Ham Bone Lentil Soup (Print)

A comforting bowl of lentils and root vegetables simmered with a flavorful ham bone broth.

# Components:

→ Broth Base

01 - 1 meaty ham bone, excess fat trimmed
02 - 10 cups cold water
03 - 2 bay leaves
04 - 6 black peppercorns

→ Vegetables & Lentils

05 - 1½ cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
06 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
07 - 2 medium parsnips, peeled and diced
08 - 2 medium celery stalks, diced
09 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
10 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Seasonings & Garnishes

13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
17 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - Place ham bone, cold water, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 1 hour 15 minutes.
02 - While broth simmers, prepare all vegetables by peeling and dicing carrots, parsnips, celery, onion, and potatoes. Mince garlic and rinse lentils thoroughly.
03 - Remove ham bone from pot and set aside to cool slightly. Pour broth through a strainer, discarding solids. Return clear broth to the pot.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, parsnips, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
05 - Transfer sautéed vegetables to the broth. Add potatoes, rinsed lentils, dried thyme, and rosemary. Simmer over medium heat for 35 to 40 minutes until lentils and vegetables are tender.
06 - While soup simmers, remove cooled ham bone and pick any meat from the bone. Chop meat into bite-sized pieces and return to the soup.
07 - Taste soup and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to preference. Remove bay leaves from the pot.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges on the side if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The ham bone does the heavy lifting—you get restaurant-quality depth without fussing over stock for days.
  • Root vegetables soften into the broth so naturally you'll forget you're eating something wholesome.
  • It's the kind of soup that actually improves overnight, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding unexpected guests.
02 -
  • Don't skip the skimming step at the beginning—it takes two minutes and transforms the broth from cloudy to crystal clear.
  • Sautéing the vegetables separately before adding them develops a deeper, sweeter flavor that simmering alone never achieves.
03 -
  • Ask your butcher for a meaty ham bone specifically, not the thin variety—the extra meat and collagen make an enormous difference in flavor and mouthfeel.
  • Start with cold water rather than hot to gently extract maximum flavor from the bone, building a cleaner, more refined broth than quick boiling ever could.
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