Ham Trimming Recipes: Hearty White Bean Soup for Dinner

This ham trimming recipe turns cooked ham scraps into a hearty white bean soup with potatoes, carrots, celery, and greens. It is a flexible, home-style way to use leftover ham: the beans make it filling, while broth and vegetables balance the ham’s smoky, salty flavor.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
2 celery stalks, diced, about 1 cup (100 g)
2 medium carrots, diced, about 1½ cups (180 g)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, about 2 teaspoons (6 g)
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
6 cups (1.42 L) low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1½ pounds (680 g) waxy or all-purpose potatoes, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes
1 bay leaf
2 cans (15 ounces/425 g each; about 3 cups/480 g drained) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups (280 g) cooked ham trimmings, cut into bite-size pieces; remove tough rind, large pieces of fat, and gristle
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt, plus more only if needed
2 packed cups (60 g) chopped kale, tough stems removed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice

Instructions

Prepare the trimmings and vegetables. Use already-cooked ham, such as the usable meat cut from a leftover baked ham. Dice it into small, even pieces so it warms through quickly. Discard hard rind and gristle, and trim away excess solid fat; a little fat can stay for flavor. Chop the vegetables and potatoes, rinse the beans, and have the broth ready before heating the pot. This preparation takes about 20 minutes.
Soften the aromatics. Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring every minute or two. The onion should look translucent and the vegetables should begin to soften, but they do not need to brown. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes, just until fragrant. If the garlic begins to darken, move to the next step so it does not turn bitter.
Add the broth and potatoes. Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned vegetable bits. Stir in the potatoes and bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, which takes about 3 minutes, then reduce the heat until it simmers steadily rather than bubbles hard.
Simmer until the potatoes are tender. Cook uncovered for 22 minutes, stirring once or twice so potatoes near the bottom do not stick. Check a few cubes with the tip of a knife; it should slide in easily, but the potatoes should still hold their shape. If the soup is boiling vigorously, lower the heat. A rolling boil can break up the potatoes and make the broth cloudy and starchy.
Add the beans and cooked ham. Stir in the rinsed beans, ham pieces, black pepper, and the measured salt. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Since the ham is already cooked, this time lets its flavor season the broth and warms the pieces through. USDA FSIS says reheated leftovers should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C); check the center of the soup and a large ham piece with a food thermometer before serving. If the soup has not reached that temperature, continue simmering and check again.
Finish with greens and lemon. Stir in the kale and cook for 5 minutes, until tender but still green. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the lemon juice, taste a spoonful, and add a little more salt or pepper only if needed. Ham can vary considerably in saltiness, so tasting at the end is more reliable than seasoning heavily at the start. Serve hot.

Tips

Choose meaty, cooked trimmings. Pieces left around a cooked ham can be uneven, so sort them before measuring. Use tender meat for the soup and remove skin, hard rind, gristle, or big hunks of fat. This recipe is written for cooked ham, not raw pork trimmings; cook raw ham according to its package directions before using it here.
Keep salt in check. Ham and regular broth can both contribute plenty of salt. Low-sodium broth gives you more control, and rinsing canned beans removes some of their packing liquid. Start with the small amount listed, then taste after the ham has simmered before adding any more.
Make the texture your own. For a thicker broth, mash a few beans against the side of the pot and stir them in. For a looser soup, add up to 1 cup (240 ml) of broth or water. Add extra liquid before reheating, too, because potatoes and beans absorb broth as the soup sits.
Cut pieces evenly. Aim for similar-sized potato cubes and ham pieces. Smaller pieces warm through more evenly, while large chunks can be cold in the center even when the broth is steaming. Check the temperature rather than judging doneness by appearance alone.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup in warm bowls with crusty bread, cornbread, or toast for dipping. A simple green salad dressed with vinegar or lemon gives the meal a crisp contrast to the soft beans and potatoes. If you like a little heat, put crushed red pepper or hot sauce on the table so everyone can season their own bowl. A small extra squeeze of lemon just before eating also brightens a portion that tastes especially rich or salty.

This is substantial enough to serve as a main course, but you can offer smaller bowls as a first course before a sandwich or a vegetable-forward meal. Keep garnishes simple: chopped parsley, sliced scallions, or a few freshly ground black peppercorns add freshness without hiding the ham flavor. Avoid salting a side dish heavily until you know how salty the soup turned out.

Variations

Use another bean. Great northern beans, navy beans, or butter beans can replace cannellini beans in the same amount. Navy beans are smaller and may make the soup feel thicker; butter beans are larger and creamier. Chickpeas also work, although they have a firmer bite and a nuttier flavor.

Swap the greens. Chopped Swiss chard can replace kale; add its chopped stems with the carrots and its leaves near the end. For baby spinach, use about 3 cups (90 g) and stir it in during the final minute or two, just until wilted. Spinach is softer and milder than kale, so it will change the texture more than the overall flavor.

Change the vegetables or broth. Turnip or parsnip can replace some of the potato, though parsnip adds sweetness. Chicken broth gives the soup a fuller, savory base; vegetable broth keeps it suitable for diners avoiding meat-based stock, but the soup still contains ham. If you do not have thyme, use 1 teaspoon (1 g) of dried Italian herb blend or 1 tablespoon (3 g) of chopped fresh thyme.

Make it without potatoes. Leave them out and add one extra can of beans, or stir in ½ cup (90 g) of small pasta. If using pasta, cook it in the soup only until just tender and expect it to absorb more broth during storage. For the best texture in leftovers, cook pasta separately and add it to individual bowls.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate the soup within 2 hours of cooking. Divide it into shallow, covered containers so it cools promptly, and keep it refrigerated for 3–4 days. Store any bread or garnish separately. The broth may thicken as it chills because the potatoes and beans continue to absorb liquid; that is normal and does not mean the soup has gone bad.

For longer storage, freeze cooled soup in airtight freezer-safe containers, leaving a little room for expansion. It keeps best for about 2–3 months for flavor and texture. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, or reheat it from frozen over low heat with a splash of broth or water, stirring as it loosens. Potatoes can become softer after freezing, but the soup remains suitable for a hearty bowl.

Reheat only the portion you plan to serve in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming throughout and 165°F (74°C) on a food thermometer. If using a microwave, cover the bowl loosely, stir midway through, and check several spots for 165°F (74°C), since microwaves can leave cold patches. Do not leave the pot at room temperature for serving over an extended period; chill leftovers promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as ham trimmings?
For this soup, ham trimmings are the cooked, edible pieces left when carving a ham, including meat close to the bone. They should be free of hard rind, gristle, and large pieces of fat. The amount of salt and smoky flavor varies by ham, which is why the recipe uses low-sodium broth and adds salt cautiously.

Can I use a ham bone instead of diced trimmings?
A ham bone can add flavor, but it will not provide the same amount of ready-to-eat meat. Simmer the bone in the broth until the soup is flavorful, then remove it and pick off any tender meat. Add enough cooked ham pieces to make roughly 2 cups (280 g), and make sure the finished soup reaches 165°F (74°C) when reheating leftovers.

Can I make this soup with leftover holiday ham?
Yes. Use refrigerated cooked ham that has been handled safely, remove any glaze-heavy or very fatty sections if you prefer, and cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Sweet glaze can make the broth slightly sweeter, so taste before adding lemon or extra salt. Refrigerate the leftover soup within 2 hours after cooking.

Why does my soup taste too salty?
The ham may be saltier than expected, or the broth may contain more sodium. Add unsalted broth or water a little at a time, then taste again; a squeeze of lemon can make the flavor seem brighter but will not remove salt. For next time, use low-sodium broth, rinse the beans, and wait until the end to season.

Can I prepare it ahead?
Yes. You can chop the vegetables a day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. The finished soup can also be made ahead and refrigerated for 3–4 days; its flavors settle as it rests, and it may need extra broth when reheated. Always reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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