I grew up thinking leftover ham meant sandwiches for days, and maybe a ham and cheese omelet if we were feeling fancy. My mom would buy those huge holiday hams, and we’d be eating sliced ham on white bread until we couldn’t look at it anymore.
It wasn’t until I had my own family that I discovered the secret to actually wanting to eat leftover ham—throw it in a soup. This ham, green bean, and potato soup turns those sad leftover cubes into something we actually get excited about. It’s basically comfort in a bowl, and it uses up that ham sitting in your fridge without anyone complaining about “ham again.” Plus, it comes together in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time doing literally anything else.
Why You’ll Love This Ham Green Bean and Potato Soup
- Ready in under 45 minutes – This soup comes together quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you need something warm and filling on the table fast.
- Great way to use leftover ham – If you have ham sitting in your fridge from the holidays or weekend dinner, this is the perfect recipe to put it to good use instead of letting it go to waste.
- Simple, everyday ingredients – You probably have most of these items in your kitchen already, so no special shopping trip required.
- Hearty and satisfying – The combination of potatoes, green beans, and ham makes this a complete meal in a bowl that will keep you full for hours.
- Budget-friendly comfort food – This soup stretches your ingredients to feed the whole family without breaking the bank, and it tastes even better the next day.
What Kind of Ham Should I Use?
For this soup, you have a few good options when it comes to ham. Leftover ham from a holiday dinner works perfectly and is a great way to use up what you have on hand. If you don’t have leftovers, deli ham from the grocery store will do the job just fine – just grab a thick-cut variety and dice it up yourself rather than using the thin-sliced stuff. You can also use a ham steak, which you’ll find in the meat section near the bacon, and it’s usually already cooked so you just need to chop it into cubes. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s already cooked since it just needs to heat through in the soup.
Options for Substitutions
This soup is pretty forgiving and works well with a few simple swaps:
- Ham: Leftover holiday ham is perfect here, but you can also use diced deli ham, ham steak, or even cooked bacon. If you’re looking for a different protein, smoked turkey or rotisserie chicken work nicely too.
- Potatoes: Any potato variety will do the job. Russets, red potatoes, or Yukon golds all work great. Just keep in mind that russets will break down more and create a thicker, creamier soup.
- Green beans: Fresh or frozen green beans both work fine. You can also swap them out for other vegetables like chopped kale, spinach, or even frozen mixed vegetables if that’s what you have on hand.
- Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works as a substitute, or you can use water with a bouillon cube or two. For extra flavor, try using the liquid from cooking the ham if you have it available.
- Olive oil: Any cooking oil will work here – vegetable oil, canola oil, or even a bit of butter for added richness.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake when making this soup is cutting your potatoes and green beans into uneven sizes, which means some pieces will turn to mush while others stay undercooked – aim for uniform 1-inch chunks so everything finishes at the same time.
Don’t rush the onions in step one by cranking up the heat, as properly softened onions (which take about 5-7 minutes on medium heat) create a sweet, flavorful base that makes a real difference in the final soup.
Be careful with salt since both the ham and chicken broth already contain quite a bit – taste your soup before adding any extra, or you might end up with an overly salty dish.
If your potatoes are tender but the soup seems too thin, simply mash a few potato pieces against the side of the pot to naturally thicken the broth without adding any flour or cream.
What to Serve With Ham Green Bean and Potato Soup?
This hearty soup is pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it with some warm dinner rolls or cornbread on the side for soaking up all that good broth. A simple side salad with a light vinaigrette helps balance out the richness of the ham and adds a fresh crunch to the meal. If you want to make it even more satisfying, try adding some shredded cheddar cheese on top of each bowl and serve with buttered biscuits. This soup also pairs nicely with a slice of crusty French bread or some saltine crackers if you’re keeping things simple.
Storage Instructions
Store: This soup actually tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to mingle. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s one of those meals that makes weeknight dinners so much easier when you’ve got leftovers ready to go.
Freeze: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers or bags. Just know that the potatoes might get a little softer after freezing, but the flavor will still be great. Leave some room at the top of your container since the soup will expand as it freezes.
Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it’s heated through. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway. If the soup seems too thick after storing, just add a splash of chicken broth or water to thin it out.
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 20-30 minutes |
| Total Time | 30-45 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 4 servings |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 650-750
- Protein: 55-65 g
- Fat: 15-20 g
- Carbohydrates: 70-80 g
Ingredients
- 1 large onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 lb potatoes (cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 1/2 lb green beans
- 3.5 cups chicken broth (I use Swanson Less Sodium broth)
- 2 cups ham (cubed into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 1.5 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (freshly ground preferred for more flavor)
- 1 bay leaf
Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place
- 1 large onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 lb potatoes
- 1/2 lb green beans
- 2 cups ham
Dice the onion into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks, trim the green beans and cut them into 1-inch pieces, and cube the ham into 1/2-inch pieces.
Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and prevent overcooking any component while you’re still cutting.
Step 2: Sauté Aromatics to Build Flavor Base
- 1.5 tsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
This builds a flavorful foundation for the soup—I find that taking time to properly soften the onion and bloom the garlic creates a much more complex-tasting broth than rushing this step.
Step 3: Combine Ingredients and Bring to Simmer
- 2 cups ham, cubed
- 1/2 lb green beans, cut into pieces
- 1 lb potatoes, chunked
- 1 bay leaf
- 3.5 cups chicken broth
Add the cubed ham, green beans, potato chunks, bay leaf, and chicken broth to the pot.
Stir well to combine, then increase heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15-25 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and easily break apart.
The longer cook time will help the flavors meld together beautifully.
Step 4: Season and Serve
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Remove the bay leaf from the pot.
Taste the soup and season with the black pepper and additional salt as needed—I like to add salt gradually and taste between additions since the ham and broth already contribute saltiness.
Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
The soup is best enjoyed immediately, though it keeps well refrigerated for several days.
Comforting Ham Green Bean and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 lb potatoes (cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 1/2 lb green beans
- 3.5 cups chicken broth (I use Swanson Less Sodium broth)
- 2 cups ham (cubed into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 1.5 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (freshly ground preferred for more flavor)
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Dice the onion into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks, trim the green beans and cut them into 1-inch pieces, and cube the ham into 1/2-inch pieces. Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and prevent overcooking any component while you're still cutting.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until fragrant. This builds a flavorful foundation for the soup—I find that taking time to properly soften the onion and bloom the garlic creates a much more complex-tasting broth than rushing this step.
- Add the cubed ham, green beans, potato chunks, bay leaf, and chicken broth to the pot. Stir well to combine, then increase heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15-25 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and easily break apart. The longer cook time will help the flavors meld together beautifully.
- Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Taste the soup and season with the black pepper and additional salt as needed—I like to add salt gradually and taste between additions since the ham and broth already contribute saltiness. Ladle into bowls and serve hot. The soup is best enjoyed immediately, though it keeps well refrigerated for several days.
