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If you’re looking for a delicious way to use leftover ham, this Slow Cooker Ham and Wild Rice Soup is one of my favorite solutions.
It’s hearty, comforting, and incredibly easy to make. Just add a handful of simple ingredients to your slow cooker in the morning and come home to a warm, satisfying bowl of soup at dinnertime.
The combination of smoky ham, nutty wild rice, mixed vegetables, and a creamy broth creates a soup that feels like comfort food without requiring much effort. It’s especially welcome after the holidays when you have leftover ham to use up, but it’s equally good any time of year.
This is one of those simple crockpot recipes that proves delicious doesn’t have to be complicated.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Ham and Wild Rice Soup
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How Many Calories and WW Points?
- How to Make Slow Cooker Ham and Wild Rice Soup
- Recipe Notes
- Easy Variations
- What to Serve with Ham and Wild Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Ham and Wild Rice Soup Recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Cozy Slow Cooker Soups You’ll Love
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Ham and Wild Rice Soup
- Great way to use leftover ham
- Easy dump-and-go slow cooker recipe
- Hearty enough for dinner
- Family friendly
- Perfect for meal prep
- Freezer-friendly
- Comforting and satisfying
- WW-friendly
Ingredients & Substitutions
Cooked Ham
This recipe is ideal for leftover holiday ham, but any cooked ham works well. Diced turkey, chicken, or smoked sausage can also be substituted.
Onion
Adds flavor and depth. Leeks or shallots are nice alternatives.
Wild Rice
Wild rice gives the soup its signature nutty flavor and chewy texture. A wild rice blend works well too.
Frozen Mixed Vegetables
A convenient shortcut that adds color and nutrition. Feel free to substitute diced carrots, celery, peas, corn, or green beans.
Chicken Broth
Use low-sodium broth if preferred. Vegetable broth (affiliate link) also works.
Cream of Celery Soup
Provides creaminess and flavor. Cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, or cream of potato soup can be substituted.
Half-and-Half or Evaporated Milk
Either works well. Evaporated milk keeps the soup a little lighter while still adding creaminess.
How Many Calories and WW Points?
According to my calculations, each 1-cup serving has about 205 calories and 5 WW Points.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
5 PointsPlus (Old plan)
How to Make Slow Cooker Ham and Wild Rice Soup
Step 1: Add Ingredients to Slow Cooker
Place the ham, onion, wild rice, mixed vegetables, water, broth, cream of celery soup, and black pepper in the slow cooker.
Stir well to combine.
Step 2: Slow Cook
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or until the rice is tender.
Step 3: Add the Dairy
Stir in the half-and-half or evaporated milk.
Increase the heat to HIGH and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until hot and creamy.
Step 4: Serve
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed before serving.
Recipe Notes
This soup thickens as it sits because the wild rice continues to absorb liquid. If needed, stir in a little additional broth when reheating.
I often use evaporated milk instead of half-and-half because I usually have it in the pantry. Both options work well.
For extra flavor, add a bay leaf during cooking and remove before serving.
Fresh parsley, dill, or chives make a nice garnish.
Easy Variations
Vegetable-Packed Version
Add extra carrots, celery, mushrooms, or spinach.
Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
Substitute leftover turkey for the ham.
Ham and White Bean Soup
Add a drained can of cannellini or Great Northern beans.
Extra Creamy Version
Stir in a little plain Greek yogurt just before serving.
Vegetarian Version
Skip the ham and use vegetable broth (affiliate link). Add white beans for protein.
What to Serve with Ham and Wild Rice Soup
This soup pairs well with:
- Crusty bread
- Dinner rolls
- Cornbread
- Mixed green salad
- Simple cucumber salad
- French carrot salad
- Roasted vegetables
If you’ve made this Slow Cooker Ham and Wild Rice Soup, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Slow Cooker Ham and Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced cooked ham
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice
- 1 package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (10.75 ounces) cream of celery soup
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup half-and-half (I used evaporated milk)
Instructions
- Ideal Slow Cooker Size: 4-Quart.
- Mix the ham, onion, wild rice, vegetables, water, broth, cream of celery soup and black pepper in your crock pot, stirring well to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
- Stir in the half and half. Increase the setting to HIGH. Cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes more or until hot.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 5 PointsPlus (Old plan) Substitutions: Cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup can be used instead of cream of celery, if you prefer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: Betty Crocker Annual Recipes 2006 (affiliate link)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this with leftover holiday ham?
Absolutely. This is one of my favorite leftover ham recipes.
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes. Cool completely and freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Can I use a wild rice blend?
Yes. Wild rice blends work well and often cook a little faster.
Can I make this on the stovetop?
Yes. Simmer everything except the dairy until the rice is tender, then stir in the milk and heat through.
How long will leftovers keep?
Stored in an airtight container, leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
It smelled great, but was rather bland for my taste. I added dried thyme, a bay leaf, garlic powder and chopped parsley. Absolutely improved it. Great recipe after holidays to eat lots of veges and use up the leftover ham.
Thanks Martha. I’ve add the link for Personal Points.
Looks yummy, making it tonight. Will you be adding the link to calculate WW “My Personal Points”?
I had a can of cream of celery that I needed to use and found this recipe. Wow! This is hearty, filling and tasty! I couldn’t find any wild rice during the pandemic, so I used a box of wild rice mix. It worked great. I added no salt seasoning and sriracha at the table. I like a flavor blast. this is more like a chowder than a soup there is so much “stuff” in it. We’ll make it again!
The recipe tells you to add in the “evaporated milk”. However, evaporated milk is not in the list of ingredients. I am assuming that is when you would add the half and half or milk?
Hi Wendy, thanks for letting me know. I’ve corrected it to read half and half.
This soup was a huge hit with my family. Will definitely be making it again!
This sounds like a winner. Were the nutritional facts calculated with reduced fat soup and fat free half and half?
Hi Vicky,
We really liked it! No, the points were calculated with regular cream of celery soup (I haven’t found a fat free version of it in my stores. You could use fat free cream of mushroom instead.) and regular half and half. The difference between regular half-and-half and fat free evaporated milk (I don’t tend to buy the fat free half and half) was less than 8 calories per serving and not enough to lower the Points Plus value. Hope this helps.