Easy Southern Ham and Vegetable Soup
This easy slow cooker ham and vegetable soup is a healthier version of a Southern favorite made with leftover ham bone and convenient frozen mixed vegetables. The results are a hearty, wholesome, and downright delicious pot of homemade soup!
In the wintertime, I’m a soup girl. I love making a variety of hearty soups. They’re just the ultimate comfort food –and I declare this slow cooker southern ham vegetable soup one of my absolute favorites.
I make it with our leftover holiday ham bone, and the meat falls right off the bone, adding epic flavor. This vegetable ham soup is seriously SO tasty. It’s the type of stick-to-your-bones soup you crave on a chilly day.
The best part? It practically cooks itself thanks to the convenience of a leftover ham bone and bags of frozen mixed vegetables. Just dump everything in the Crockpot, let it simmer, and return to a pot full of tender veggies, fall-off-the-bone ham, and a hearty tomato broth.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Minimal prep. Made with leftover ham bone, frozen mixed vegetables, and pantry basics, it’s comfort in a bowl with all the flavor and none of the hassle.
- A true one-pot wonder. This dish requires nothing more than a trusty slow cooker, simplifying the cooking process and minimizing the mess.
- Budget-friendly. Using leftover ham and frozen mixed vegetables makes this soup an economical choice for a delicious and satisfying meal.
- Great for meal prep. The flavors tend to meld and improve over time, so leftovers make for a tasty lunch or dinner the next few days.
- Nutritious. This soup is a delicious way to get your daily serving of veggies!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Ham bone. You’d think a sweeter ham wouldn’t work as well as smoked or regular ham in soup. However, without the sweet crust, there’s only a hint of sweetness, which complements this soup’s savory flavors. I used the entire ham bone with about 1 -2 pounds of meat still attached. You can use smoked ham or regular baked ham and it would still turn out delicious, just a slightly different flavor profile. Just use the one you like best!
- Frozen mixed vegetables. The carrots, corn, green beans, peas, and lima beans are chopped, measured, and ready to dump in the Crockpot, eliminating all the prep work!
- Diced tomatoes (can). Gives the soup a rich, savory flavor and a satisfying, chunky texture.
- Bay leaf. Adds a subtle, earthy aroma.
- Pepper. Adds a hint of warmth.
- Tomato juice. Provides a rich, well-rounded base flavor. I originally used & R.W. Knudsen Tomato Red Bell Pepper juice for this recipe, but they have since discontinued it, so I wanted to update it and note that any good quality 100% tomato juice will work well for this recipe.
- Chicken stock. Make sure your stock has a rich, well-balanced flavor for a soothing broth.
- Tomato paste. It elevates the umami qualities and helps create a thicker consistency.
- Water. Just enough to cover the top of the vegetables.
How to make ham and vegetable soup
Step 1: Place ingredients in slow cooker. Place ham bone in the slow cooker. Add frozen vegetables, tomatoes, bay leaf, and pepper.
Step 2: Add liquid ingredients. Combine tomato juice, chicken stock, tomato paste, and Tabasco in a bowl, then add the mixture to the slow cooker. Top with just enough water to submerge the top of the vegetables.
Step 3: Slow-cook. Cook on LOW for 8 hours.
Step 4: Incorporate meat. Pull the meat from the bone and stir it into the soup before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Honey-baked ham. If you have a bone from a honey-baked ham, the sugary crust and top layer of fat aren’t amazing in soup, so be sure to trim it off beforehand.
- Add aromatics. Sauté onions, garlic, and celery before adding them to the slow cooker. This mixture will add rich complexity to the soup (though it does require more hands-on work).
- Adjust salt to taste. Between the chicken stock and tomato juice, I find this vegetable ham soup doesn’t need any additional salt. For the best results, hold off on salt until you taste the soup at the end.
Variations
Feel free to customize your ham and vegetable soup. Here are some ideas:
- Add beans – For a boost of plant-based protein, add a cup of canned beans, like cannellini beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, or navy beans.
- Add potatoes – If you want the potatoes to be very soft and almost melt into the soup, add them at the beginning. For firmer potatoes that hold their shape, add them about halfway through.
- Add pasta – Cook your favorite pasta separately according to the package directions, then add it to the soup at the end. Small shells, ditalini, and tiny elbow macaroni are perfect for soup.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Let leftover ham vegetable soup cool to room temperature, and store it in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezing: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
FAQ
Do you know what goes perfectly with a big bowl of this ham vegetable soup? A slice of homemade cornbread or a warm loaf of crusty bread to soak up the delicious broth!
You can make a roux by melting butter, adding flour, and stirring until it forms a paste, then gradually incorporating it into the soup. Or, mix cornstarch with water and stir it into the simmering soup until the desired thickness is achieved,
You can keep a ham bone for soup wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze it for 2-3 months.
More comfort soup favorites
- Gluten-Free Lasagna Soup
- Cajun Fish Soup
- Italian Sausage and Ravioli Soup
- Paleo Meatball Soup
- Italian Artichoke Soup with Chicken
- Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup
If you love this slow cooker ham vegetable soup recipe, I would be so grateful if you could leave a 5-star 🌟 rating in the recipe card below. I love reading your comments and feedback!
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Slow Cooker Southern Ham Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ham bone with meat
- 45 oz frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, green beans, peas, and lima beans) 3 (15 oz) bags
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp pepper
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tbsp green Tabasco sauce
- 1 1/2 cups tomato juice
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken stock
- enough water to cover the top of the vegetables
Instructions
- Place ham bone in the slow cooker
- Add vegetables, bay leaf, pepper and diced tomatoes
- Stir together tabasco, tomato juice, tomato paste and chicken broth until blended
- Add to slow cooker and top with just enough water to cover the top of the vegetables
- Cook 8 hours on low, pull meat from bone and stir into soup before serving.
Notes
- Honey-baked ham. If you have a bone from a honey-baked ham, the sugary crust and top layer of fat aren’t amazing in soup, so be sure to trim it off beforehand.
- Adjust salt to taste. Between the chicken stock and tomato juice, I find this vegetable ham soup doesn’t need any additional salt. For the best results, hold off on salt until you taste the soup at the end.
Nutrition
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how many servings do you get with this recipe?
Going to try this ! I winged a copy cat honey baked ham with a crunchy glaze. Key waited to “ice/frost” ham after sugar cooled till almost solid spread over ham. Also added half pack of cinnamon grahmcrackers before letting my glaze cool. Came out with a sticky crunchy spiced honey glaze after being under broiler for 20-40 seconds. Glaze got bubbly and hardened perfectly for me.
Awesome job with the copy cat Honey Baked Ham! They are so good! Let me know how you like the soup!
Excellent soup. Added a half teaspoon of salt. Also about half way through the cooking process I added about 2 cups of red potatoes diced up. Magnificent. Thanks for the recipe. Will definitely be making again.
Thanks so much for the feedback Christopher! Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for the recipe! I had a ham bone left from Christmas in the freezer! I made your soup on this cold night! It is sooo tasty!
Marianne, I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe!! 🙂
This is a great recipe and easy to pull together. I’ve made it a few times now and the only change I’ve made is to use V8 instead of plain tomato juice. My son loves it too, particularly having the leftovers to pull out of the freezer for lunch or dinner. Nice little kick to the taste buds, but nothing overwhelming! Thanks for a great soup option for dinner!
That’s a great sub, Brad! V8 is great, too! I’m so glad that you and your son enjoy the recipe! Thanks so much for the great feedback!! 🙂
Tried this recipe as is…as a soup. What can I say? EXCELLENT! Tasty, nutritious and warm. I have also ladled it over plain rice, and that is a full-dinner option that satisfies beyond just a soup craving. So many possibilities beyond just souping it. Can’t wait to me inspired more. Love the recipe, and overall flavor pleasure! Thanks for your work!
Hi James! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! I love that you served it over rice. Perfect!
This recipe is delicious! My sister-in-law made this last week hen I was visiting and it was so good, I came home, bought the ingredients and it’s now in my crock pot. I didn’t have any leftover ham so I purchased 2 ham steaks with the bone in. I’ll remove the bones prior to serving. Oh, and I added just a little sugar to offset all of the tomato.
So glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Lisa! Thanks for the feedback!
My mom passed recently and this was basically the recipe she used every year with our left over Christmas ham. I remembered her using white wine though, and by the time I’d added two cups white wine and chicken stock, everything was sufficiently covered; no need for water. I also used a pressure cooker rather than crock pot. Follow instructions in recipe, and then set pressure cooker for 30min. Let steam release naturally, and in about 1.5 hours, you’ll have amazing soup with deep flavors.
Hi Rebecca! I’m so sorry to hear about your mom’s passing. I love the modifications that you used to stay more true to her recipe. I’m going to have to give that a try. Sounds delicious with the white wine. Happy New Year!
I must have read through a hundred recipes before I found this one. It looks by far the best. Have everything prepared and getting ready to load it in the Crock-Pot… Fingers crossed
Thank you Dale! I hope that you enjoy it!!
Sounds delicious! How would you modify the recipe for cooking on the stovetop instead of in the crockpot? My crockpot just died, and I’d rather not go out to get a new one with the quarantine right now. Thank you!
Hi Amy! It should be fine cooked on the stove, just bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1-2 hours until the meat falls off the bone. Stay safe and well and I hope it turns out great for you! Keep me posted! I haven’t tried this method yet.
Delicious! Just what I was looking for. My overcooked ham was perfect in this soup. We both loved it!
Thank you for the review Paula! I’m so glad that y’all enjoyed it!
Amee – Tomorrow morning my 31 year old son is coming over to put the leftovers from our Thanksgiving Honey Baked Ham and the other ingredients together in my crockpot. He has listened for decades as I told the story of my childhood memories of my grandmother’s ham bone soup. Nothing was better on a cold winter afternoon. I’ve searched for this recipe for decades with no luck. While he was away in New Mexico for college he stumbled onto your site and found it here. I had sent him a Honey Baked ham that year since he was so far away from family favorites during the holidays. He was looking for something to do with the leftovers. He called me and told me how his entire apartment was filled with the wonderful aroma and how amazing it tasted on a snowy winter evening. Even the weather is cooperating in sunny Florida tonight as we dip near freezing for the first time this year. I can’t thank you enough for making tomorrow possible for me and my son. I’m certain my grandmother’s spirit will be watching over us in my kitchen. Thank you, Thank you. Thank you!
Awe, this just made my day!! You’re so welcome. What a beautiful story! I’m so glad that you and your son enjoyed this recipe. 🙂 xo~
This recipe is amazingly good. I had a ham bone left over with no idea what to with it. Left the hot sauce out, but the flavor was still incredible. Thank you.
It’s one of my favorites, too, Kevin. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!
Family favorite! So easy but super tasty. We can hardly wait to have another ham bone so we can make it again. Thank you
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it Jennifer! You’re welcome!! 🙂
We’re recently doing a healthy diet which means lower salt, sugar and carbs. The soup recipe lacked flavor so added parsley and Italian seasoning which helped plus more hot sauce. It’s nice to have an alternative from beans.
Hi Mark! Thank you for leaving a review! If you used low-sodium chicken stock for this recipe, then it would need more seasoning added. The addition of the herbs and spices are great. Thanks for sharing!