 15 bean soup which comes with a seasoning packet. If you don’t have a seasoning packet in your bag of beans, you can simply skip that step in the recipe and it will still be delicious.
- 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.
Quick Tip
Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for 2 months. Store the soup in an airtight container for best results.
Recipe FAQs
Is it very common to simmer a ham bone with vegetables and broth to make different types of soup. Some popular options include creamy ham chowder, ham and potato soup, ham and white bean soup or split pea soup.
A ham bone will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3 days, or you can freeze it for 3 months. You do not need to thaw a frozen ham bone before you add it to soup.
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Flavor Variations
While this soup is delicious as is, you can easily customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein: You can also make this soup with leftover turkey by using some or all of a turkey carcass and diced turkey.
- Beans: Instead of a bean mix, try a single variety of beans such as navy beans, great northern beans, cannellini beans, red beans, chickpeas or black eyed peas.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add some other veggies towards the end of the cooking time, such as mushrooms, sweet potatoes, celery, spinach, kale or green beans.
What’s your favorite way to use up leftover holiday ham or turkey? I’ve got plenty of ideas with my Leftover Ham Recipes and Leftover Turkey Recipes posts!
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Chicken Tortellini Soup (Slow Cooker)
4 hrs 10 mins
Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
4 hrs 10 mins
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
3 hrs 10 mins
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
6 hrs 15 mins
Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken
4 hrs 15 mins
Ham Bone Soup Video
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
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
- It’s important to uselow sodium broth because ham tends to be quite salty, and you don’t want to end up with too much salt in your soup.
- You don’t need to soak your beans for this soup, but you will need to rinse them.
- Any type of mixed dried beans will work. I typically use a bag of 15 bean soup which comes with a seasoning packet. If you don’t have a seasoning packet in your bag of beans, you can simply skip that step in the recipe and it will still be delicious.
Do you soak the beans overnight before putting them thin the crockpot?
They do not need to be soaked, just rinsed!
My first time using the ham bone. I was so pleased with how good this came out!
You deleted the celery from your ham and bean soup recipe when you added the ham bone. Just curious why. Can I keep the celery?
Celery is fine to add!
Hi! Happy NewYear! Do I need to soak my bag of beans overnight or just rinse them well?
Just rinse them!
Wonderful Soup. I know it says 6 servings at 412 calories each but can you tell me how many cups you are calculating for a serving?
It’s 1 1/2 cups!
This recipe has so much flavor! I made it with beans from The Women’s Bean Project and used chicken broth and bone broth for added protein.
I’ve had my Ham bone and water in the crock pot for 8 plus hours and have great broth……could I use it instead of chicken broth in the soup or would that be too rich? Thank you!!
That should be fine, it will be saltier so you may want to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe.
Thank you!!
Instead of dry beans , can i use a variety of can beans but just put them in the Crockpot the last hour?
That should be fine!
Made this ham bone and bean in crockpot. Awsome.
Will make many more times.
Thanks
Yeah this made a huge pot of delicious beans! Put a little grated cheese on top! Yum
Delicious
Csn i use northern beans
That should work!
This is the best recipe!, however I put everything in a Dutch oven pot on the stove for a couple hours to let it come to a good simmer, removed the bone and cut up any meat left on the bone and then put it all in the crock pot for 4 hours on low. I also soaked my beans overnight. It’s the first time I’ve ever made ham and bean soup and it was so delicious! Thank you!
Can I glaze my ham and still use the bone/leftovers for soup – or should I not glaze?
Yes I always use a glazed ham!
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
Great tip thanks!!
Great tip. I have trouble using a bone in ham and usually just buy a half ham so I can make soup.
Hi,
I bought bean packet that does not have a seasoning package. What you’ll you recommend?
Pam
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!
I like to use my own seasonings since the packet has cheap seasonings. The ones the author recommended sound great just don’t use salt until the beans are tender. A tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar added towards the end adds a lot of flavor. Smoked paprika, a little cayenne and other seasonings you like work great.