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A bowl of creamy ham and potato soup garnished with shredded cheese and parsley, served with a slice of bread on a wooden board. Chopped ham and herbs are in the background.
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5 from 1 vote

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

💛🥔 Thick, creamy, hearty and very filling thanks to chunks of savory ham and potatoes in every bite! If you have leftover holiday ham, this easy 30-minute soup recipe is perfect. I top it with cheese for extra richness and flavor!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: 30-Minute Meals, Dinner, Ham, Soup
Cuisine: Ham, Soup
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: cheesy ham and potato soup, creamy ham and potato soup, creamy potato and ham soup, ham and potato soup with ham bone, ham soup with potatoes
Servings: 6
Calories: 352cal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small yellow onion diced small (about 2/3 cup)
  • 1 stalk celery diced small
  • 3 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 2 pounds Russet potatoes peeled and diced into small bite-sized pieces no bigger than 1/2-inch (Yukon gold may be substituted but soup will not be as thick)
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups of chicken broth I use reduced sodium and add additional salt to taste
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 ½ to 2 cups cooked ham diced small
  • Ham bone optional
  • 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon or your favorite bouillon
  • ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese optional but recommended plus more for garnishing each bowl as desired
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or to taste, for garnishing

Instructions

  • To a large Dutch oven, add the butter, onions, celery, and saute over medium-high heat for about 4-5 minutes; stir frequently.
    Chopped celery and onions cooking in melted butter in a large pot on a white surface.
  • Add the garlic, potatoes, and saute for 1 minute; stir continuously. Tip - The potatoes will be the item that holds up the soup from being done because they'll take the longest to cook through. Make sure to keep the pieces no bigger than 1/2-inch dice.
    A pot contains chopped potatoes, celery, onion, and minced garlic, ready to be cooked.
  • Evenly sprinkle the flour over top and cook for 1-2 minutes; stir nearly continuously. Tip - The flour + butter in the pot will create a roux, which will help thicken the soup. You want to make sure to develop the roux so that the soup thickens properly later on and so that there's no raw flour taste. 
    A pot filled with diced potatoes and flour, ready to be mixed, on a white background.
  • Add the broth, milk, diced ham, ham bone if using, bouillon, salt, pepper, optional parsley now or garnish with it at the end, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes, although it's dependent on how fast your simmer was and the size/hardness of your potatoes.
    Tips - Simmer until potatoes are nicely done because a hard potato in soup is very unappetizing! While simmering, if you want the soup to be thicker, use a potato masher to gently mash some the potatoes. I estimate that I mashed about 1/3 of them, but just eyeball it and judge things based on the thickness and consistency. If at any time the soup has gotten too thick, add additional broth/milk, as necessary.
    A pot filled with chopped ham, potatoes, milk, herbs, black pepper, and other soup ingredients, ready to be mixed.
  • When the potatoes are done, if you used a ham bone, remove it. Turn the heat to low, add the cheese, and stir to combine and melt it, about 1 minute.
    A pot of creamy soup with chopped herbs and bacon, topped with a pile of shredded cheddar cheese, sits on a white marble surface.
  • Taste the soup and as necessary, make any necessary flavor adjustments.
    A pot of creamy soup garnished with chopped parsley, surrounded by slices of bread, fresh herbs, and bowls of diced ham and parsley on a light woven placemat.
  • Flavoring Tips – If the soup tastes at all flat, boring, bland, or dull, it likely needs more salt so don't be afraid to add it. It depends on how salty the ham is, if you used a ham bone (which also leeches salt), if you used regular or reduced sodium broth is, the cheddar cheese saltiness, and your overall preference for saltiness. Additionally, consider adding a bit more pepper, or any fresh herbs that you may have on hand. I also like to add a bit of red pepper flakes to soup because they don't make it spicy, but rather just give extra flavor, but always season to your personal taste preferences.
    A bowl of creamy potato soup with ham, garnished with shredded cheese and chopped parsley, sits on a wooden surface next to a spoon, fresh parsley, and a bowl of diced ham.
  • Ladle into bowls and top with extra cheese if desired, to taste, and serve immediately.
    A bowl of creamy soup with ham, potatoes, shredded cheese, and chopped parsley, surrounded by sliced bread, parsley, and a bowl of diced ham on a wooden surface.

Notes

Storage: Leftover soup will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat very gently in the microwave taking care not to overheat it because of the dairy in the soup and you don't want it to separate, or "break". I personally have never frozen the soup for that reason - freezing dairy proteins can be tricky. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 352cal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 524mg | Potassium: 867mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 581IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 2mg
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