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4.5 from 559 votes

Leftover Ham and Bean Soup

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By: Joanna Cismaru •4/9/23 182 Comments

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pin for leftover ham and bean soup.

Looking for a delicious and comforting way to use up leftover ham? Look no further than this hearty and flavorful Leftover Ham And Ban Soup! Packed with tender ham, aromatic vegetables, and creamy cannellini beans, this soup is easy to make and perfect for chilly days.

leftover ham and bean soup in a white bowl.
Table of Contents Open
  • The Best Leftover Ham And Bean Soup
  • Leftover Ham And Bean Soup Highlights
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
  • How To Make Leftover Ham And Bean Soup
    • Sauté The Vegetables
    • Add The Ham And Broth
    • Let It Simmer
    • Add The Beans And Spices
    • Remove The Ham Bone And Parsnip
    • Serve And Enjoy!
  • What Other Types of Beans Can I Use?
  • Can I Use a Boneless Ham?
  • Slow Cooker Ham And Bean Soup
  • Expert Tips
  • How to Store Leftovers
  • Craving More Recipes for Your Leftover Ham? Try These:
  • Leftover Ham and Bean Soup
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Video
    • Notes
    • Nutrition Information
  • Did You Make This?

The Best Leftover Ham And Bean Soup

Maybe you made a honey mustard glazed ham, or perhaps it was glazed with brown sugar and cola. No matter how you prepared it, I have an awesome recipe for your leftovers! This ham and bean soup is the perfect dish to warm you up on a cold day, and it’s a great way to use up all that leftover ham. It’s a hearty and flavorful soup that’s easy to make and perfect for a weeknight dinner. Even better, it’s incredibly versatile and can be customized to suit your tastes.

Beyond its ease of preparation and budget-friendly nature, this soup also has some great nutritional benefits. It’s high in protein, thanks to the ham and cannellini beans, and it’s packed with vitamins and minerals from the vegetables and broth. Plus, it’s a comforting and satisfying meal that’s sure to please the whole family. So if you’re looking for a delicious and practical way to use up leftover ham, give this ham and bean soup a try!

leftover ham and bean soup in a green/beige bowl.

Leftover Ham And Bean Soup Highlights

  • It’s a great way to use up leftovers: If you have leftover ham and other ingredients in your fridge or pantry, this soup is a practical and budget-friendly way to use them up. Plus, it’s a delicious and satisfying way to repurpose leftovers.
  • It’s easy to make: With just a few simple ingredients and some basic kitchen skills, you can have a warm and comforting meal on the table in no time. This soup is a great option for busy weeknights when you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.
  • It’s nutritious and delicious: This soup is packed with protein from the ham and cannellini beans, as well as vitamins and minerals from the vegetables and broth. It’s a comforting and satisfying meal that’s sure to please the whole family. Plus, the smoky flavor from the ham and aromatic spices make this soup incredibly delicious.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Ham – This recipe is so delicious that I would even go out to just buy a small ham to make the soup if I don’t have leftovers.
  • Ham bone – Shave off as much of the meat as you can, but it’s okay to leave some on. That meat will still flavor the broth. If your ham doesn’t have a bone don’t worry about it, but if it does, you’ll wan to to add it to the soup for that extra flavor. You can also use ham hocks and they will add lots of great smoky flavor to your soup. I’ve used this soup with both ham bone and without, and it’s still just as delicious without.
  • Mirepoix – The trifecta for all soups composed of onions, carrots and celery stalks. These veggies are what’s going to boost of our soup’s flavor.
  • Garlic – The more garlic the merrier! You can use as much or as little as you like.
  • Parsnip – I know some people have it out for parsnips, but trust me here. They add amazing flavor to the broth! I added them in large chunks to cook the soup and they’re removed before serving.
  • Bay leaves – Use whole bay leaves. If you don’t have any at home, add them to your grocery list! They add a delicious peppery herb flavor to the soup.
  • Vegetable broth – This has a mild taste and is still a great base to build up all your flavor. Use a low sodium broth if you can find it. You can replace this with a low sodium chicken broth.
  • Cannellini beans – These are also referred to as white kidney beans. Always rinse canned beans before using them.
  • Parsley – I love to use parsley as a fresh and bright garnish.

How To Make Leftover Ham And Bean Soup

Making this ham and bean soup is a breeze – just sauté some vegetables, add in the ham and broth, and let it simmer with some spices and beans for a delicious and satisfying meal.

Sauté The Vegetables

process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.

Heat up some olive oil in a large soup pot, and add in chopped onion, celery, and carrot. Cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and the vegetables are slightly browned.

Add The Ham And Broth

process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.

Next, add in some minced garlic, cubed leftover ham, a leftover ham bone (if you have one), a peeled and cleaned parsnip, and a couple of bay leaves. Pour in some low-sodium vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil.

Let It Simmer

process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.

Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. This will allow all the flavors to meld together and the vegetables to become tender.

Add The Beans And Spices

process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.

After 30 minutes, add in a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans, cumin, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes.

Remove The Ham Bone And Parsnip

process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.

After the soup has simmered for another 30 minutes, remove the ham bone if using, bay leaves, and parsnip from the pot. These ingredients have done their job of adding flavor, so it’s time to take them out.

Serve And Enjoy!

process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.

Garnish the soup with some fresh parsley, and serve it up with some crusty bread for a complete meal. Enjoy the rich and smoky flavor of the ham, the creamy texture of the beans, and the comforting warmth of the soup.

leftover ham and bean soup in a white bowl.

What Other Types of Beans Can I Use?

Cannellini beans are pretty popular for soups, but if you have a few other types hanging out in your pantry that you want to use up then check out this list to see if they’ll work:

  • Navy beans
  • Gigante beans
  • Lentils
  • Kidney beans

Can I Use a Boneless Ham?

Yes! If you don’t have a ham bone, just skip it, it’s used to flavor the soup. You can add some extra herbs and seasoning to build more flavor if you feel it’s lacking without the bone, or use ham hocks. Using a soup enhancer such as bouillon or vegeta is a great way to add flavor.

Slow Cooker Ham And Bean Soup

A question I get asked often is whether or not you can make this soup in a slow cooker and the answer is of course, yes! It’s incredibly easy, just add everything to your crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. You don’t even have to remove the meat off the bone first, you can leave that till after the soup cooks and then pull all the meat from the bone and shred or chop it.

leftover ham and bean soup in a dutch oven.

Expert Tips

  1. Rinse the beans. You always want to rinse canned beans to remove the excess starch and salt, which can affect the texture of the finished dish. Rinsing also removes some of the gas producing sugars.
  2. Season at the very end. Soup reduces as it cooks, which means that all the flavors get more concentrated. So you should wait until the soup is complete to add any extra salt to reduce the risk of oversalting.
  3. Add more veggies. Feel free to add any vegetables you like to your soup. Some good options are greens like spinach, cabbage, and kale. You can also add frozen veggies like peas and corn or even chopped fresh tomatoes. 

How to Store Leftovers

This recipe makes a pretty decent amount of soup, so if you venture into the lands of leftover leftovers, I have a few options for you.

This ham and soup will stay good for 3-4 days in an airtight container stored in your fridge.

You can definitely store your soup in the freezer if you’d like. You can store it either in a large airtight container, or in smaller individual containers. Thaw either in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat. This soup will last 2-3 months frozen.

leftover ham and bean soup in a white bowl.

Craving More Recipes for Your Leftover Ham? Try These:

  • Leftover Ham and Cheese Penne
  • Olive Ham and Cheese Loaf
  • Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup
  • Split Pea Soup
  • Leftover Pistachio Pesto Turkey Sandwich
  • Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
  • Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Stromboli

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

leftover ham and bean soup in a white bowl.
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4.50 from 559 votes

Leftover Ham and Bean Soup

Prep 10 minutes minutes
Cook 1 hour hour
Total 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Rate Recipe
Looking for a delicious and comforting way to use up leftover ham? Look no further than this hearty and flavorful Leftover Ham And Ban Soup! Packed with tender ham, aromatic vegetables, and creamy cannellini beans, this soup is easy to make and perfect for chilly days.
8

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 3 stalks celery (chopped)
  • 2 medium carrots (chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 cups leftover ham (chopped in cubes)
  • 1 leftover ham bone (optional)
  • 1 whole parsnip (peeled and cleaned)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 cups vegetable broth (low sodium)
  • 19 ounce cannellini beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • ¼ cup fresh parsely (chopped, for garnish)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook for about 5 minutes until onion is tender. 
    process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.
  • Add garlic, ham, ham bone, parsnip, bay leaves and the broth. If you don't have a ham bone, just skip it.
    process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.
  • Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium. Let cook for about 30 minutes.
    process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.
  • Add the rinsed beans, cumin, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes.
    process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.
  • Remove the ham bone, bay leaves and parsnip.
    process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.
  • Garnish the soup with some fresh parsley, and serve it up with some crusty bread for a complete meal.
    process shots showing how to make leftover ham and bean soup.

Equipment

  • 6 Quart Dutch Oven

Video

Notes

  1. I don’t have leftover ham or ham bone, can I still make this: Yes! You can purchase a prepackaged ham from your local grocery store and use that instead of leftover ham. If you don’t have a ham bone, just skip it, it’s used to flavor the soup.=
  2. Can I chop up the parsnip: Yes, of course. I use a whole parsnip to simply flavor the soup, but I know some people prefer to actually eat, so in that case, chop it first, then add it to the soup.
  3. Can I use dry beans instead of canned beans: Absolutely, just keep in mind that dry beans take longer to cook. You’ll need about 1 cup of dry beans for this recipe. Also if using dry beans, you can soak them in water overnight if you choose. Usually this is done to speed up the cooking process, however studies have shown that it will only cut about 10 minutes of cooking time.
  4. How do I store leftovers: Store leftover soup in a covered glass or plastic container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
  5. Can I freeze this soup: Yes you can. While the soup will only last 3 to 4 days in the fridge, it can last up to a month in the freezer. Make sure the soup is cooled completely first. Use freezer bags for this such as gallon or quart-size top plastic freezer bags. Ladle soup into each bag then let out any excess air and seal. Lay bags flat in a single layer in the freezer. Once they’re frozen you can stack them to save space. To reheat, thaw them overnight in your fridge then pour them in a saucepan and reheat over low heat. You can also reheat them in the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1servingCalories: 196kcal (10%)Carbohydrates: 18g (6%)Protein: 12g (24%)Fat: 10g (15%)Saturated Fat: 3g (19%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 22mg (7%)Sodium: 1562mg (68%)Potassium: 237mg (7%)Fiber: 4g (17%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 3284IU (66%)Vitamin C: 6mg (7%)Calcium: 68mg (7%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
© Author Joanna Cismaru

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

leftover ham and bean soup in a white bowl.

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Originally shared Nov 2014.

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Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Through Jo Cooks, I invite you to join me in my kitchen as we explore delicious recipes from around the globe, celebrate the joy of cooking, and make every meal a memorable one. Happy cooking!

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182 Comments
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Gayle
Gayle
Posted: 15 hours ago

5 stars
Made this once and now it’s a staple for us. We pour it over a bowl of rice. The flavors are great!

0
Reply
Rich Pagano
Rich Pagano
Posted: 1 month ago

Prepared this soup for dinner and the family gave it a thumbs up. Great recipe for leftover ham.

0
Reply
Garyk
Garyk
Posted: 3 months ago

5 stars
Do not change anything
Supper:)

1
Reply
Tina
Tina
Posted: 4 months ago

5 stars
Easy quick I use chicken stock. Oh so good I ate 3/4 of a pot myself. Tried with leftover ham and bone also with ham hocks

0
Reply
Altarose
Altarose
Posted: 4 months ago

5 stars
Best hambone soup ever. We buy ham on the bone just to make the soup, not, but close. We leave the parsnips etc in and add an extra can of beans now we know what we like. Just finished spiral ham dinner, you know what is coming next. YUMM

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Altarose
Posted: 4 months ago

So glad you liked it!

0
Reply
Dale
Dale
Posted: 4 months ago

5 stars
This soup is excellent. Did not save the hambone and forgot to get parsnip. Used chicken and vegetable broth. Even with all the changes, those who do not like ham in their soup or beans for that matter, loved it!

0
Reply
April Davenport
April Davenport
Posted: 5 months ago

5 stars
This soup is the best soup I’ve ever made! We used our left over smoked ham from Thanksgiving and it turned out amazing! The steps seem long the first time you make it, but I got two batches out of it so I froze the broth and veggies for a second meal. This recipe will now be my Thanksgiving Soup that I make every year:)

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  April Davenport
Posted: 5 months ago

I’m so glad you like it!

0
Reply
Erin
Erin
Posted: 5 months ago

4 stars
I made a ham so I wanted to use up some leftovers. This was a great option and was very simple to put together. The flavor was nice and not too heavy. I didn’t have veggie stock so I used a stock starter and it worked out fine. I wasn’t paying attention and put the beans in too early but that was the only mix up.

0
Reply
Susie
Susie
Posted: 5 months ago

5 stars
I made not one adjustment to the ingredients. The only thing I did was to remove the vegetables and puree them in my food processer. This before adding the beans. I separated the chopped ham and put it back into the broth. An extra step but the pureed veg helps to thicken it. I then added the rinsed beans, cumin, parsley, salt and pepper. It seemed as if there were not enough beans and I added more (35oz in all). Plenty to freeze for later and/or to share.

Last edited Posted: 5 months ago by Susie
0
Reply
T
T
Posted: 7 months ago

5 stars
Great soup, we left the veggies in and next time will add more beans

0
Reply
Melanie
Melanie
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
Such an incredible tasting soup! I was missing parsnips, but it didn’t impact the flavor. Thank you!

0
Reply
Tami
Tami
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
It’s my husband’s ,dad,and sisters favorite. I love it too and I’m very picky. This is 4th time I’ve made.

0
Reply
Louise Penny
Louise Penny
Posted: 1 year ago

You mentioned using pork hocks, how would one prepare them for the soup.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Louise Penny
Posted: 1 year ago

Hi Louise! Basically the same way, add the pork hocks in step 2. Remove the hack hocks after the one hour cook time, and let it cool a bit so you can handle it, then pull the meat from it and shred. Just add it back and finish the soup as instructed.

0
Reply
Rachel L McGowan
Rachel L McGowan
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
It’s so good. Was just wondering the calories is that per cup?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Rachel L McGowan
Posted: 1 year ago

It’s per serving, the nutritional info assumes 8 servings for the recipe.

0
Reply
Becky
Becky
Posted: 1 year ago

A hit! I made with bone broth, cut up the parsnip into the soup and added some kielbasa style chorizo per my husband’s request. It is so good. My stepson keeps saying how good it is.

0
Reply

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I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is the place where I share my passion for easy and delicious recipes. From comforting classics to global flavors, I believe that cooking should be fun, approachable, and most importantly, rewarding. Join me on this culinary journey and let’s get cooking!

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