Description
This hearty Ham Bone Soup recipe is a delicious way to use leftover ham and ham bone, combining tender vegetables, potatoes, and cabbage in a flavorful broth. Perfectly cooked in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop, this soup is comforting, nutritious, and easy to prepare in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 10 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced small (from 2 medium potatoes)
- 1 leftover ham bone
- 5 ounces chopped leftover ham
- 1 small head cabbage, cored and chopped (about 13 oz)
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Press the sauté button on your Instant Pot and spray the inner pot with cooking spray. Add the chopped onion, celery, and minced garlic, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables become fragrant and slightly softened.
- Add Broth and Vegetables: Pour in the reduced sodium chicken broth, sliced carrots, diced potatoes, leftover ham bone, chopped ham, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
- Release Pressure and Add Cabbage: Allow the steam to release naturally once the cooking time ends. Then, open the lid and add the chopped cabbage to the pot. Close the lid again and cook on high pressure for an additional 5 minutes. Release the pressure naturally or use quick release as desired.
- Stovetop Alternative: To cook on the stovetop, in a large pot or Dutch oven, spray with cooking spray and sauté onions, celery, and garlic until softened (4-5 minutes). Add broth, carrots, potatoes, ham bone, ham, and water. Cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour, adding cabbage in the last 10 to 15 minutes. Cook until all vegetables and cabbage are tender.
- Serve: Remove the ham bone from the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and enjoy warm.
Notes
- Using a ham bone infuses the soup with deep, smoky flavor; leftover ham adds extra meatiness.
- Reducing sodium in the chicken broth helps control salt levels, as ham can be salty.
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, stovetop cooking works beautifully with a bit more cooking time.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like peas or green beans during the last few minutes of cooking for additional texture and color.
- Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
