Green Tomato Soup With Country Ham Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/25/22
Tested by
Cara Cormack
Cara Cormack head shot
Tested by Cara Cormack
Cara is a commercial food, drink and product photographer based in London. She has produced photography for: Rowse Honey, Octopus Books, Kyle Books, The Spruce Eats, Mamamade, Vegan Food and Living, Spoon Cereals, Walnut Magazine and Soopergood.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Green tomato soup served in bowls.

The Spruce/Cara Cormack

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

When growing tomatoes in a garden, there are always a few at the end of the season that just won't ripen and remain green. This delicious soup is a great way to use those beautiful green tomatoes, and the addition of country ham and jalapeño peppers makes this a hearty soup with a kick, perfect for lunch or supper. 

The ham is cooked along with onion and garlic, and chicken broth, tomatoes, and jalapeños are added; the mixture is brought to a boil and left to simmer, and then the soup is blended in a food processor until smooth. It is seasoned with celery salt, and a dash of hot sauce kicks up the heat.

Serve this flavorful soup with freshly baked cornbread and a salad, or alongside grilled cheese sandwiches.

"This soup is unique in the best way possible, the tang from the tomatoes was a perfect contrast to the smokey ham, and the jalapeño brightens the dish up. It’s a very flavorful soup, and was fantastic on it’s own but made even better served with a classic grilled cheese." —Cara Cormack

Green Tomato Soup with Country Ham/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 4 to 6 ounces country ham, or smoked ham, diced

  • 1 small onion, diced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 4 cups chicken broth

  • 8 medium green tomatoes, peeled and chopped

  • 2 medium red tomatoes, peeled and chopped

  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and stem removed, minced

  • 1/4 teaspoon celery salt

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Dash of tabasco sauce, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make green tomato soup.

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  2. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the ham, onion, and garlic. Sauté, stirring until the onion is tender.

    Onions and ham sauted in a stock pot.

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  3. Add the chicken broth, chopped green and red tomatoes, and the jalapeño pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

    Tomatoes simmering in a stock pot.

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  4. Working in batches, pulse the soup in a blender or food processor until almost smooth, or use an immersion blender. If you want to garnish the soup with chunks of ham, remove some pieces of the ham before blending.

    Pureed green tomato soup.

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  5. Pour the pureed soup back into the saucepan and add the celery salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. 

    Green tomato soup with seasoning.

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  6. Adjust the flavors with salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce, as desired, and serve.

    Stiring green tomato soup.

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

Steam expands quickly in a blender and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Tips

  • To easily peel the tomatoes, cut an "x" in the flesh, quickly blanch, and then place in an ice bath; the skin should come off easily.
  • When seeding the jalapeño peppers, it's best to wear kitchen gloves since the oils can penetrate the skin and burn, especially if you touch your eyes and mouth.

Recipe Variation

If you are not a fan of spice, you can simply eliminate the jalapeño and hot sauce.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
255 Calories
10g Fat
14g Carbs
29g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 255
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 86mg 29%
Sodium 1879mg 82%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 48mg 238%
Calcium 45mg 3%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 888mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: