Ham Bone Soup Recipe (Hearty, Easy, and SUPER Flavorful)

Ham bone soup recipe in a bowl with a spoon.

5 from 3 votes

Ham Bone Soup Recipe (Hearty, Easy, and SUPER Flavorful)

I’m a Food Scientist, and I’m here to show you the secret to the most flavorful ham bone soup ever. With a few simple steps and ingredients, you’ll have a comforting bowl of goodness in no time!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Easy Ham Bone Soup, Ham Bone Soup, Ham Bone Soup with Beans, Old Fashioned Ham Bone Soup

Servings:

Author: Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion diced
2 large carrots diced
2 celery stalks diced
1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
2 tsp minced garlic
6 cups chicken broth
1 ham bone or 2 cups diced ham, ham steak, or ham hocks
2 15-oz cans white beans, drained (or 1 cup dried navy beans, see note)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne optional
Optional: a splash of soy sauce, and/or fresh parsley or green onions

Instructions

Sauté the Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onions turn translucent.
Stir in the minced garlic andook for another 1–2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
Add Broth and Ham Bone: Pour in the chicken broth, add the ham bone (and any leftover diced ham) bay leaf, dried parsley, smoked paprika, black pepper and cayenne (if using). Stir to combine.
Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it simmer for 20–30 minutes so the ham bone can infuse the broth with flavor.
Add Potatoes or Beans: After the broth has simmered, add the diced potatoes (or canned beans). Stir, cover, and let the soup simmer for another 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender or the beans are heated through.
Shred the Meat and Finish: Remove the bay leaf and the ham bone. Shred any meat from the bone and stir it back into the pot. Discard the bone. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt (or a splash of soy sauce), if needed.

Notes

Using Dried Beans:

Use 1 cup dried navy beans. Soak them overnight in cold water, then rinse and drain before adding.

Increase the broth to 8 cups, as dried beans absorb more liquid.

Simmer the soup for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender.

Add an extra 1 to 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt to taste.

Make Ham Bone Soup with Potatoes:

Add 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced instead of beans. Proceed with the recipe as written.

Note on Soy Sauce:

If the soup needs seasoning or is lacking oomph at the end, a splash of soy sauce is an amazing secret ingredient. Not only does it add salt, it adds a rich, complex umami flavor. No one will know it's there, it'll just taste amazing!

Nutrition