This creamy Ham and Cabbage Soup is rich and cheesy, packed with tender cabbage and diced ham. It’s a perfect way to use up leftover ham. Ready in just 30 minutes and perfect for a chilly night.
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Nothing beats a hot bowl of soup on a cold night and this Creamy Ham and Cabbage Soup is a definite favorite.
I love that it comes together in just 30 minutes and can use leftover ham or a pack of cubed ham from the grocery store. So simple either way you go!
The tender cabbage, creamy broth, and salty ham all work together to make a satisfying bowl of soup. We like to serve this alongside our keto cornbread, keto cheddar bay biscuits, or garlic bread chaffles.
I’m always surprised when my kids happily gobble up cabbage, but it really is such a mild flavored veggie and it works especially well in soup! I don’t want to go so far as to say it tastes like pasta (because let’s be real here), but when cabbage is boiled in broth and eaten as a soup, it does take on pasta vibes. You know?
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s ridiculously easy. Seriously, if you can chop vegetables and stir things in a pot, you can make this soup. Most of the work is just waiting for things to get tender.
The flavor combo is pure comfort food magic. Salty ham meets sweet, tender cabbage in a rich, cheesy broth. My husband said it reminds him of his grandmother’s cooking (which is the highest compliment he gives).
It’s the ultimate leftover transformer. Got ham that’s been sitting in your fridge for three days? This soup will make you look like a meal-planning genius instead of someone who’s desperately trying to use up leftovers.
Ingredient Notes:
Veggies – We’re using diced onion and celery, plenty of chopped cabbage, and some minced garlic.
Diced Ham – This is a great recipe for using up leftover ham! Just dice it up into smaller pieces for the soup. You can also buy the pre-diced package of ham from the store if you want to keep things easy.
Chicken Stock – This will make up the base of the soup. Use homemade or store bought.
Chicken Bouillon – Adds extra depth of flavor!
Dairy – We’re stirring in heavy cream, cream cheese, and shredded cheddar to give this soup it’s creamy texture.
Seasoning- We kept it simple with salt and pepper, but feel free to add in whatever herbs or spices you like.
Step by Step:
Heat some butter in your Dutch oven (or whatever big pot you have) over medium heat. Toss in the diced onion and celery and let them get soft and fragrant – about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for just 30 seconds more because burned garlic is the enemy.
Stir in your diced ham and let it warm through, then add the chopped cabbage. Pour in the chicken stock and bouillon, bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Here’s my trick – heat the cream cheese and heavy cream together in the microwave until the cheese is soft and everything stirs together easily. This prevents any lumpy disasters. Stir this mixture into your soup, then add the shredded cheddar.
Keep stirring over low heat until everything is melted and creamy. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Toss in some red pepper flakes if you want to give it a kick!
Be sure to dice up the cabbage fairly small so that it’s easy to eat. Large chunks are hard to keep on your spoon!
Storage
Fridge life – This keeps beautifully for 3-4 days in the fridge, covered. Honestly, I think it tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to get acquainted.
Reheating tips – Warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave. If it seems thick, just stir in a splash of chicken broth to get it back to your preferred consistency.
Freezer situation – Cream-based soups can get a little weird when thawed. The flavor is still good, but the texture might separate a bit. If you do freeze it, reheat slowly and give it a good stir.
Make-ahead magic – You can prep all the vegetables ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. The whole soup also reheats so well that I sometimes make a double batch on Sunday for easy weeknight meals.
Creamy Ham and Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 small onion
- 1 rib celery
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups diced ham
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 5 cups chopped cabbage
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dice the onion and celery.
- Heat the butter in a dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and celery to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add the ham, chicken stock, cabbage, and chicken bouillon to the pot and stir well to combine.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Heat the cream and cream cheese in the microwave until the cheese is soft and the mixture easily stirs together. Stir into the soup along with the cheddar and continue stirring over low heat until the cheese has melted and the soup is creamy.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Mandi Driedger says
This is the first recipe I cooked from your “that low carb life” OH MY! We absolutely loved it. It didn’t last long in this household 🙂
Karly Campbell says
Yay!! Love to hear that!
Nancy says
I made this today for dinner and it’s delicious!
Karly Campbell says
Thanks, Nancy!
Louise says
Looks delicious! I plan to try it.