This Ham and Potato Soup recipe is comforting and delicious! Whenever I have leftover ham and potatoes at home, this is my go-to recipe. It's easy to make with simple ingredients, and it's one of my favorite fall/winter meals!
Looking for more leftover ham recipes? Try my scalloped potatoes and ham next!
About This Recipe
I made this ham and potato soup from some leftover ham I had from last week. Truth be told, my family is never able to even remotely come close to finishing a whole ham. We only eat about โ . I usually chop up the leftovers into cubes and put them in a freezer bag, and then I can use them whenever I need them in a recipe.
My favorite part of this soup is its thick consistency. It feels like a lighter version of clam chowder. There are two ingredients that thicken the soup: flour and potatoes. You want to cook the soup long enough that the potatoes begin to break down. The starches from the potatoes will disperse into the soup and naturally thicken it.
This recipe is really great for weekly meal prep. It has everything you need in a stand-alone meal: protein, vegetables, and some carbs to fill you up.
Key Ingredients
Note: I accidentally included the ham bone in the photo. You do not need a ham bone for this recipe. You can include the ham bone if you want, but it will make the recipe take longer because you have to simmer the bone for at least 45 minutes. I find the soup tastes perfectly fine without it, so I did not include it in my instructions.
Diced ham: You will need two and a half cups of diced ham. I'm using from a butt portion.
Potatoes: I highly recommend Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes because they are starchier than other potatoes. The starches will thicken the soup.
Olive oil: For sauteeing the vegetables.
Chicken stock: I used Better Than Bouillon mixed with water.
Milk: I prefer whole milk for its richer flavor. If you don't have whole milk, I would suggest adding some butter, heavy cream, or olive oil in addition to the milk.
Flour: For thickening the soup.
Aromatics & seasonings: Onions, garlic, salt, pepper, dried thyme.
Instructions
STEP 1: Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Cook the onions and celery until softened, about 5-7 minutes, depending on how powerful your stove is. Add the garlic and cook another 10 seconds.
STEP 2: Stir in the flour, then add the chicken stock, milk, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then add the potatoes and cook until the soup is thickened. Finally, stir in the ham.
Note: The longer you cook the soup, the thicker it will get because more of the potatoes will break down.
๐ Recipe
Ham and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 3 ribs celery (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ยผ cup flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 cups milk
- ยฝ teaspoon ground thyme
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes (peeled and cut into ยพ-inch cubes)
- 2 ยฝ cups diced ham
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery and saute for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the flour until combined, and sautรฉ for 1 more minute.
- Graduallyย stir in the chicken stock, followed by the milk, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer (do not boil, otherwise the milk will separate from the soup). Add the potatoes and cook for 15-25 minutes until they are tender and the soup is thickened.
- Stir in the diced ham and cook for another minute until warm. Taste and season with more salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Leslie Baker
This recipe is so yummy. I made it for our dinner tonight. It turned out great. Thanks for this.
Grump
You're welcome Leslie ๐
Jules
I made this tonight but instead of making the flour slurry in the pot to thicken, I cooked everything in the broth and made a roux to add in near the very end to avoid the milk curdling and it was excellent! Super rich and creamy and delicious!
Grump
Awesome Jules! Glad it turned out well ๐