Tender lentils and lots of fresh lemon jazz up this hearty lentil ham soup that comes together all in one pot and is the best use for leftover ham!
Those ham leftovers are calling! It’s time to put them to good use and that means we’re breaking out the soup pot today.
While I love a ham sandwich as much as the next gal, you really can’t beat a nourishing, hot bowl of soup with tender chunks of ham plus we’re upping the heartiness today with lentils!
And of course, tons of fresh lemon because you know I can resist a bright, lemony bowl this time of year.
This soup is helping bridge the awkward spring weather gap since it’s light flavor-wise but also hearty and warm enough to handle the spring chill. Ready those bread hunks!
This Ham Soup Features…
- Tender lentils and vegetables
- Juicy ham cubes
- Fresh lemon juice and zest
Making the Ham Soup
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Vegetable oil
- Yellow onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Ham
- Lentils
- Bay leaf
- Lemon
- Parsley
- Baby spinach
Choosing Your Ham
Leftover cooked ham from Easter is ideal for this recipe! Cut the leftover ham into 1/4-inch cubes and it’s ready for the soup.
Other meat options that will also work in this soup: shredded chicken, turkey, corned beef, browned ground sausage, or other ground meats.
Tips for Perfect Ham Lentil Soup
- Cut vegetables into uniform pieces – aim for 1/4-inch cubes for the onion, carrot, and celery.
- Sauté vegetables – this builds the flavor base to the soup.
- Simmer soup 20-25 minutes – this simmer time will cook the lentils until perfectly tender.
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest – you can’t beat the flavor using fresh lemon juice and zest gives this soup.
- Add lemon, spinach, and parsley after cooking – adding these ingredients at the end preserves their fresh flavor.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this soup.
- Use different veggies – try adding cauliflower, parsnips, butternut squash, or potatoes.
- Use another fresh herb – try chives, dill, or basil in place of the parsley.
- Make soup vegetarian – skip the ham and replace with a veggie and substitute veggie broth for the chicken broth.
Storing and Freezing Soup
This soup stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days. Reheat leftovers in individual servings in microwave 2-3 minutes or over medium heat on stovetop for larger portions.
To freeze soup, allow to cool completely then store in a freezer-safe container, leaving about an inch of open air on top, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw completely in refrigerator before reheating or reheat from frozen over low heat on stovetop.
It’s the fresh lemon that really seals the deal on this soup! A good squeeze brightens up the lentils and ham perfectly and transforms this soup into pretty much the ultimate spring bowl.
Your new favorite spring soup calls!
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More hearty soups to make next!
Lemon Lentil Ham Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 2 stalks celery, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups leftover cooked ham, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 cup dry green lentils
- 1 dried bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Zest and juice from 1 medium lemon
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 cup firmly-packed baby spinach
Instructions
- Heat a medium pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pot and swirl to coat bottom. Add onion, carrot, and celery and saute 3-5 minutes until onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 additional minute until fragrant.
- Add chicken broth, ham, lentils, and bay leaf to soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat then cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and allow soup to simmer 20-25 minutes until lentils are tender, stirring soup occasionally.
- Remove soup from heat and stir in lemon zest, juice, parsley, and spinach until spinach is wilted. Season soup with additional salt and pepper to taste if needed and serve soup warm. Enjoy!
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