This Hearty Ham and Vegetable Soup is a delicious and comforting way to use up leftover ham and fresh vegetables.
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For the longest time I’ve said that I would like to celebrate the holidays at home, just the two of us. Well, that wish came true this past Christmas and, honestly, it was so freaking weird! It just didn’t feel right to spend Christmas without our family. But what could we do other than make the best of a bad situation? If there’s one thing that 2020 has taught me, it’s to appreciate things a little more.
However, the upside of our holiday celebrations for two meant we didn’t have to share leftovers. Oh, how I love my leftovers! So many leftovers! Even though I knew our celebrations would be small, I couldn’t help but grab some holiday deals at the grocery store and stock up! I ended up portioning out and freezing a small Hatfield sliced ham. Some of it was used to fry up for breakfast. The rest was used to make a batch of ham and vegetable soup.
It’s been a pretty mild winter (except for one delightfully big snowstorm). Not exactly the best weather for soup. I generally like it to be absolutely freezing cold outside when enjoying a warm bowl of soup. But this winter weather will have to do because I love soup season! Have holiday leftovers in the freezer? Throw them in a soup! Forgot about those extra veggies you bought? Toss them in, too!
That’s what I love about soup! You can basically take any combination of ingredients and turn them into a soup recipe! This soup has diced up ham and a variety of vegetables like zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, green beans, and potatoes.
Hearty Ham and Vegetable Soup
This Hearty Ham and Vegetable Soup is a simple, rustic style soup. You could honestly use any combination of vegetables, but I used what I had in the fridge. You could also use any kind of broth that you’d like. But I had plenty of homemade chicken broth to use in the freezer (quarantine life, am I right?). This soup comes together easily and is super satisfying!
The first thing you want to do is add a little olive oil in the bottom of a pot. Add garlic and onion and sauté until it’s fragrant and the onion has softened.
Now, add a can of diced tomatoes. I used Del Monte seasoned diced tomatoes. Don’t drain them. Pour the entire can in and stir it up!
Add in all of your beautiful veggies! I used zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, green beans, and potatoes. The veggies give this soup a nice bulk while keeping it on the healthier side.
Then, I diced up some Hatfield ham and added it to the pot. The ham adds a really nice flavor to the soup and is a great way to use up your holiday leftovers!
Pour in the broth. I used homemade chicken broth I had in the freezer, but you could use vegetable broth or ham stock.
Stir in a little Italian seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Then, let the soup simmer for at least 30 minutes or until the potatoes have softened. The longer it cooks, the better it’ll be!
The result is a big, flavorful pot of soup that’s loaded with a beautiful medley of veggies and delicious ham! It’s hearty and satisfying on its own, but would be really comforting served with buttery biscuits on the side!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 15 oz. diced tomatoes
- 2 cups zucchini, diced
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup green beans, ends removed and cut in half
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups baby red potatoes, diced
- 3 cups ham, diced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of olive in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and onion, cooking for about 1-2 minutes or until fragrant and the onion begins to soften.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes and stir.
- Then, add the zucchini, carrots, green beans, mushrooms, potatoes and cook for 5-8 minutes.
- Add the ham. Then, pour in the broth.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning and season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the soup to a boil and then lower to a simmer.
- Simmer for at least 30 minutes.
- Serve immediately or allow to cool and spoon into freezer containers.
If you’re looking for a new way to use up your leftover holiday ham, whip up a batch of this soup! Get your freezer containers ready because it makes a pretty large batch!
Did you make this Hearty Ham and Vegetable Soup recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!
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