This creamy ham and wild rice soup is made with ham, vegetables, and a mix of white and wild rice in a rich, creamy broth. It's an easy, satisfying soup and a great way to use leftover ham.
What's great about this recipe
- Great for leftover ham. This ham and rice soup is an easy, budget-friendly way to turn leftover holiday ham into another meal.
- Ready in under an hour. The soup takes about 55 minutes from start to finish, including prep time.
- Hearty and satisfying. Ham, wild rice, vegetables, and a creamy broth make this soup substantial enough for dinner.
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Budget Check
- The full recipe is about $13.50-$14.00
- Per serving (6 servings): about $2.25-$2.35
Uses conventional ingredients. Based on recent U.S. national averages. Actual prices will vary by store and region.
Ingredients you'll need
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- Butter - Regular salted butter works well. If you are sensitive to salt, use unsalted.
- Produce - Onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and sage create a flavorful base for the soup.
- Flour - All-purpose flour is used to give the soup body.
- Broth - Use your favorite chicken broth. If you are sensitive to salt, use low-sodium broth, then adjust the salt at the end.
- Cooked wild rice mix - We used a mix of wild and white rice. Use your favorite wild rice mix and cook it according to the package directions.
- Ham - This is a great recipe for leftover ham. If you don't have any, a ham steak from the grocery store works well too.
- Cream - We use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. It's lighter but still creamy enough to give the soup the flavor and texture we want.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make ham and wild rice soup
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- When the butter has melted, add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, sage and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the flour and stir until well incorporated.
- Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, stirring almost constantly to cook out the flour taste.
- Slowly add the chicken broth while stirring briskly with a whisk or wooden spoon until well combined.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the broth to a simmer (it will take about 5 minutes). Add the ham and let the soup come back to a simmer.
- Lower the heat to medium-low, half-cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Raise or lower the heat as needed to keep the soup at a simmer.
- Add the rice, half-cover the pot and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Stir often to make sure the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Take the pot off the heat and add the half-and-half. Stir to combine.
- Return the pot to low heat and warm through. Do not let the soup come to a simmer or boil. Taste and add salt, if needed. As a reference, we did not add extra to ours. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe tips and notes
- Hold the salt until the end when making this wild rice soup with ham. If you are sensitive to salt, use reduced-sodium ingredients like low-sodium chicken broth, ham and unsalted butter. Then, taste and add salt at the end if needed.
- Start the rice first unless you are using leftovers because it usually takes a while to cook.
- Skip the seasoning packet. Some wild rice mixes include a seasoning packet. Prepare the rice according to the package directions, but omit the seasoning packet.
- No wild rice mix? If you have leftover white rice, cook about ¼ cup of plain wild rice and add it to the soup along with the white rice.
Storing and reheating
Store leftover ham and wild rice soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To freeze, store the soup in a freezer-safe airtight container, leaving some room at the top for expansion. Freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat, warm the soup gently in a covered saucepan over medium-low to low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 165°F. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave. Avoid letting the soup come to a full boil because the half-and-half can separate.
The soup will thicken as it cools and loosen as it heats. If it's too thick, add chicken broth 1 tablespoon at a time while reheating until it reaches the desired consistency.
Food safety: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F.
This ham and wild rice soup is a hearty, comforting meal that's easy enough for any day of the week. Serve it with a piece of crusty bread or crackers. If you enjoyed this recipe and have more ham to use up, try our ham fried rice. It's an easy way to turn leftovers into another meal. For more comforting soups, try our creamy chicken and wild rice soup or this simple ham and bean soup. Both are great for a light dinner or lunch on a cold day.
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📖 Recipe
Ham and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons Butter
- 1 medium Onion finely diced
- 2 medium Carrots diced (about ¾ - 1 cup diced)
- 1 Celery Rib diced (about ¼ cup diced)
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons Sage minced (about 4 leaves)
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ⅓ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 6 cups Chicken Broth
- 12 ounces Ham cut into bite-sized cubes
- 2 cups Cooked Wild Rice Mix we used a mix of wild and white rice prepared to package directions
- ½ cup Half-and-Half
- Salt if needed at the end
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. When the butter has melted and starts to foam, add the onions, carrots and celery.
- Cook the vegetables gently for 5 minutes until the onions become translucent and start to soften, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, sage and black pepper to the pot. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the flour, stirring constantly until well incorporated. Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, stirring almost constantly to cook out the flour taste.
- Slowly add in the chicken broth while stirring until it is incorporated. Use a whisk to make it easier to dissolve the flour. If you don't have one, stir vigorously with a wooden spoon.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the broth to a simmer (it will take about 5 minutes).
- Next, add the ham and let the soup come back to a simmer.
- Then, lower the heat to medium-low, half-cover the pot and continue simmering for 15 minutes, stir occasionally. Keep the soup at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat if necessary.
- Add the rice, half-cover and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Stir often to make sure the rice is not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Take the pot off the heat and add the half and half. Stir to combine.
- Return the pot to low heat and warm through. Do not let the soup come to a simmer or boil.
- Taste and add salt, if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours.
Notes
- Hold the salt until the end. If you are sensitive to salt, use reduced-sodium ingredients like low-sodium chicken broth, ham and unsalted butter. Taste and add salt at the end if needed.
- Start the rice first unless you are using leftovers because it usually takes a while to cook.
- Skip the seasoning packet. Some wild rice mixes include a seasoning packet. Prepare the rice according to the package directions, but omit the seasoning packet.
- No wild rice mix? If you have leftover white rice, cook about ¼ cup of plain wild rice and add it to the soup along with the white rice.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Vivian Maroney
Could you please tell me what brand of wild rice you used in the ham and wild rice soup recipe?
Thank you,
Vivian
Elizabeth
Hi Vivian,
I do not have a box in my pantry right now. I do recall that I get it in the rice aisle. It comes in a small/slim box. Some brands bring a seasoning packet which I typically don't use. Hope that helps!
KNM
Have you tried this recipe with heavy cream instead of half and half?
Elizabeth
Hi. I have not, but heavy cream will work too.
Amy Peters
This soup was absolutely perfect! I didn't have fresh sage, so I sprinked in some dried sage. The whole family went back for seconds. I added the recipe to our family favorites folder.
Elizabeth
Thank you Amy, so happy you all enjoyed it!
Ruth Dickson
I was hunting for a recipe that would help me use up some leftover Easter ham. Right now, my only regret is that I did not double the recipe. I used a little more flour than the recipe called for (personal preference) but other than that it is perfect. Thank you.
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Hi Ruth. So happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by.