This delicious ham and potato soup is the perfect comfort soup to warm up with on cold, winter day. It’s thick, creamy and will instantly become a family favorite!
Comfort Soup Using Leftover Ham
With all this cold weather lately, all I want for dinner is soup! I had some leftover baked ham last week and decided to put it to good use by making this recipe. And boy was I glad I did! This ham potato soup is super hearty and delicious with a thick and creamy consistency.
I’m a sucker for creamy soup recipes…especially if they’re loaded with potatoes! I’ve been looking for the perfect potato soup recipe with ham for years. It’s one of those recipes that’s hard to find! I’ve played around with this recipe quite a bit and the truth is…the half and half makes all the difference! It definitely takes this soup out of the “low-fat” category, but it really is what makes the soup so delicious!
How to Make Ham and Potato Soup
- Boil. Add the diced potatoes, celery, onion, ham, carrots and water in a stockpot and bring to a boil. Continue cooking on medium heat until the potatoes are fork tender. Then stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
- Make roux. In a separate pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add in flour with a fork, stirring for 1 minute until thick. Then slowly stir in milk and half and half with the fork. Add garlic and continue stirring until thick.
- Combine. Add the roux to the stockpot and stir until combined. Then ladle into bowls and sprinkle on any desired toppings.
Favorite Toppings
This soup tastes amazing topped with any of the below items. You can even serve it in a bread bowl for an extra fun and delicious twist.
- Shredded cheese
- Green onions
- Crumbled bacon
- Fresh parsley
- Cornbread croutons
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Tips
- Thickening the soup. For a thick texture, it’s all about the flour mixture (also known as a roux). The flour mixed together with the butter, milk and half and half creates the perfect roux that gives is that starchy and creamy consistency. If you prefer your soup extra thick, you can whisk in another Tablespoon of flour.
- Half and half. The half and half is the key ingredient for making this soup perfectly creamy with a rich flavor. I’ve tried several variations and definitely notice a big difference in texture when I don’t use it. It’s the main ingredient in this recipe that I wouldn’t swap for another.
- Veggies. You can add in extra veggies like peas, corn or green beans.
- Cheese. Feel free to add in a cup of shredded cheddar cheese if preferred. I’d recommend grating your own cheese, as the pre-shredded bags are more difficult to melt.
- Freezing. I’m not a huge fan of freezing this ham and potato soup. I’ve found that the texture of the potatoes will change once frozen and break down. I’ve also noticed that soups with a milk or cream base don’t hold up that well in the freezer. They sometimes separate when reheating and taste a little grainy. However it will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.
5 star review
“Made this last night and to say it was a hit is an understatement! Wow, it was SO YUMMY! The whole family enjoyed it and it is going straight into our family recipe book. Can’t wait to make it again!”
– Debbie
More Comfort Soup Recipes:
- Crockpot Potato Soup
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Corn and Potato Chowder
- Instant Pot Potato Soup
Ham and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 4 potatoes , peeled and diced
- 1/3 cup diced celery , or peas
- 1/3 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced ham (I used leftover honey baked ham, but a steak ham works great too)
- 1/3 cup diced carrots
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 3 cubes chicken bouillon
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 5 Tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 clove garlic , minced
Optional toppings: Shredded cheese and sliced green onions
Instructions
- Combine potatoes, celery, onion, ham, carrots and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat until potatoes are soft. Once soft, stir in the chicken bouillon cubes, salt and pepper.
- In a separate pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add in flour with a fork, stirring constantly until thick (about 1 minute). Slowly stir in milk and half and half with the fork. Next add in minced garlic and continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick.
- Pour the flour mixture into the stockpot and stir until combined.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with shredded cheese and green onions on top if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Enjoy!
I made this in the past and loved it! I plan to make it again but as a keto version. I will use cauliflower instead of the potato, but do you think it would still turn out ok if I use extra cream in place of the milk?
Yes, I think you can use cream in place of the half and half. You could try in place of the milk as well, but it will be a thicker consistency.
Ham & potato soup is my all time favorite! Love this soup!
Yum! This is soon to be a family favorite! I can’t wait to give this a try! Looks so delicious and full of flavor!
My family loved this so much. It’s the perfect comfort food!
So glad it was a hit! :)
OMG, I baked a ham Saturday and decided that today was so cold, I’d make Potato and Ham soup, I’ve never made it before so I went in search of a recipe and came across this one. I omitted the onions because my husband doesn’t like them and the carrots because, well it’s “POTATO” soup. I have to say that it is absolutely without a doubt the best Potato and Ham soup I’ve ever had. And…it’s super easy to make…
I’m so happy to hear you loved it! Thanks for leaving a comment and review Annette. :)