Ham Bone Soup

For those who have burned out all the taste buds on very spicey recipies, this recipe is not for you....for those who want an excellent soup for those chilly fall and winter nights this is it. I doubled the recipe, and used one can of diced italian flavored tomatoes, and one can of the reg. type. I also added some chopped celery. The ham bone was quite meaty. This soup was so good I didn't even need to add any salt or pepper!! Jerri

Yummy!! Perfect for busy moms. Great way to stretch that left over ham. I added some carrots & potato in stead of just potato. The Tomato add a perfect flavor. I used reg canned chick broth, my ham & ham bone was a hillshire farm and those never seemed to be as salty to me. I also used garlic and bayleaf. No green pepper on hand but I am sure it would taste even better with green pepper. We had french bread with it. It was hit and I have 6 kids that loved it. Thank You!! Will be passed down to generations.

I used this recipe for a nice, meaty ham bone I had left over from a Hillshire Farms spiral ham. It was very easy and delicious. I only had a large sweet potato on hand so used that instead of the potatoes and it really added a wonderful flavor. Also added an extra can of beans (pinto), a couple of bay leaves, some garlic powder, and a touch of Golden Sherry toward the end. Wonderful soup!

AWESOME. I used a really meaty ham bone for this soup. I added chopped carrots, celery and a can of green peas in addition to everything else the recipe called for. After reading the reviews I opted for low sodium chicken bouillon. The soup was seasoned perfectly. I had to cook the soup longer because of my additions... overall I cooked it for about 8-9 hours on low. Absolutely fabulous! 12/09: I actually bought and baked a ham yesterday solely so that I could make this soup with the leftover ham bone today (although the ham was delicious, I was really craving this soup)!

OK, I gotta story. Anyone who is familiar with the show "Everybody Loves Raymond" can surely appreciate this because with the exception of my in-laws living 5 minutes away & not across the street.....they ARE Frank & Marie, and hubby & I are Ray & Debra. I'm not at all kidding, really. The in-laws called last night 4 TIMES, not leaving a message, and then came over to give me a.....yes a ham bone. Not only did I think the worst, as my husband is (again) in Monterey on business, but..it was just a hambone. Anyway, I was able to make the soup with it, and it turned out pretty good. I subbed green beans for the peppers, and if I make it again, I will add some sort of pasta. Nice & low cal. Thanks Charlene. If ever you get a chance to see the show...do, you'll get a peek into my life (HA) ;)

This recipe was AWESOME! I didn't have a slow cooker, so I just put everything into a 12 quart soup pot and brought it to a boil. Then I reduced it to low and simmered for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally. The ham just fell off of the bone! I modified slightly, 4 boullion instead of 6, and 5 cups of water. I also added some diced leftover ham that was in the fridge. I sent this recipe to everyone. Yum!

To those who referred to the salt content, that is going to happen since it's ham. I would suggest using chicken broth instead of bullion. However, I think if I decide to make this, I will be sure to use twice as much water as broth I use. I don't worry about it being watered down too much as there will be plenty of flavor from the broth and ham combination.

This is one of the easiest soup recipes I have ever tried. The family loved it and I now have another wintry night soup. Very hearty and tasty. Would highly recommend to friends.

My family really enjoyed this soup. I added cubed ham, used 4 c. of low-sodium chicken broth & added one cube of bouillon....it wasn't too salty. I had a bit of celery on hand so I threw that in & then I also added a 1/2 can of sliced carrots, I also added a couple of cloves of minced garlic, as well as two bay leaves. The soup was very hearty...more like a stew really. I served it w/ homemade bread & it was a wonderful filling meal for a cold winter day.

Excellent soup. I used crushed tomatoes instead and omitted the peppers and beans. This was still a great tasting soup and perfect for that left over ham! Thanks!

As is, the recipe was a 4 star - yummy and easy to fix. To turn it into a 5 star for my family's tastes, I deleted the green pepper and used canned tomato's that included them. Added some garlic, a few red pepper flakes, salt free seasoning, and some cubed carrots. used canned broth rather than cubes, and as I had cooked my own ham, could stir in 1/2 cup or so of the juices. Bought Applewood Smoked Half Ham at Costco - delish and not too salty. Thanks for posting this - family enjoyed it and will make it often this winter. I encourage new cooks to use this as a base, and add spices or vegetables that your family will enjoy. Making recipes your own is what makes a great cook, and is half the fun of cooking!

I made this with a bone from a ham that my husband smoked. I made a few substitutions based on what I had - minced carrots for the peppers, pinto beans for kidney beans. Also added - 2 bay leaves, minced garlic, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, & extra pieces of leftover ham. I was not immediately impressed when it was time to eat (it seemed too watery), but my husband dove in & he enjoyed it. I left the lid off the crock pot & let it cook it down a little, & found that I liked the texture much better. It's more like stew now. For us, adding the extra ham was essential. We'll freeze some now & I'm sure we'll have it again (we've always got a ham bone). Thanks for the recipe!

I was very skeptical about this recipe, sounded too simple to waste my nice meaty ham bone on. But it was delicious! I omitted the green pepper and added carrots and celery. I used a can of cannellini beans instead. The leftovers have been great for lunch! I'll definitely made this again when I have my next ham bone to use!

I just signed up to be a member or else I would of rated this before. I love this soup and have made it for about 5yrs. I save my hambone fron each holiday and use it in this recipe. The only subtitutions that I make is I add cabbage at the end of cooking and let it get nice and soft! Thanks for the recipe!

Awesome soup/stew! Substituted/added some things per some of the other reviewers suggestions and some of my own. Substituted the following: Italian seasoned diced tomatoes for reg. diced tomatoes, canned pinto beans instead of kidney beans, yellow potatoes for the potatoes and diced instead of cubed, 4 cups of chicken broth instead of water/bouillon cubes (no msg that way), 1/3 each of yellow, orange, and red bell pepper instead of the green bell pepper and also diced. Added the following: 2 bay leaves, garlic powder, white pepper, salt, and sugar to taste( only about 3 teaspoons of sugar). Also added mashed potato flakes at the very end to thicken it per the request of my family. They like stews better than soups. The result was wonderful! Everyone like it, even my husband who lately has been adding hot sauce to everything for extra flavor. Also all the kids ( 4 of them) even the ones who won't touch veggies with a ten foot pole! Thanks for a great recipe and thank you other reviewers for all the suggestions.

This soup has excellent flavor. I had to stretch it for unexpected guests so I added 2 cups of vegetable stock. It was a good addition. I only used 4 cubes chicken bouillon as I thought it would be too salty with 6.I also used black beans instead of kidney beans only because I had to use up the black beans. When I make this soup again I will make this substitution as the black beans were a bit smaller than kidney beans with a better taste. (Personal preference)I cooked it in the slow cooker for 8 hours and cooked the pasta a bit in a separate pot. Then added the pasta at the end for about 1 hour. The pasta swelled up a bit too much so be sure to add it only at the end. It was like minestrone. I have been looking for a good ham bone soup and I found one with this recipe. This soup is very forgiving as you can add any kind of vegetables you like and add or omit the pasta. I don't usually like to rate a recipe that I made changes to. It bugs me when the recipe is changed and then rated but I think this recipe would be good without my changes. Thanks for sharing.

Warm, hearty, and delicious. Will make again next time I have a ham bone.. nothing quite like the flavor. I made this in the crock pot while I was at work (10 hours), but this apparently gets better the longer it cooks.

Yahoo! I've been looking for an alternative to lima beans and ham for my leftover ham bone and this is it! Delicious, nutritious and very easy to make. I hardly changed a thing. I just added a couple of carrots and used chicken broth since that's what I had. Like other reviewers I also added a bay leaf and one whole garlic clove. The broth in this soup was wonderful. Very filling and perfect for a cold winter's night to warm the family. Thanks for a great recipe.

Cooked in my slow cooker for about 4 hours on low, I ommitted the green bell pepper, only used half of the can of tomatoes and added barley, along with various pre-packaged soup greens (a leek, fresh parsley and a celery root). I also used chicken broth instead of bullion cubes. I will definitely make this again. SO GOOD! Very hearty and great with crackers on the side.

For a fairly basic soup, I thought this was very flavorful. I subbed chick peas for the kidney beans and added corn and celery. I might have added another can of tomatoes in retrospect. Also, when I first cooked it, the fat from the ham bone left a thick layer of oil on the top which kind of bothered me. After I refrigerated the leftovers overnight, that layer solidified and I was able to pull it off and pretty much get rid of all the fat. Peeling it off was kind of gross but I'm better off with it in the trash than on my hips.

This was a really, really nice soup. The only thing I did different was use carrots instead of peppers and I added about 1/3 cup rice during the last hour of cooking. I also cooked it on Low right from the start....at total of about 10 hours. Next time I'll add 5 bouillon cubes instead of 6. The house smelled amazing and everyone gobbled up the soup. Delicious! Thank you very much!

This is a great soup! A wonderful change of pace and great use for ham bones. I used tomato sauce instead of chunks as my family prefers no pieces of tomato. Really good & easy! I've already made it several times.

My family and I love this soup! Now when we have it, I make it the day before. I leave it in the fridge (in the large pot) overnight. Chilling it brings the fat from the ham bone to the top. I scrape that off and then re-heat the soup on the stove top. Yummy!

I made the soup according to the recipe except that I used grandulated bouillon instead of cubes, 1 teaspoon = 1 cube. It was so salty we couldn't eat it. I removed about 3 cups of broth from the soup and replaced them with 3 cups of water and it was edible but still a bit salty. If I made this again, I would use just half of the bouillon, then taste, and then add more if needed.

This was good, but I like vegetables and lots of ham in my soup. I use 3 large cans of crushed tomatoes with 5 cans water. I Add a large bag of mixed vegetables just before done I add 1-1/2 cups of elbow noodles. Yum......it goes along way.

I bought a pack of ham bones the other day and needed to do something with them and of course I came here. Didn't really care to much for the taste. I guess I'm not much of a ham person, but my company really enjoyed it. Thanks anyway.

This is a great starter base. My changes wer're I used 2 cans of organic fire roasted tomatos, no potatoes, no green bell pepper, 4 cups of chicken stock and 4 cups of water, added celery. Left it on high for most of the day. 1 1/2 before we ate I added carrots and 3/4 cup of barley. OMG was it delicious! Having left overs tonight. Thank you so much for the starter.

This is by far one of the best ways to use up that leftover ham! It's very easy to do and flavorful. I have made it several times and my family of four really enjoy it!

This soup is absolutly fabulous! I made it on the stove. It took only about 2 hours cooking time this way, and was still great!

DELICIOUS! Perfect meal when the ham is almost gone. My toddler who rarely eats dinner was asking for fourths, and my husband was getting concerned there wouldn't be enough for leftovers! I didn't do bell peppers (I don't like them) and instead added carrots and celery. I used preseasoned tomatoes (it had parsley, oregano and a few other spices already in it, I believe it was the 'O' Organics brand from Safeway). It turned out amazing!

My husband and I normally disagree when cooking soups. I like broth with chunks. He likes smooth puree-type soups. I like 2-3 ingredients plus flavorings. He likes throwing everything possible into his. So I didn't think we would ever find a recipe that we both loved. But this was definately a winner. Even our 3 kids, who don't normally like soups ate this. I made the recipe exactly (I always try a recipe straight the first time and then make any needed changes the next time) and it was terrific. Although I may try adding a few more veggies next (for my kids' benefit), no changes are actually needed for the recipe. Very tasty!

Tasted like something very familiar... and it took us the whole meal to figure it out. Campbell's Vegetable Soup!!! With kidney beans. A lot of chopping when I could have just opened a can. Used 3 bouillon cubes and added sliced carrots.

Very good! I used a very meaty hambone so there was lots of ham. I also only used a half of an onion undiced because the hubby is picky and doesn't like onions. Great use of leftover ham!

Great recipe! I added lots of cayenne pepper to give it a little kick, and substituted the bell pepper for a small can of diced green chilis. I recommend a less starchy potato for a smoother taste.

I don't like chunky tomatos in my soups so I just used half a can of tomato sauce. I'm pleased with the substitution. Also, rather than cutting up carrots, I just threw in half a bag of sucatash (peas, corn, carrots, greenbeans) and that made it so tasty and colorful. I think kidney beans give the right flavor for this soup. It is a little on the salty side. Either use no-sodium chicken boullion, or cut it down to half the amount, perhaps even less. I needed to pour in extra water after a while or else it would have become really mushy. This is a hearty meal and I'll definately be making it again the next time we're left with a hambone.

A delicious way to utilize that ham bone! I hate split pea soup, and when I saw this recipe, I had to try it. I have made it a few times, each time a little differently. But I would agree with the others who said to use low-sodium bouillon. Any more salt would be too much. I had quite a bit of ham left on the bone and after slow cooking all day, it just fell off and was so tasty. I added a can of mixed veggies instead of the beans. And I just used one large potato. My kids even liked it, and they aren't big soup eaters. Will make again every time I have a ham bone leftover!

Good recipe. I agree with other reviewers when it comes to adding different veggies. I added celery, and a partial can of corn that needed to be used up. I recommend removing the bone after cooking, and allowing the soup to cool so that you can skim off some of the fat. My ham bone must have been pretty fatty, because I was able to remove 1/2 cup of fat after cooling.

I was afraid the simplicity of this recipe would make it dull but on the contrary, it's fantastic! Doesn't need herbs and spices because of the wonderful smoky flavor from the ham. I left out the green pepper. Had to substitute beef boullion for chicken. This was really hearty. Got thicker and better after being in the frig a couple days. Didn't know if the beans were supposed to be drained first - I did not drain them - put entire can and liquids in slow cooker. The ham bone I used was from a spiral cut ham with just a little meat left.

This recipe is a great starting point and the perfect "leftovers" soup! We made quite a few modifications from the original recipe (mostly due to what ingredients we had on hand). We used the ham bone from Christmas, added some carrots, only 3 little red potatoes (that was all we had left after the holiday!), celery, green onions, 1 shallot, a cup of Uncle Bens, some garlic, black pepper, and green beans. We didn't have any diced tomatoes or kidney beans in the pantry so we left those ingredients out. We also used canned chicken broth (5 regular sized cans because the rice soaked up some liquid to cook). The rice really added some "meat" to the soup. Just like most other reviews said, don't add any salt - there is plenty!

I got a late start & didn't have time to do in the crockpot. Worked fine on the stove. I used a ham hock which is what I had on hand. I meant to use chicken broth as reviews said but forgot to buy it so I used the water & chicken bouillon cubes. I added thin sliced carrots, celery, garlic 2 bay leaves & a couple shakes of red pepper flakes + 2 tsp. of sugar as suggested by other reviews. I sauted the onion, carrots, celery & garlic a little in the pot with the canned tomatoes then added all but the potatoes and brought to a boil. I used 2 cups of diced ham I had in the freezer to use up. I simmered it for 1 hour then added the cubed potatoes and brought to a boil again. Since it had cooked down some I added a can of veggie broth I had in the cabinet & gently boiled for 1/2 hour then turned off & let sit till dinner time. Hubby loved it & it was SO easy to throw together.

Just made this great soup yesterday with a leftover spiral ham, lots of meat on it. I noted that the ingredients as listed may have turned out a little bland so I added some garlic, lots of pepper, a can of mild chile peppers and some cayenne pepper along with some hot pepper flakes. Cooked it for the full 6 hours and the aroma was heavenly! My wife and I really loved it and look forward to the frozen remains.

I've never cooked a spiral ham before, but there was so much meat on the bone I had to try to make something with it. This is a great recipe - very simple, using items easily on hand. I made a few minor modifications - added carrots and red bell pepper, reduced number of potatoes to one large one and added two cloves of minced garlic and a little crushed red pepper to spice it up. It ended up being kind of a soupy chili - really, really great for a cold wintry day. I wish they would change the picture on this one, though ... mine didn't look anything like that!!

Really good and filling. Guys loved it, Great meat and potato dish. The bell peppers add a Latin kick! I would like suggestions to lighten the saltiness if any. Overall it's a really good meal easy to prepare and smells great cooking in the crock pot! Thank you

I almost threw out the Christmas ham bone, then I decided to look for a suitable recipe for it. This is it! I was pressed for time, so I cooked this on top of the stove for about an hour or less. I added fresh chopped carrots and celery and a bit of garlic powder and black pepper, and a can of corn. I didn't have kidney beans, so I used a can of Great Northern Beans. Don't add any salt, it's just perfect the way it is. Wonderful flavorful soup! I will most definitely make this again.

Let it cook all day on the stove in a dutch oven. GREAT! Used beef broth since I was out of chicken and it was still great!

The ham bone put 2 large bones and several smaller bones in the soup, along with gristle and fat. It was tedious getting this all out and I was afraid someone would discover a missed piece of bone/gristle/fat. The taste was good, however. My ham was a spiral cut, high end ham. I must of used a different kind of ham than everyone else!

Made this yesterday, but added black pepper to taste, bay leave and omitted kidney beans and replaced with split peas and white beans. Kids LOVED it. It's been -30 or colder here. The warm soup hit the spot.Thanks

Ok, I feel like I figured this thing out. First, the cook time totally varies. If you don't cook it long enough, it is going to be way to watery and not as flavorful at all. Although 5-6 hours was plenty for others, I doubled the recipe and after 8 hrs on high in the crock pot it was still not cooked all the way. A little time on the stove -brought to a boil and then simmered and it thickened WAY up - made it go from 2 stars to 4+ stars. I also think how salty your ham is has a lot to do with the outcome. If you find (only after you cook it ALL the way) that it is not flavorful enough, just add some salt! I added salt before it was done all the way and I probably over did it, but I still got rave reviews. I totally understand the low ratings as well as the high ratings. Before I simmered it on the stove, I was really disappointed in this soup. Afterwards... DELISH. Gave 4 stars because it was so finicky with the cook time, but end result was 5 stars.

Wow! I can't believe I have thrown away so many ham bones! This is the best soup I've ever had! So much flavor! I made four minor changes 1- I used navy beans instead of kidney 2- I used the diced tom. with garlic and oregano 3- I used a red pepper instead of green 4- I added carrots - DELICIOUS!

I followed this recipe except I subsituted a can of pinto beans because I had them on hand. The soup turned out delicious but second day, was much too salty! I do not know what caused this, because I did not add any condiments to the original recipe. I can only blame it on using the six bullion cubes which I think may have contributed to the saltiness. I will try this recipe again, but may just used a can of low salt chicken broth instead of the cubes. If anyone else has had a problem with this, I would like to know their "cure"!

I followed the recipe exactly. My husband LOVED it! I also thought it was delicious, but he raved!

This is a favorite recipe with a regular baked ham bone, but we hated it when I tried it with a bone from a smoked ham. It gives it a totally different taste. Also, it's quite salty so I always use less bouillon cubes. Awesome served with crusty bread, ceasar salad, and sweet tea. YUMMY.

Just like stone soup. Just start with the ham bone add whatever to your soup and it is great. Will diffently make this again.

Great soup...if you like salty, which I do! Also, very easy to make and a great use of a ham bone.

Thank you TootSweet13 for an awesome recipe! With the exception of adding a bayleaf and using low-sodium/no MSG chicken broth I followed the recipe as written. I was nervous since my hambone was from a HoneyBaked Ham (thought maybe any remaining glaze would interfer) but no need to worry. This was the BEST ham soup I've ever made!

This soup got rave reviews from everyone who had it. The only change I made was that I used "Italian Style" diced tomatoes. Absolutely wonderful.

Great recipe ... would not change a thing!!

My husband made this. It was incredible! We enjoyed every bit of this ham bone soup. I would recommend it highly!!!!!!

I've never been much of a soup person, but we had ham for Christmas and I thought that making soup with the bone could be fun to try. I made as directed, except that I omitted the green pepper as I didn't have any, used 5 cups of broth instead of bouillon/water and I also added carrots, celery, garlic and an additional can of beans (pinto, for variety). It was absolutely delicious!! My husband can't seem to get enough of it and I've gotta admit that I like it too. :) I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for a way to not have to waste a ham bone and want something you can throw together in a crock pot and come home to a delicious, hearty, home cooked meal! :)

Excellent soup! The tomatoes add a nice flavor to the soup. My only substitution was that I used canned Northern beans instead of the kidney beans, because that was what I had on hand.

This soup was great. I agree with other reviewers that it could use a low-sodium boullion. It was pretty salty. I added zucchini and carrots too- yum!

Great recipe! I followed it exactly except used low sodium chicken broth instead of the bouillon and water. I will now make this every time I have a left over ham bone rather than the old ham and beans.

This soup was so delicious and simple to make. I almost gave it four stars because it seemed like one onion was so much that it seemed to take over the pot and after the soup was done I took out half the onion and threw it away so that it wouldn't look like onion soup. I also changed it up a bit by adding two more cans of beans, pinto & white, added ham, and more broth. Wonderful recipe to go off of.

Yummy!

I made this soup 5 months ago and for Easter I made an extra ham just for the bone to make this again. I did change it a bit. Used stewed tomatoes, added a can of chipotle pinto beans and then when it was all done I added diced cabbage into it. The cabbage made a big difference. This time I am going to add in baby carrots. Can't wait!

This was a great soup. We added some spices (to taste) as we felt it needed an 'earthy" element and was way too sweet from our ham bone. We added some tyme, red pepper, oregano, black pepper, 1/4 can peeled tomato, marjorum and parsley. We used a bone from a honey glazed ham and when i first tasted it, it was way too sweet so that is why I added the "earthy" spices. That evened it out and was GREAT.

I do not like beans, but had a ham bone left and didn't want to waste it so I tried this recipe. It was surprisingly good but very salty. However, the salt was manageable. I did not cook it in a crock pot, but in a pot on the stove. It didn’t take long, only about 30 minutes until the potatoes were done so I had to turn the heat way down until we were ready to eat. I also used canned northern beans instead of kidney because I don’t like the texture of kidney beans but found that the toughness of the kidney bean is needed since the soup boils so long to get the flavor of the bone out.

It was good. Good flavor and a good way to use up the bone. Nothing to get too excited about, however.

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!! I boiled the ham bone while cutting veggies, for about 30-45 minutes in the the water w/ chicken and beef buillon cubes. I then placed all in crockpot on high for 2 hours and low for 4 hours. For low carb alternative, I added parsnips and turnips in place of potatoes. EXCELLENT!!!

Yummy!!! everyone loved it. I did and cabbage to it and extra beans.

For church - make 8 servings (not 12)

This was okay. I added the chicken broth instead of the bouillon.....I think maybe next time I'd omit, or add less tomato, and add carrots and maybe some split peas.

Made this for my husband. Only skipped on the green peppers because he doesn't like them. Did everything else as called for. He loves this. He can't get enough. He has had bowl every day for the last 4 days. Thanks!

Added 2 cloves of garlic, and deleted the green bell pepper.

As is, this is a great soup base. I found it needed more veggies and broth for my taste. I added corn, green beans, and carrots and could have added more. I also added a tbsp. of minced garlic. I used a leftover picnic shoulder roast, which gave it great flavor.

this is a great base for almost any variation of soup with ingredients you may have on hand. i used chicken stock instead of bouillon cubes and since i had saved ham drippings from my baked ham, i added that as well with extra water to taste. i also used garbanzo instead of kidney (what i had) and a bag of fresh spinach i had on hand. for seasoning, all it needed was ground pepper. i cooked everything in a pressure cooker for an hour except the potatoes, garbanzos, and spinach which i added not under pressure to watch for doneness of added ingredients. a delicious hearty soup that clearly does not resemble anything 'left over'

Loved, loved, loved this soup! I made a few changes...I used frozen mixed veggies (carrots, corn and green beans), a little celery, green and red pepper (because I had them), two bay leaves and very little onion. I had some leftover ham, also. During the last thirty minutes of cooking, I threw in some very small alphabet noodles. I thought that it come out wonderfully and will definitely make it again.

I didn't have a ham bone, but I have tons of leftover ham. So, I threw in a huge chunk (had to be at least 1 lb). I used black beans because I like them better and was out of kidney beans anyway. My 7yo said this soup is amazing...keeper!

I do not use a crock pot so just made it on the stove. I also added garlic and a bay leaf, carrots and celery. Next time may add even more veggies, such as corn and green beans. It really was delicious, a nice blend of flavors.

AMAZING!!!!!!

I skipped the green peppers and tomatoes..used black eyed peas and lots of vegetables...even some I had leftover from a prior night's stir fry.. Added thyme.... Very hearty.

Really yummy! I left out the beans 'cause we don't like them. Added a few more veggies like corn and then some rice. Really tasty with cornbread.

WOW! This is Great! I only omitted the green peppers. No seasoning added which was just amazing to me. Even my picky husband loved it! I'll make this from now on with my ham bone. It's way better than split pea soup. Thank you so much for the fantastic recipe.

Sooo good! I would probably add a bay leaf and some thyme or sage next time.

Loved it! Toward the end I added 1/2 cup of barley to thicken it up some -- WOW! Next time I will leave the potatoes out and just do barley, not that the potatoes were bad, just really liked the barley.

This was the weakest recipe I've tried yet from this site. Maybe I used too much onion, maybe I didn't cook it long enough. I won't probably won't try it again. (Although I used a honey-baked ham...which might have something to do with it...)

This was a tasty, hearty soup. However, it was a little tangy for our taste. Maybe the tomato base. Gave some to my neighbors along w/the recipe and they've made it once or twice since then and love it. May try a little variation next time w/out all the tomato, but still a good recipe when you don't know what to do w/a leftover ham bone.

Fantastic! what more can I say. My 6 and 11 year old grandchildren are not soup eaters. When I told them this was all I made they tried it, said nothing while they pouted, BUT ASKED for SECONDS I think that says it all. I used only chicken stock instead of water added sweet potatoes and celery along with everything else. Deboned the soup once it was done and served with French bread.

This soup is delicious. I see carrots in the picture of the recipe, but the recipe did not call for them. I added carrots and liked that addition.

Made a few modifications...garlic, bay leaf, pepper and Marjoram. left the skin on the potatoes. Kids ( who HATE soup) gobbled it up like there was no tomorrow! A definate do-over!

I left out the green pepper and added fresh green beans, and used red potatoes . It was delicious. My family loved it.

Tomato based soup is usually not a favorite of mine, but I may need to change my mind. This is a great basic soup recipe that is VERY forgiving - allowing you to alter according to what is in your pantry/frig. This became an everything but the kitchen sink ham bone soup... because I used everything but the kitchen sink and it came out great. My crockpot (1.5 Qt) was filled with: the last three Yukon Gold potatos, a small four ounce can of low sodium mushrooms, low sodium blackeye peas, 8 oz tomato sauce, 14 oz. italian stewed tomatoes, low sodium chicken broth, fresh parsley, my last onion, two bay leaves, and a very lean ham bone (hubby had already picked it clean) and one cup white wine. Awesome. It wasn't salty and had a nice rich flavor. Thanks for sharing!

very EASY and tasty soup. I was on the fence about this one after reading the reviews but it's great as is and with additions. Today I threw it together quickly and left w/o even stirring it. I added carrots, didn't have enough onion and used honey baked ham bone plus leftover ham. It's perfectly sweet and a perfect winter soup. I might add cheese to one bowl and try to make it creamy and thick next time.

This was ok. I added carrots, garlic powder, and bay leaf. Drained and rinsed the beans. ETA Just had leftovers and like many crock recipes, it was much better the second time around! Also I cooked on low 7 hrs

I have to give this a 5, it was really good, albeit I don't care much for tomatoes in my soup. Next time I'll add more ham, there wasn't a lot on the bone. I also used 4 cups of chicken broth instead of the bouillon, I didn't have any. Will definitely make this one again, it was very good and simple.

My wife and I tried this recipie and loved it. We did add carrots as other readers suggested. I also added a little extra ham to make it just a touch heartier. I will definately use this again.

OMG this wasw Fantastic!! I have the PICKIEST eaters around here and everyone not only had seconds, but thirds too!!! Wow it was so good! I did make a couple changes based on what I like and some of the suggestions. ** I added a cut up carrot, I added celery but not chopped, put in a stalk whole (noone likes the texture of cooked celery but I wanted the flavor) Put in 2 bay leaves. Skipped the peppers and onions (did add a dash of minced onion from a jar) Also I used crushed tomateos instad of diced beacuse my picky son hates tomato chunks. I cooked it all day, like from 8am to about 6pm andin the last half hour or so I threw in some alphabet pasta. It was fabulous, I am sure the original reciipes was meant to be tweaked to your personal tastes and I am so glad you shared this!! I will be making it again and passing on the recipe to others, Thanks!

Great soup my whole family loved!

This recipe was DELISH! One of my new favorites! I added some carrots and celery and left out the beans because we don't like them very much. I also did 5 cups of water and 5 buillion cubes, and it seemed to be perfect. Not too salty! I added 2 bay leaves and 2 tsp of garlic too. I let this cook from 630am-7pm on low and it was PEFECT! Thanks SO MUCH for the recipe!!