Ham Bone Soup

Save the Christmas or Easter Ham bone for ham bone soup! This 15 bean soup is a great way to use up leftover ham. It’s hearty and comforting.

Last week we shared our ham and bean soup recipe. This recipe is very similar, but instead uses Hurst’s Hambeens with a mix of 15 beans as a base. This soup is colorful, hearty and delicious!

Ham Bone Soup Recipe

Have you ever used Hurst’s Hambeens? I’m new to them, but as soon as I picked up the bag of colorful beans I fell in love with them. (This post is not sponsored by the way…I just wanted to share this old fashioned recipe with you!) This recipe is very similar to the recipe on the back of the beans so I’m not claiming it as my own. It’s a classic though!

What is a ham bone?

A ham bone is…well…the bone of a ham. If you by a spiral sliced ham, there is a white bone that runs down the center of the ham. After you eat the ham you can use what’s left to make soup!

Can you buy a ham bone?

Yes! I’ve never actually bought just a ham bone because we always like to eat the ham off the bone. But you can look in your local grocery store or ask your butcher for a ham bone. If you can’t find a ham bone you can ask for a ham hock.

Can I freeze a ham bone for soup later?

Yes. If you don’t want to make soup with your ham bone right away, you can freeze the ham bone for later. Wrap it well and store it in the freezer for 1-2 months. You can read about how long ham is good in the freezer for right here.

Which beans are in 15 bean soup?

According to the Hurst’s Hambeens website, the 15 bean soup mix contains at least 15 of the following: Northern, Pinto, Large Lima, Blackeye, Garbanzo, Baby Lima, Green Split, Kidney, Cranberry, Small White, Pink, Small Red, Yellow Split, Lentil, Navy, White Kidney, Black Bean, Yellow Eye.

How long do you soak soup beans?

Soaking the beans is called “degassing” the beans. Soaking the dry beans helps to get rid of some of the indigestible sugars on the beans. Allow the beans to sit in cool water at least 12 hours, but up to 24 hours. Then rinse them and drain them well before starting the soup.

How to Make 15 Bean Soup

You’ll want to plan about 3 hours to cook this soup. Much of this time is “hands off” while the soup simmers.  Plan ahead and presoak the beans overnight, then start here to make the soup:

• Pour the chicken broth into a large stockpot and set to medium high heat. Bring to a boil, add the beans, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender (this takes about 1 hour).
• Add the hambone, onion, carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaves. Bring the soup back to a boil, then reduce heat again and simmer until the veggies are soft (about another hour).
• Add the chopped ham and mustard powder. Stir and simmer another 30 minutes.
• Remove the ham bone from the soup and discard.
• Season with salt and pepper.

15 Bean Soup without Tomatoes

The original Hurst Hambeens recipe calls for a can of diced tomatoes. We leave them out of this recipe because that is what our family prefers, but if you choose, add in 1 15 ounce can of diced or stewed tomatoes.

Is bean soup good for you?

Bean soup is hearty, high in fiber and an important source of vitamins and minerals. It is high in carbs, but thankfully it is filling so just watch your portion sizes.

Other Soup Recipes with Beans

• Sweet & Spicy Chili
• Grilled White Chicken Chili
• Chicken Sweet Potato Soup
• Roasted Vegetable Minestrone Soup
• Black Bean Chicken Chili

Ham Bone Soup

4.41 from 10 votes

Save the Christmas or Easter Ham bone for ham bone soup! This 15 bean soup is a great way to use up leftover ham. It's hearty and comforting.

Servings 10

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Rinse Beans 8 minutes

Total Time 3 hours

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Ingredients

 

US Customary - Metric

Plan ahead to soak beans:

• 16 ounces 15 bean soup mix (Hurst's Hambeens brand)

For the soup:

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 ham bone (with some meat)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups chopped ham
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground mustard
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

 

Soak the beans:

• Place the beans in a 9x13 baking pan. Pour cool water over them so that the beans are covered. Allow the beans to sit in cool water at least 14 hours...but up to 24 hours.

Make the soup:

• Pour the chicken broth into a large stockpot and set to medium high heat. Bring to a boil, add the beans, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender (this takes about 1 hour).
• Add the hambone, onion, carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaves. Bring the soup back to a boil, then reduce heat again and simmer until the veggies are soft (about another hour).
• Add the chopped ham and mustard powder. Stir and simmer another 30 minutes.
• Remove the ham bone from the soup and discard.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Notes

The calories shown are based on the recipe making a little over 10 cups of soup, with 1 serving being a generous 1 cup of soup. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 557mg | Potassium: 941mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2155IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 3.2mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Calories 292

Have you tried this recipe?

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