This is a Ham Bone Soup made using the slow cooker which is the most effortless way to cook leftover ham bone. Set, forget, fall apart meat, flavour infused soup!
You’ll love the creamy broth (but no cream!), and how the tender beans absorb the flavour. Leave some of the ham tender and juicy, pan fry some to make it crispy. It’s the best of both worlds!
Leftover Ham Bone Soup!
Ham bones are highly coveted in my circle . Each year, I gather as many as I can and stash them in my deep freezer.
The Christmas just gone, I went one step further and gifted several Glazed Hams under the guise of being a thoughtful friend.
In truth, those gifts came with the condition that I get the ham bone!! 😂 I’m completely shameless.
So hopefully, some of you stashed away your leftover ham bone in the freezer, just waiting for the right time to use it. For those that didn’t, don’t worry – this can be made with a store bought ham bone! 😇 (Here’s a photo comparison of store bought and leftover ham)
Not your usual ham bone soup
You’re probably used to seeing ham bone soups with a clear broth or sometimes, a tomato based broth. I really tried to get excited about those versions (and maybe it’s something that comes with maturity? 🤷🏻♀️) but I just wanted something more.
Something different.
This creamy (yet cream-less) Ham Bone Soup with crispy golden ham bits is my idea of different. 🙂
The leftover ham bone
Here’s one of the ham bones that boomeranged back to me after gifting it. My friend was kind enough to leave plenty of ham on it. It weighed 1.1 kg / 2.2lb.
But if yours has been picked clean, don’t worry! You’ll still extract plenty of flavour from the bone and non-edible parts of the ham. Just purchase some extra ham meat to toss into the soup – or bulk up on more veggies instead!
How to make this creamy Ham Bone Soup
This Ham Bone Soup has a few more steps than those “chuck it all in the slow cooker” soups – but the extra steps are worth it:
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Slow cook dried beans with aromatics and the ham bone – the ham bone flavours the water to create the soup broth, the ham meat becomes “fall apart tender” and the beans cook;
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Pan fry shredded ham until golden. This little extra step you don’t usually see is 100% worth it because golden crispiness = more flavour and texture!
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Make soup thickening base in the same pan by mixing milk with cornflour/cornstarch. This step also gets all that flavour from frying the ham bits stuck on the bottom of the skillet into the soup broth = even more flavour.
See? I promised this ham bone soup was a step above the usual! More and more incredible flavour in every step!!
Slow cook ham bone with dried beans
The carrot and celery that was used to flavour the ham broth is pretty soft after 8 hours of slow cooking but in the spirit of this leftover recipe, I like to chop it up and throw it back into the soup.
Make soup thickening base & add vegetables
This is the step where we make a cornflour thickened “sludge” which is used to make the ham bone broth nice and creamy. I also like to get more vegetables into the soup by starting off by sautéing onion, carrots and celery.
And here’s what you end up with:
✅ Rich, creamy broth, fully loaded with incredible depth of flavour – and we’ve used no cream!
✅ Crispy ham bits – the crowning glory
✅ Creamy soft beans that have absorbed incredible flavour while slow cooking
✅ Plenty of vegetables so this is a great well rounded one-bowl meal
Now, I know beans are a starch so adding a side of bread for dunking might be considered carb overkill…. but who ever says no to soup dunkers??
Soup Dunkers
The nice thing about this recipe is that you can make it in stages. I made it a few times after Christmas 2018 and kept getting distracted mid-cook by important things like meeting friends at the beach, urgent Yum Cha outings etc.
So other than stopping midway through the slow cooking of the ham bone, you can pretty much stop at any point in this recipe, then take it up again when it suits.
End result was always just as good!! ~ Nagi x
PS The other truly great use of leftover ham bone – Chinese Ham Bone Congee. 3 Ingredient magic!
Slow Cooker Ham Bone Soup
Watch How to Make It
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Slow Cooker Ham Bone Soup with Beans
Ingredients
Homemade Ham Broth:
- 1.2kg / 2.4lb leftover ham bone OR store bought ham hock / meaty bone (Note 1)
- 2 carrots , peeled cut into 3 chunks
- 1 celery stalk , cut into chunks
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 3 sprigs thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1.5 - 2 cups dried white beans , no need to soak (Note 2)
- 2 litres / 2 quarts water (8 cups)
Ham Bone Soup:
- 2 tbsp (30g) butter or oil
- 1 onion , chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 3 celery ribs , chopped
- 2 carrots , chopped
- 2 cups milk , any fat %
- 2 tsp Vegeta or other stock powder (Note 3)
- 60 g / 2 oz baby spinach (Note 4)
Thickening
- 1/2 cup extra milk , any fat %
- 1/3 cup cornflour / cornstarch
Instructions
Ham Broth:
- Place the Ham Broth ingredients in the slow cooker. Slow cook for 8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high.
- Remove ham bone. Shred meat and discard bone. Return half the ham to the slow cooker (remainder is pan fried).
- Discard thyme sprig.
- Remove then chop carrot and celery, return to slow cooker.
Crispy Ham:
- Melt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add half the ham and cook until golden and crispy.
- Transfer most to slow cooker - hold back a few for garnish.
Soup Broth:
- In the same skillet, melt remaining butter. Add onion and garlic, cook 1 minute.
- Add celery and carrot, cook for 3 minutes until soft.
- Add 2 cups milk, stir.
Soup Thickener:
- Mix cornflour and extra Milk. While stirring, pour into skillet. Mixture will thicken quickly.
- Once very thick and paste-like, scrape into slow cooker.
Finish Soup:
- Add Vegeta into slow cooker. Stir to dissolve paste.
- Add spinach, push down into liquid.
- Slow cook 30 minutes on low or 20 minutes on high until spinach is wilted and broth is heated and slightly thickened.
- Serve garnished with crispy ham and a sprinkle of parsley, if desired!
Recipe Notes:
- Soup colour will differ depending on your ham bone. More skin (leathery brown stuff) = browner broth (and more flavour) = off white soup. Less skin = whiter soup.
- Soup is not intended to be a really thick soup as I find it makes it too heavy (it's quite rich). But if you want a thicker broth, simply add more cornflour/cornstarch mixed with equal amount of water/milk - add a bit at a time, as soup heats it will thicken. 6. Storage - store in fridge for 3 to 4 days. If you freeze, cornflour will lose it's thickening power so you'll need to add more when reheating to re-thicken soup (see Note 5). Works perfectly, I tried it. 7. Nutrition is a guide only. It's virtually impossible for a non-scientist to calculate the nutrition in the ham bone broth, I've done my best!
Nutrition Information:
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Life of Dozer
This morning. Life life to the max!!
So, I put this on my menu for the week. Made out my grocery list and once I got to the store I couldn’t find a ham bone or a ham hock. I didn’t want to change plans so I improvised. I made this exactly like the directions say except I cut up one 8oz ham steak for the broth and another 8oz ham steak to sauté in butter. I have no doubt that the version with the ham bone would be better but in a pinch, if you can’t find a ham bone, regular ham works too. This was one of the best pots of beans I’ve ever made. I just popped on to share Bc I didn’t see any other comments that couldn’t find a ham bone. This was great!! I paired with the no knead artisan bread and it was gobbled up!
When I was a kid (60 years ago) my mom would make navy bean soup. It was vile and flavorless! I hated the idea of bean soup. That out of the way, I LOVE this soup. I go to the local farm shop and buy a smoked ham hock often and toss it into the freezer so I can make this any time I have the urge. Tonight it was dinner again. There are only two of us, so we usually get two dinners and a lunch out of it.
Nagi, I have been an avid cook all my life and your website is always my first stop when looking for inspiration.
Thanks for your site and hugs to Dozer x
Can this be cooked in an instant pot? If so, how long do I cook it for? I don’t have a slow cooker 🙁
Hi Flora, yes you can do the first step for 45 minus in an instant pot 🙂 N x
Right now it’s too hot in Canada for soup, but come the fall I’ll be making this. Can’t wait.
This was very good!! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
I used a store bought ham hock and left out the Vegeta as it was already salty and flavoursome enough without it. Blended what was in the slow cooker before adding the thickening ingredients and ham back in.
Delicious and kid friendly results.
Perfect Kate!! N x
OMG! You can do that to soup? I don’t even think you needed the vegeta. Flavour from the ham bone was great by itself. Great soup. You bring out the best. Thanks
This soup is so flavourful! The cannellini beans were so creamy! Made this with a store bought smoked ham hock and the ham broth took about 45 minutes in the pressure cooker.
Cannot wait to make this soup later this week! I have my frozen ham bone thawing slowly in the fridge. Could I do this in a pressure cooker? Would love to know if you use a pressure cooker much, I have just bought an InstantPot!
Hi, what is the cornflour/cornstarch ratio or is that something that I can buy already pre-made?
Two common names for the same thing.
If using canned beans at what step do you add the can? I wasn’t sure by reading the tips? Thanks!
Ah, it was a bit ambiguous wasn’t it!! Fixed – add it in with the shredded ham 🙂 – N x
Delicious! My husband couldn’t stop eating it and neither could I! As for stop and start – I did repeatedly, including adding the thickened milk portion in cold – no clumps or issues, desolved like butter!
This soup was amazing1 I’ve been making ham bone soup with beans for years, but that no cream slurry puts this one over the top! I used kale in my version and my family loved it!
Thank you for this recipe, today is the second time I have made it and it’s just wonderful- it tastes just like the pea and ham soup my grandmother used to make and it has given me the opportunity to share this memory with my family. Thank you!
This is the second winter in a row I have made this to rave reviews at home. Creamy meets healthy – it’s a game changer.
Just a note – if you do use the slider for quantity changes, note that the method quantities are still hard coded. This means you may add in the incorrect amount (from the method instructions) if you aren’t paying attention.
Hi Nagi
This looks scrumptious!!
The problem I have is that I do not have a slow cooker. How would I go about the slow cooking on the stove?
Hi Alexander, I’d recommend the oven instead where the heat source is consistent and the same temperature. Set the oven to 150C/300F and leave in the oven for 4 hours. N x
Hi Nagi,
If we are using this method should we soak the beans first, or it will still be ok?
Hi Nagi! This looks great 😀 how long would I cook this in a Dutch oven? I don’t have a slow cooker . Thanks 🙂
OMG! Gotta make this soup! <3
This was delicious! We made it on the stove top because we were tripling the recipe to share, but it still worked out great!
That’s great to hear Amy! N x
In the States, Honey Baked Ham stores have a BOGO special on ham bones through Jan 20th. $3.00 (US) per bone!
Time to stock up Nat!!!