- Last updated on January 27, 2025
Wondering what to do with leftover ham from a holiday meal? This ham and cabbage soup is the perfect solution for you. Packed with (you guessed it) ham and cabbage, along with a host of other veggies, this soup is warm, hearty, flavorful, and one of my favorite meals on a cold winter day.
Ham and Cabbage Soup Ingredients:
This soup is pretty flexible, so you can easily adjust the vegetables to suit your preferences. If you don’t like one of the vegetables used, substitute it with your favorite. Here’s what I include in this soup…
Ham: Of course, you need ham for ham and cabbage soup. I cut the ham into bite-size pieces, ultimately adding 3-4 cups to this recipe.
Vegetables: This soup is packed with all kinds of delicious fresh vegetables. Cabbage, onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, and corn add a variety of colors and flavors to this soup.
Seasonings: Basil, garlic powder, onion powder, chicken bouillon, salt, and finely ground black pepper contribute to the delicious flavor of this soup.
Heavy Cream and Cream Cheese: These two are completely optional! This soup is already delicious, but adding a mixture of heavy cream and cream cheese right at the end makes it even richer and heartier.
Notes & Tips
- Cut your vegetables into equal-sized pieces. To ensure even cooking, make sure to be consistent when dicing each vegetable (especially the potatoes and carrots). The last thing you want is for some potatoes to turn to mush while others remain crunchy.
- Wait to add the corn and potatoes. The corn and potatoes are added last out of all the vegetables in the instructions below for a reason! If you cook them too long you risk the potatoes becoming mushy and the corn becoming tough. Adding these two during the last 15-20 minutes is perfect.
- Grill the corn. Try grilling the corn before cutting it off the cob and adding it to the soup. While not a requirement, it is extra delicious!
- Freezing the soup. While you can freeze this soup, I find that the texture of the cabbage changes when frozen and becomes slightly mushy upon reheating. I prefer to eat the soup fresh or within a couple days of cooking. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. However, I know people who are not bothered in the least by frozen cabbage—in that case, give freezing a try! The flavor and texture of the rest of the soup remain delicious when reheated.
Whether you’re looking for a way to use up leftover ham from a holiday meal or are just craving a warm, comforting meal, this ham and cabbage soup is for you. Read on for the recipe, which includes step-by-step instructions with photos, and don’t forget to leave a rating and review once you’ve tried this soup for yourself!
Hearty Ham and Cabbage Soup
Equipment (Shop on Amazon)
- Large Oval Le Creuset Dutch Oven (6.75 QT)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 3 cloves fresh garlic pressed
- 1 large sweet onion finely diced
- 5 large carrots diced
- 5 stalks celery diced
- 1 small head of cabbage diced (See Note 1 below)
- 3 cartons of chicken bone broth (32 oz each)
- 3-4 cups ham chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp dry basil
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 2 packets of sodium-free chicken bouillon (4g each) (See Note 4 below)
- 1/2 tsp salt (See Note 3 below)
- 3/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
- 5 medium potatoes diced
- 4 large ears of fresh corn (See Note 2 below)
- 4 oz cream cheese (optional- see Note 5 below)
- 1 cup heavy cream (optional- see Note 5 below)
Instructions
- Before starting this soup, I recommend prepping the ham and all of your veggies. Finely dice the white onion. Dice the carrots, celery, and cabbage. Cut the potatoes and ham into bite-size pieces. Cut the fresh corn off the cob. (Or take a few extra minutes and grill the corn first—so yummy!)
- Add the butter, sweet onion, celery, carrots, and pressed garlic to a large soup pot. Cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.3 tbsp salted butter, 3 cloves fresh garlic, 1 large sweet onion, 5 large carrots, 5 stalks celery
- Add the cabbage and one carton of chicken bone broth (32 oz). Stir and cook on medium-high heat for another 4-5 minutes.1 small head of cabbage, 3 cartons of chicken bone broth (32 oz each)
- Add the ham, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, chicken bouillon, salt, and black pepper to the soup. Stir. Then add another carton of chicken bone broth (32 oz). Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a simmer. Once the soup reaches a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the soup. Allow it to cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.3 cartons of chicken bone broth (32 oz each), 3-4 cups ham, 1 tsp dry basil, 3/4 tsp garlic powder, 3/4 tsp onion powder, 2 packets of sodium-free chicken bouillon (4g each), 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
- Add the potatoes, corn, and last carton of chicken bone broth (32 oz). Bring the soup back to a simmer. Then lower the heat again and allow the soup to cook for 15-20 more minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.5 medium potatoes, 4 large ears of fresh corn, 3 cartons of chicken bone broth (32 oz each)
- Optional—Put the heavy cream and cream cheese in a microwave-safe dish or measuring cup. Heat for about 45 seconds or just until the cream cheese is melted enough to easily whisk it into the heavy cream. Add the cream mixture to the soup and stir well.4 oz cream cheese, 1 cup heavy cream
- Keep the soup warm on low heat after adding the cream mixture—serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat any leftovers within a couple days. See my thoughts on freezing the soup earlier in this post.
Notes from the Happy To Be Here Kitchen
Share This Recipe:
Recommended Recipes For You:
Super Easy Cheesy Roasted Garlic Bread
Decadent 30-Minute Truffle Mushroom Pasta
Pin the image below to come back to this soup recipe later.
