Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup
A comforting, hearty soup that requires almost no effort and is perfect if you're counting calories or following a plan like Weight Watchers.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories213
- Carbs30g
- Protein12g
- Fat3.8g
- Saturates0.9g
- Sugars6.9g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know in the blurb!
Our Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup was born when we were feeling a little bit under the weather and wanted some comfort food that took no effort to make. The pasta shapes give this recipe a really fun twist and will help to put a smile on your face!
We’ve used some ready prepared casserole veg in this recipe to keep things quick and easy, but if you prefer then you could also peel and chop your own vegetables. If you’re not a fan of gammon, then you can just swap this out for smoked bacon instead – easy!
This Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup can be made in a large saucepan on the hob – like we’ve done! – or you could also pop it into a slow cooker so that it’s ready and waiting when you get home from work.
What diets is this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup suitable for?
This Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup recipe is suitable for dairy free diets.
It can be made gluten free by swapping the following ingredients out for gluten free alternatives;
- Stock cubes
- Pasta
Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.
Do you need any special ingredients to make this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup?
We’ve used some ready prepared casserole vegetables which you can find in your local supermarket – you could even use frozen if you’d prefer!
The pasta shapes add a little bit of extra fun to this soup! You can also grab these from your local supermarket.
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We’ve used a large saucepan for this recipe, like this one from Amazon.
You can also cook this dish in a slow cooker if you’d prefer. We love this one which you can pick up over on Amazon.
How many calories are in this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup?
There are 213 calories per portion in this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup, which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.
This Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Spray a large saucepan with low calorie cooking spray. Over a medium heat, fry the gammon for 2-3 minutes, until browned.
Step 2
Add the veg mix and continue cooking for 5 minutes until the onions begin to soften.
Step 3
Add the herbs and spices and stir well.
Step 4
Pour over the stock, increase the heat and bring to the boil.
Step 5
Lower the heat, cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
Step 6
Stir in the pasta and the white wine vinegar, cover and continue to simmer for another 12-15 minutes. Larger pasta shapes will require a little extra time.
Step 7
Serve.
What could I serve with this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup?
This Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup makes a really warming, comforting dinner especially when paired with any of the following desserts:
How do you know when this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup is cooked?
You’ll need to let your soup simmer for around 45 minutes or until the veg is tender and the pasta is cooked through. We’ve used small pasta shapes, but if you’re using larger ones then you may need to allow some extra time for them to cook!
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
Can I cook this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup any other way?
Yes, you can!
We’ve used a large saucepan for this recipe, but you could use a slow cooker instead if you prefer. Simply brown off the bacon/gammon and then add all the ingredients apart from the pasta to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours. Add the pasta 30 minutes before serving – perfect if you want to have dinner waiting for you when you come home!
How long can you keep this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup in the fridge?
Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.
If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.
Can I freeze this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup?
Yes, you can! Simply freeze in individual portions as soon as it has cooled. Don’t forget to:
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!
How do I reheat this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup?
From chilled: Reheat in the microwave or in a pan until piping hot.
From frozen: Defrost overnight in the fridge, reheat until piping hot.
You may need to add a little extra water or stock while reheating as the pasta can absorb some of the liquid!
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Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup
This comforting, hearty soup requires almost no effort and is perfect if you're counting calories or following a plan like Weight Watchers.
-
Prep Time
15 MINS
-
Cook Time
50 MINS
- KCals 213
- Carbs 30G
Instructions
- Spray a large saucepan with low calorie cooking spray. Over a medium heat, fry the gammon for 2-3 minutes, until browned.
- Add the veg mix and continue cooking for 5 minutes until the onions begin to soften.
- Add the herbs and spices and stir well.
- Pour over the stock, increase the heat and bring to the boil.
- Lower the heat, cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the pasta and the white wine vinegar, cover and continue to simmer for another 12-15 minutes. Larger pasta shapes will require a little extra time.
- Serve.
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14 comments
See what others have to say
LoopieloopMonday 30th October 2023
I accidentally added a sliced frankfurter to this soup, and it was delicious. Perfect smokiness for the spice mix used in this recipe. So if you don’t have gammon but frankfurters you can definitely swap these two ingredients.
LoopieloopSaturday 28th October 2023
Have made this soup in a slow cooker on high for 5 hours. Pour the pasta shapes in the slow cooker and cook for a further 20 minutes. If there’s too much stock, open the lid and let it reduce. Works very well in the slow cooker.
Gemma DunnTuesday 13th September 2022
Hi
Could you cook this is in a slow cooker, if so is a case of putting everything in bar pasta and put pasta in at the end? Could you advise timings?
HollyTuesday 20th September 2022
Hey Gemma, we haven’t tested this recipe in the slow cooker, we have a conversion article HERE which you may find helpful!
SHSunday 21st March 2021
Can this soup be frozen? I’m thinking of batch cooking for work
HollyMonday 22nd March 2021
Hey, yes this recipe works great frozen and is perfect for a quick lunch, hope that helps!
LisaSaturday 20th March 2021
The gammon quantity is weird when you change the portions. Is it supposed to be 1.2kg?
HollyMonday 22nd March 2021
Hi Lisa, sorry about that I’ve now amended the recipe and the serving size tool should now correctly alter the gammon, hope that helps!
Linda BarberSunday 3rd January 2021
Can you make this in a soup maker ?
SharonWednesday 6th January 2021
Hi Linda, this recipe should be fine in a soup maker, just use your instruction manual to work out the timing.Thanks for getting in touch.
Sha BWednesday 16th December 2020
Just made this and it absolutely delicious, really heartwarming in the awful weather, I’m taking it to work with me as I work long days as a carer looking after residents with dementia. Thank you so much for putting these delicious recipes together.
SharonThursday 17th December 2020
Hi, we’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed the Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup. Thanks for your lovely message and for taking the time to tell us.
Catriona DeaconSunday 1st March 2020
Omg this is lush. Perfect for a drizzly day. Smokey, well seasoned and perfect for helping to get rid of a cold too. 11 out of 10 from me ?
LisaWednesday 6th May 2020
So glad you enjoyed this! It’s one of our favourites too!
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