Smoked Ham Hock and Bean Cabbage Soup: My Cozy Guide

Let Me Tell You About My Smoky Soup Obsession

Alright, so—this Smoked Ham Hock and Bean Cabbage Soup is what I make when I feel like curling up under a blanket and pretending the world outside is way colder than it actually is (hey, even in July I crave this stuff). Honestly, my uncle first made a version of this when I was a kid and his only real instruction was to let everything "bubble away until it smells irresistible." That’s still about how I go about it, though now I’ve blundered through enough batches to make it my own. One of my favourite bits is gnawing the ham right off the bone before tossing it back in—leaves everyone wondering where all the best pieces went. Sorry, not sorry.

Why This Will Be Your New Go-To (Or: Why I Can't Stop Making It)

I make this when I’ve got a lazy Sunday, the sort where everyone’s aimlessly wandering into the kitchen asking if there’s anything to eat yet (they know the answer, but it never stops them). My family goes mad for this because it’s hearty, tastes like you’ve been slaving away all day (spoiler alert: you mostly just wait), and it fills the house with that smoky, "someone’s doing something impressive in here" smell. Plus, if I forget an ingredient—like, say, the carrots—nobody even notices. Well, except for my nosy brother-in-law, but he’s just fishing for a reason to tease me!

What You'll Need (And How I Cheat When I Can't Be Bothered)

• 1 smoked ham hock (big enough to make you look silly carrying it home); I sometimes use two small ones if they're on offer—doesn't seem to change much
• 1 large onion, chopped (red or yellow, whatever is rolling around in your veg drawer)
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced; but once I only had parsnips and it was... interesting
• 2 celery stalks, diced—my grandmother swears by the leafy tops, though I mostly don’t bother
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (lazy days? I’ll use garlic powder: about a teaspoon-ish)
• 1 medium head of cabbage, chopped (Savoy, green, or even that half dead one you've been ignoring, just trim off the scary bits)
• 2 x 400g cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (I’ve used navy beans and no one clocked it)
• 6 cups (about 1.5L) chicken stock (homemade would be grand, but cubes are totally fine by me)
• 2 bay leaves (unless you forget them, which happens more often than I’ll admit)
• A handful of fresh parsley, chopped (or a wee sprinkle of dried from an old jar—who’s judging?)
• Salt and pepper to taste (sometimes I just let people add their own—less complaining that way)

How to Make This (And Where I Sometimes Go Off Script)

1. Toss your smoked ham hock into a big ol' pot. Slosh in the chicken stock—it should mostly cover the hock, but a little poking out is fine (looks dramatic, I think). Chuck in your bay leaves now, too.
2. Bring the whole show to a good rolling boil, then drop the heat and let it simmer gently for about 1.5 hours. I usually go make a cup of tea, forget what I was doing, and then panic-check to see if I burnt it—never have yet.
3. Lift out the ham hock carefully (it's hot, and slippery as a bar of soap!). Set it aside to cool off a bit because you're gonna need your fingers later.
4. Chuck in the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Stir it all up, scraping up the nice bits from the bottom. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes, uncovered. This is the bit where the kitchen starts to smell like home. (I usually sneak a nibble of carrot here—old habit, can't stop.)
5. Meanwhile, shred the meat off the ham hock with your fingers (once it's cool enough—seriously, do not rush unless you like burned fingertips). Cut off any furry bits of skin or tough gristle (I once didn't and...let's just say, some textures weren't meant for soup).
6. Return the meat (and the bone, if your pot isn’t crowded) to the bubbling veg. Stir in the chopped cabbage—don't worry if it looks too full, cabbage always slumps down more than you’d think.
7. Add your beans now. Give the pot a gentle stir. Let it simmer for about 20-25 more minutes, until everything’s cozy and the cabbage is taste-your-own-fork tender. Salt and pepper to taste—it never needs much salt for me, cause the ham’s plenty punchy.
8. Just before serving, sprinkle with parsley. Stand back and admire. Or, more likely, get mobbed by hungry people with spoons.

Confessions & Notes Worth Knowing

• I’ve tried using pre-cooked ham instead of hock. It...sort of works, but you lose all that slow-simmered flavor—meh, only in emergencies.
• Sometimes the soup looks a bit cloudy. That’s normal! Don’t skim off the stuff on top unless you really want to; it just means flavor.
• Don’t be tempted to chop the cabbage too fine—it vanishes.
• This is even better the next day, swear. But, if you eat it straight away, give it like 10 mins to sit off the heat so it chills out.

Variations I’ve Liked (And One I Haven’t)

• I once swapped out white beans for lentils. It gave it a whole different vibe—earthier, still worth a go if that’s all you’ve got.
• My friend put a swirl of cream in hers—tasty, but kind of defeats the point of smoky comfort in my opinion (but hey, give it a bash).
• Tried tossing in a diced potato. It kind of went mushy, so maybe skip that? Or do, if you like thick soup. I personally wasn’t a fan.

What You’ll Need Equipment-Wise (And the Desperate Workarounds)

• Big stock pot—if you’re short, you can use one of those heavy Dutch ovens. Or a slow cooker in a pinch (tried it once, turned out...okayish?)
• Sharp knife and a stubbornness about dicing onions (I use kitchen goggles, but that’s a story for another day)
• Colander for draining beans—though, honestly, rinsing them in the can with a splash of water has worked when I’m lazy

Keeping Leftovers (If You Somehow Have Any)

This keeps in the fridge for around 3-4 days—but honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! If you want to freeze it, go ahead, but I think the cabbage gets a wee bit mushy after a deep chill. Your call.

Serving It Up (My Way, and My Mum's Opinion)

Best with a crusty chunk of bread for dunking, but my mum insists on always having a little English mustard on the side (try it, oddly delicious). I like it in a deep bowl, piping hot, with extra parsley—mainly for the look of the thing. Sometimes we eat it straight from the pot—fewer dishes, more soup.

Learned This The Hard Way...Pro Tips

• Don’t rush simmering the hock. I once tried to save time by turning up the heat and, well, let's just say I spent a while scrubbing burnt-on gunk form the bottom. Low and slow wins.
• If you forget to taste as you go, you might wind up with bland soup. Actually, I find it works better if you season in little waves.
• Letting it cool a bit before serving seems to mellow the flavors. Or maybe that’s just impatience...

Your Burning Questions—Answered (Sort of)

• Can I make this in a slow cooker?—Yeah, but it takes ages. Like, 6-8 hours on low. Worth a try if you want to set and forget, but you might want to sauté the veg first for extra flavor.
• Do I need to soak the beans?—Not if you’re using canned! If you go for dried, though, soak 'em overnight or you’re asking for trouble.
• Is this gluten free?—If your stock’s gluten free, then yeah—pretty much. Always check, though; you never know what’s lurking in those cubes.
• How smoky does it get?—Pretty smoky, but if you want more, you can always sneak in a bit of smoked paprika. Not traditional, just tasty.
• What do I do with leftover ham hock bone?—Chuck it back in for extra flavor, or use it for another round of stock (or, in my case, give it to the dog—if he’s lucky).

By the way, if you ever accidentally drop half your cabbage on the floor while chopping, scoop it up quick and just keep going. Five second rule (or longer...who’s counting)?

★★★★★ 4.70 from 16 ratings

Smoked Ham Hock and Bean Cabbage Soup

yield: 6 servings

prep: 25 mins

cook: 20 mins

total: 50 mins

A hearty, smoky soup loaded with tender ham hock, creamy cannellini beans, and loads of cabbage. Perfect for chilly nights and anyone craving true comfort food.

🖨️ Print Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 smoked ham hock (big enough to make you look silly carrying it home); I sometimes use two small ones if they're on offer—doesn't seem to change much
• 1 large onion, chopped (red or yellow, whatever is rolling around in your veg drawer)
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced; but once I only had parsnips and it was... interesting
• 2 celery stalks, diced—my grandmother swears by the leafy tops, though I mostly don’t bother
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (lazy days? I’ll use garlic powder: about a teaspoon-ish)
• 1 medium head of cabbage, chopped (Savoy, green, or even that half dead one you've been ignoring, just trim off the scary bits)
• 2 x 400g cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (I’ve used navy beans and no one clocked it)
• 6 cups (about 1.5L) chicken stock (homemade would be grand, but cubes are totally fine by me)
• 2 bay leaves (unless you forget them, which happens more often than I’ll admit)
• A handful of fresh parsley, chopped (or a wee sprinkle of dried from an old jar—who’s judging?)
• Salt and pepper to taste (sometimes I just let people add their own—less complaining that way)

Instructions

1. 1
   Toss your smoked ham hock into a big ol' pot. Slosh in the chicken stock—it should mostly cover the hock, but a little poking out is fine (looks dramatic, I think). Chuck in your bay leaves now, too.
2. 2
   Bring the whole show to a good rolling boil, then drop the heat and let it simmer gently for about 1.5 hours. I usually go make a cup of tea, forget what I was doing, and then panic-check to see if I burnt it—never have yet.
3. 3
   Lift out the ham hock carefully (it's hot, and slippery as a bar of soap!). Set it aside to cool off a bit because you're gonna need your fingers later.
4. 4
   Chuck in the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Stir it all up, scraping up the nice bits from the bottom. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes, uncovered. This is the bit where the kitchen starts to smell like home. (I usually sneak a nibble of carrot here—old habit, can't stop.)
5. 5
   Meanwhile, shred the meat off the ham hock with your fingers (once it's cool enough—seriously, do not rush unless you like burned fingertips). Cut off any furry bits of skin or tough gristle (I once didn't and...let's just say, some textures weren't meant for soup).
6. 6
   Return the meat (and the bone, if your pot isn’t crowded) to the bubbling veg. Stir in the chopped cabbage—don't worry if it looks too full, cabbage always slumps down more than you’d think.
7. 7
   Add your beans now. Give the pot a gentle stir. Let it simmer for about 20-25 more minutes, until everything’s cozy and the cabbage is taste-your-own-fork tender. Salt and pepper to taste—it never needs much salt for me, cause the ham’s plenty punchy.
8. 8
   Just before serving, sprinkle with parsley. Stand back and admire. Or, more likely, get mobbed by hungry people with spoons.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 320 caloriescal

Protein: 25gg

Fat: 9gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 33gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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