The weather has turned chilly and the leaves are changing across Canada, which means it’s soup season. This Ham and Cabbage Soup is perfect for cool evenings — light yet deeply satisfying thanks to a nourishing bone broth made by simmering a ham bone for 12 hours. 
The recipe is deceptively simple: place the ham bone in a slow cooker or Instant Pot first thing in the morning, let it develop flavour all day, then add chopped vegetables in the evening and simmer until tender. In under an hour after the vegetables go in, your soup is ready.
Soups are one of my favourite comfort foods. I carry them in a thermos, freeze them for meal prep, and rely on them when I want a quick, wholesome meal. They also adapt easily to personal preferences: if you want fewer carbs, reduce the onions or carrots; if you enjoy extra vegetables, add a bit more celery and carrots for colour and texture. I’ll be sharing more of my favourite soups to keep you warm on autumn evenings.
Happy Low Carbing!
Don’t forget to add these to your Healthy Eating, Low Carb Boards on Pinterest and follow @TheKitchenMagpieLowCarb
Ham and Cabbage Soup
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Course
- Main Course
- Cuisine
- American
- Servings
- 6
- Calories
- 202
- Author
- Karami Urbanoski
Ingredients
- 1 Ham Bone
- 8 cups water
- 3 cups diced ham (meat from bone)
- 1 cup carrots, sliced about 1/8 inch thick
- 1/2 cup sliced celery
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
- 1 tbsp green onions for garnish
- 6 cups sliced cabbage (1 inch squares)
Instructions
-
Place the ham bone in an Instant Pot or slow cooker with water and slow cook for about 12 hours to develop a rich, flavourful broth.
-
Remove the bone and strain the liquid through a fine strainer. Discard any sediment and return the clear broth to the pot.
-
Chop the vegetables. Add the carrots, celery, onions and diced ham to the broth, reserving the cabbage. Slow cook for 20 minutes.
-
Add the cabbage and continue to cook for about 40 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.
-
Season with salt to taste if needed. Many ham bones and the concentrated broth provide plenty of seasoning on their own.
-
Note: Cabbage thickness varies by season. If your cabbage is thin, reduce cooking time by 10 minutes for a firmer bite. Thicker pieces may need an extra 10 minutes to soften.
Nutrition Information
All nutrition values are estimates from a third-party calculator. Actual values will vary based on brands, portions and preparation methods.
Made this recipe?
Share a photo on Instagram or Facebook and tag @thekitchenmagpie or use the hashtag #thekitchenmagpie. Please rate the recipe in the comments to help other cooks!