Julie Clark
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Ham and Potato Soup
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Looking for a way to use up leftover ham? Try this easy, creamy ham and potato soup. All you need is about 45 minutes from start to finish. It’s a great make ahead soup!
A few months ago we shared our creamy potato soup recipe…you all loved it! It’s thick, rich and so comforting. Today we’re sharing a recipe similar to that that uses leftover ham. Perfect for after the holidays or Easter, and a great alternative to our ham noodle soup.
Ham and potatoes are one meal my family loves. I never have to worry about someone not eating it and loving it. This easy soup recipe comes in handy because the kids will even eat the leftovers for lunch. I heat the soup and put it in their Thermos. Boom. Easy school lunch!
What are the best potatoes for soup?
The best potatoes for soup are either red potatoes or yellow potatoes. Red potatoes are low in starch so they will stay in one piece and not fall apart, making your soup thicker vs thinner. We love to use red potatoes in this recipe.
If you don’t have red potatoes but have yellow potatoes, you can use those. Yellow potatoes are a great all-purpose potato choice.
Can you leave the skin on potatoes for soup?
Yes! If you don’t mind skins in your soup then you can skip the peeling. Red potato skin tends to be thin and lightweight.
Our family prefers peeled potatoes, but if you like skins, leave them on.
How to Make Ham and Potato Soup
- The first step is to cook the potatoes. In large saucepan, combine the potatoes, mirepoix, ham and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. (about 10-15 minutes)
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.
- Add the flour and whisk quickly to blend. This is called a roux and will work to thicken the soup.
- Drizzle the warm milk into the butter mixture slowly, whisking the entire time.
- Heat the milk mixture until it has thickened, stirring almost constantly. Watch the cooking temperature and make sure the stovetop is not too hot. You don’t want the milk to scorch the bottom of the pan so be sure to whisk well.
- Once the milk is thickened, add this to the potato soup and stir.
- Serve warm and garnish with green onion, cheese, croutons…anything you’d like.
How do you thicken ham and potato soup?
This soup is thickened with a roux made from butter and flour. You drizzle this thick mixture into the soup and as the soup boils it will thicken. The longer you cook the soup the thicker it will get.
How long can you keep potato soup in the refrigerator?
You can keep ham and potato soup in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. Make sure it is sealed well. It will probably thicken more as it sits in the refrigerator. If it is too thick when you are reheating, you can add a little chicken broth to thin it out without watering it down.
Can you freeze ham and potato soup?
Because this creamy soup is milk based, it may not freeze well. Creamy soups tend to separate and get a little grainy texture when they defrost. If you don’t mind that, technically, you can freeze the soup. But for the best texture and results, don’t freeze potato soup.
What goes good with potato soup?
When serving the best potato soup, serve with some homemade dinner rolls, a side of green beans, fruit salad and maybe a tossed salad. And then serve a traditional banana cream pie for dessert! Good comfort food!
Other Potato Soup Recipes
If you love creamy soups, try this slow cooker wild rice soup!
Ham and Potato Soup
Looking for a way to use up leftover ham? Try this easy, creamy ham and potato soup. All you need is about 45 minutes from start to finish. It’s a great make ahead soup!
Servings 16
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 ½ pounds of red potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- 12 ounces frozen mirepoix vegetable blend (or ½ cup chopped onion, ½ cup chopped celery and ½ cup chopped carrot)
- 3 cups diced ham
- 6 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup flour
- 3 cups whole milk (warmed)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In large saucepan, combine the potatoes, mirepoix, ham and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. (about 10-15 minutes)
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.
- Add the flour and whisk quickly to blend.
- Drizzle the warm milk into the butter mixture slowly, whisking the entire time.
- Heat the milk mixture until it has thickened, stirring almost constantly.
- Once the milk is thickened, add this to the potato soup and stir.
- Heat through.
- Serve warm and garnish with green onion.
Nutrition
Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 615mg | Potassium: 610mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 9.6mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1.3mg
Haven’t had Ham & Potato Soup in ages but needed to use up some leftovers. Used the recipe as a framework and tweaked it as follows: increased water to 4c, used 1c heavy cream, increased the onion, seasoned it with Herbes De Provence, used red potatoes, deleted salt, used 4 cheese blend, and added 1/2 a chopped jalapeno with seeds. Cooked it 5 hours in my Instant Pot Slow Cooker function and added dairy at the end long enough to melt the cheese and warm the cream. Great taste and will definitely make it again. Taste: #8.5/10. Spiciness: #1/10. Bon… Read more »