This easy ham and rice soup is the perfect blend of savoury ham and nutty brown rice. Filling and delicious it makes an ideal choice for a nutritious lunch or dinner.
If you’re looking for a warm, hearty meal that’s both healthy and satisfying then look no further than this easy ham and rice soup.
I’ve based this recipe on the classic creamy ham and wild rice soup.
I couldn’t get wild rice, so I swapped in fibre rich brown rice instead.
The brown rice adds a delightful nuttiness and a slightly chewy texture.
While the combination of onion, celery, carrots, garlic, ham stock and cheese create a delicious savoury cheesy tasting broth.
If you want to make your own ham stock you could follow my ham and vegetable soup recipe.
That recipe shows you how you can use a ham joint / bacon joint / ham hock to make ham stock and get your leftover ham from there too.
There’s no cream used to make this recipe just some low-fat cream cheese instead so it’s a perfect guilt-free indulgence you can enjoy for lunch or dinner.
Sometimes especially on a chilly day there’s nothing quite like a comforting bowl of soup to warm you up.
Plus, this ham and brown rice soup is not only easy to make, but it’s also a great way to use up any leftover ham you might have.
This is an all-in-one pot ham with rice soup recipe so there’s less dishes to wash up too.
My easy ham and brown rice soup is versatile. You can easily customise it yourself with swapping the vegetables with some different vegetables or adding others.
I often take this soup to work with me to heat up as a delicious hearty lunch option.
It’s also a great quick weeknight meal option and sure to become a family favourite.
Why not check out my list of other similar healthy easy soups below?
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Ham And Rice Soup Recipe
- Economical: A perfect recipe to use any leftover ham.
- Satisfying: It has rich, creamy textures and a comforting, hearty feel.
- Delicious: It’s packed with flavours from the vegetables, ham, and brown rice.
- Easy and Versatile: A convenient one-pot meal, perfect for busy days.
- Nutritious: A dish for all the family dish that’s ideal for cold weather.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Uncooked Brown Rice
- Onion
- Celery
- Carrots
- Garlic Cloves
- Ham Stock
- Low Fat Grated Cheddar Cheese
- Low Fat Soft Cheese
- Leftover Ham
- Freshly Ground Salt and Black Pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Step By Step Instructions
Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below. But here is a quick step by step guide of how to make this easy ham and rice soup recipe:
Step 1
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the rice and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon.
Step 2
- Add the onion, celery and carrots and sauté.
Step 3
- Stir in the garlic and sauté.
Step 4
- Add the ham stock. Stir well, bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer gently, until rice tender.
Step 5
- Stir in the grated cheese and soft cheese then continue stirring the soup until the cheese has melted and blended in.
Step 6
- Stir in cooked ham and remove soup pot from the heat.
Step 7
- Season to taste and then serve in bowls.
Substitutions
- Olive oil – no need for extra virgin olive oil. Cooking olive oil is fine.
- Uncooked Brown Rice – you could also use wild rice.
- Ham Stock – you could also use chicken stock or vegetable stock.
- Low Fat Grated Cheddar Cheese – you could use any cheddar cheese.
- Low Fat Soft Cheese
- Leftover Ham – If you don’t have leftover ham, chop up a couple of cooked gammon steaks.
Equipment
For This Ham And Rice Soup Recipe You May Need….
The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.
This means that if you click on it and then buy that product, I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).
If you do click through, then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!
This is the set of pans I recommend for cooking with.
The set includes 16, 18, 20 cm saucepans, 1 x 14 cm milk pan and 1 x 24 cm fry pan.
The pans are suitable for all hobs including induction.
They come with a 1-year guarantee which can be extended to a 10-year warranty when you register the product.
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FAQ’s
How Many Calories Are In Ham And Rice Soup?
There are 328 calories in this soup.
What If I Don’t Have Any Leftover Ham?
You can also use store-bought diced ham or even chopped up bits of ham from a ham hock.
What Vegetables Could I Add?
This is a completely versatile dish. Why not experiment with different veggies like bell peppers or mushrooms. You could also add in some peas at the end of cooking or even some spinach.
How To Store?
This ham and rice soup will store for 2-3 days in the fridge.
Can I Freeze?
Yes you can freeze this soup. Portion the soup into air-tight containers to freeze.
How To Reheat This Soup?
If frozen, defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating. You can either reheat this on the stove top or in the microwave.
Other Popular Easy Healthy Soup Recipes To Try
This healthy carrot and lentil soup is a simple, tasty and filling bowl of deliciousness! Vegan and gluten free, it takes just a few budget ingredients and spices to create this hearty quick healthy soup!
Healthy creamy kale soup is quick and easy to make. This delicious budget soup is made with just a handful of ingredients and makes 6 portions.
This delicious, rich tasting and easily made yellow split pea and ham soup is a great low cost family staple.
📋 Easy Ham and Rice Soup Recipe
This easy ham and rice soup is the perfect blend of savoury ham and nutty brown rice. Filling and delicious it makes an ideal choice for a nutritious lunch or dinner.
Servings: 6
Calories: 328kcal
The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.
This means that if you click on it and then buy that product I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).
If you do click through then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 200 g uncooked brown rice**
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 stick celery diced
- 2 medium sized carrots diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1.5 L ham stock
- 85 g low fat cheddar cheese grated
- 165 g low fat soft cheese
- 200 g leftover ham cubed***
- Freshly ground salt and black pepper
Instructions
-
Gently heat the oil in a large soup pot, add the rice and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.
-
Add the onion, celery and carrots and sauté for a further three minutes.
-
Stir in the garlic and sauté for a further minute.
-
Add the ham stock. Stir well, bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer gently for about 30-40 minutes, until rice tender.
-
Stir in the grated cheese and soft cheese then continue stirring the soup until the cheese has melted and blended in.
-
Stir in your cooked ham and remove soup pot from the heat.
-
Season to taste and then serve in bowls
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Notes
*Use only brown rice or wild rice. White rice will turn out too soggy.
**For the brown rice, I recommend easy cook long grain brown rice.
***If you don’t have leftover ham, chop up a couple of cooked gammon steaks.
Nutrition
Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1139mg | Potassium: 733mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3581IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition Label
Nutritional information provided below is calculated using paid for online tools and the exact ingredients and quantities used above.
Nutrition Facts
📋 Easy Ham and Rice Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 328
Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 36mg12%
Sodium 1139mg50%
Potassium 733mg21%
Carbohydrates 36g12%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 3581IU72%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 144mg14%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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