Ham and Potato Soup is easy, hearty and loaded with flavor! A creamy broth serves as the host to diced ham, tender potatoes, plenty of cheese, and a medley of fresh veggies.
Ham and Potato Soup
It happens every single year – the Christmas ham stares at me from its spot on the refrigerator shelf on December 26th. While I like to get creative with it, so far, nothing has been better than this classic ham and potato soup recipe. It’s the BEST way to use up that leftover ham! Fresh veggies, tender potatoes, cheddar cheese, and the creamiest broth compliment the ham deliciously. Plus, the soup takes about 20 minutes of prep work in just one pot, so it’s perfect for when you’re feeling that post-holiday laziness. It’s also perfect for those cold nights when you need a bowl of something warm and cozy!
Use up that leftover ham in the very best ways with more recipes like Ham and Bean Soup and Ham and Noodle Casserole.
How to thicken ham and potato soup?
You can always make a slurry! Simply combine some cornstarch and chicken broth (or water) in a small bowl until combined. Then, slowly mix the slurry into the soup to thicken it. You can also mash some of the potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to help thicken the consistency.
How to Make Ham and Potato Soup
- Sauté the veggies: Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Toss in the carrots, celery, and onions, and cook until softened.
- Make it flavorful: Stir in the garlic, herbs, and seasonings.
- Add flour: Stir in the flour and make sure it coats all of the veggies. Cook for just a few minutes, until the flour begins to brown.
- Cook the potatoes: Add potatoes and broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Then, lower it back down to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add ham: Stir in the ham. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Make it creamy: Stir in heavy cream. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese a handful at a time until melted.
Ingredients in Ham and Potato Soup
- Butter: Unsalted is usually my go to! That way, I can sprinkle more salt in as desired and better control the amount of sodium in the soup.
- Carrots: They’ll need to be peeled and diced. Use 2 Medium carrots or enough baby carrots that you have a Cup diced.
- Celery: Always give it a good rinse before chopping! Celery tends to have some residue from wherever it was farmed.
- White Onion: A yellow onion also works just fine.
- Garlic: Feel free to measure with your heart!
- Herbs: A bay leaf, dried thyme, and dried sage create the best herbaceous flavor.
- Seasonings: I like to keep it simple with some salt and pepper. Feel free to add whatever else sounds good to you!
- Flour: This is used to coat the veggies and thicken the soup to the best consistency.
- Potatoes: Feel free to use any potatoes you want. If you use golden potatoes, you don’t need to peel the skin.
- Chicken Broth: You can swap this with veggie broth.
- Ham: This is the best way to use your holiday ham! Chop it into ½ – 1 inch pieces for the best bite. Store bought diced or cubed ham also works great!
- Heavy Cream: Half and half works too, but it won’t be quite as thick and creamy.
- Cheddar Cheese: I highly recommend grating it fresh off the block. Shredded cheddar (the kind you buy in a bag) is coated in a powder to prevent it from clumping in the bag. This can also prevent it from being incorporated into the soup.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Ham and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Medium Carrots peeled and diced
- 2 Ribs Celery diced
- 1 White Onion diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic finely minced
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Dried Sage
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 1 Pound Potatoes peeled and cubed
- 6 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 3 Cups Leftover Ham cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat then add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook until softened, about 7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the flour to coat all of the veggies then cook for 2-3 minutes or until the flour starts to brown.
- Add the potatoes and chicken broth then turn the heat up to high until boiling then turn it down to medium heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the ham and let it simmer for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are forked tender.
- Pour in the heavy cream and let it come to the soup temperature then turn the heat off and stir in the cheese, a handful at a time until fully melted.
- Serve with freshly minced parsley for garnish, if desired.
Very good and easy to make. I did use Golden potatoes which is a better choice. Plus I still added a bit of slurry besides mashing some of the potatoes to thicken it.