This ham and potato soup recipe is made with diced ham, Russet potatoes, carrots, celery and white cheddar cheese, all in a thick and creamy broth. An easy dinner option that’s hearty, comforting and quick to make! It’s the perfect way to use up leftover ham.
If you love soup recipes, you’ll adore this creamy and flavorful ham and potato soup. Serve it with a side of honey cornbread or garlic knots, and watch the rave reviews come in!
There’s nothing better than a hot bowl of soup on a cold day. When I’m looking to warm up, I make recipes such as Cincinnati chili, albondigas soup, chicken gnocchi soup, matzo ball soup, white bean soup and creamy ham and potato soup. This soup is so simple to make, and it also happens to be a great way to use up leftover ham!
Table of Contents
Ham And Potato Soup Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need butter, onion, carrots, celery, ham, garlic, potatoes, chicken broth, flour, milk, white cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper and parsley.
How Do You Make Ham And Potato Soup?
Melt some of the butter in a large pot, then add the onions and cook until they start to get soft. Stir in the carrots, celery, ham, potatoes and garlic. Add the chicken broth and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Make the creamy soup base in a separate pan by whisking together melted butter and flour for a roux. Pour the milk into the butter and flour mixture, then simmer until thick. Add the creamy mixture to the pot with the ham and veggies. Stir in the cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
Tips For The Perfect Soup
- You can use leftover ham, or any diced cooked ham such as a ham steak. I like to keep the pieces on the larger side so that the soup has plenty of texture.
- Between the ham, chicken broth and cheese, this soup has plenty of salty ingredients, so hold off on adding any salt until the very end after you’ve tasted the final dish.
- This soup makes great leftovers! It will stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Simply reheat on the stove top or in the microwave.
- Ham and potato soup is not a great candidate for the freezer because of the dairy in the recipe.
- Skip the bags of pre-shredded cheese at the grocery store and grate your own instead. Bagged shredded cheese typically contains preservatives and anti caking agents which means it won’t melt as well.
Quick Tip
I typically use 1% milk for this soup, although 2%, whole milk or half and half will give you a creamier end result.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you should peel your potatoes for potato soup. Removing the skins allows the potatoes to break down in the soup as they cook, which helps to thicken the soup and add a creamy texture.
Potato soup is thickened both by the starch from the potatoes, as well as the creamy roux mixture that gets added to the broth. If you feel like your soup still isn’t thick enough, let it simmer longer to let some of the liquid evaporate.
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Slow Cooker Ham And Potato Soup
This soup can easily be adapted for the slow cooker. Simply add your ham, potatoes, vegetables and chicken broth to a slow cooker and cook until the veggies are tender, about 4 hours on low. Make the milk sauce as directed in the recipe, then stir in the sauce along with the cheese right before serving.
Flavor Variations
This recipe is delicious as-is, but you can customize some of the ingredients to suit your preferences.
- Protein: This recipe also works well with cooked chicken or turkey.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies to the soup. Some great options include corn, mushrooms, green chilies or spinach. You can also use Yukon Gold potatoes instead of Russet.
- Cheese: Instead of white cheddar, try stirring in some mozzarella, Monterey Jack or fontina cheese.
- Toppings: Finish your soup with a sprinkle of crispy bacon, chives, french fried onions or croutons.
Leftover Ham Recipes
Ham and potato soup is a fabulous way to use up leftover ham. If you’re looking for more ideas on how to use up that ham, be sure to check out my comprehensive list of Leftover Ham Recipes. There are tons of great options from pasta, to salads, to casseroles.
Whether you’re looking to use up ham, or simply craving a creamy and hearty soup, this recipe is sure to satisfy!
More Soup Recipes
Ham Bone Soup (Slow Cooker)
4 hrs 10 mins
Chicken Tortellini Soup (Slow Cooker)
4 hrs 10 mins
Hamburger Soup
50 mins
Stuffed Pepper Soup
40 mins
Cabbage Roll Soup
45 mins
Ham and Potato Soup Video
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Ham and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter divided use
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 2 carrots peeled, halved and sliced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 2 cups cubed ham
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 1/2 cups Russet potatoes peeled and diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup white cheddar cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
- Add the carrots, celery, ham, potatoes and garlic to the pot, cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- In a separate pan, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until thickened.
- Pour the milk mixture into the ham soup and stir to combine. Stir in the cheddar cheese.
- Cook for 5-6 minutes longer. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.
Notes
- You can use leftover ham, or any diced cooked ham such as a ham steak. I like to keep the pieces on the larger side so that the soup has plenty of texture.
- Between the ham, chicken broth and cheese, this soup has plenty of salty ingredients, so hold off on adding any salt until the very end after you’ve tasted the final dish.
- I typically use 1% milk for this soup, although 2%, whole milk or half and half will give you a creamier end result.
This soup is delicious! It’s very easy to put together. I used Yukon gold potatoes. It definitely hit the spot on a -15 night.
Took a little longer than the 15 minutes for prep as described in the recipe but well worth the wait! Hearty, tasty soup that won over my picky eater (daughter) as her now favorite soup. Will definitely make again.
Can I use cheddar and jack cheese for this recipe?
Yes that’s fine!
I have cheddar and jack cheese in my fridge and that’s what I’ll be using.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was excellent! Thank you for the terrific recipe!
My family absolutely LOVED this soup. It is absolutely delicious and tasty.
Very good soup. This recipe is definitely a keeper Thank you!!
This soup was so delicious!! I will be making it again!
Cheese and potato, a match made in heaven ! Nothing like a good hearty soup and this looks so easy, thanks for the recipe!
It’s winter here Down Under and I’m always on the hunt for simple, nutritious and filling dishes to serve the family – this went down a treat and warmed us right up!