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A bowl of vegetable soup with potatoes, carrots, green beans, diced ham, and lemon slices, garnished with herbs. A glass of water with a lemon slice sits nearby.
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5 from 2 votes

Ham and Potato Soup

🐷🥔 This 30-minute easy soup is perfect for using up leftover holiday ham! It's a flexible recipe so you can toss in extra veggies or fresh herbs that you may have and need to use. Simple, flavorful, and filling without being heavy.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: 30-Minute Meals, Soup
Cuisine: Soup
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: ham and potato soup, potato and ham soup, potato soup with leftover ham
Servings: 8
Calories: 166cal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion diced small (or white onion)
  • 2 stalks celery diced small
  • 2 large carrots peeled and diced small
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or to taste (or fresh thyme, oregano, rosemary, etc. as desired)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 2 cups cooked ham cubed (or a bit more if you have it to use. If you don't have leftover ham, I suggest buying a piece from your grocer store's deli counter and dicing it)
  • 2 large Russet potatoes peeled and diced in 1/2-inch pieces (Yukon gold or red potatoes may be substituted if you prefer waxier potatoes that hold their shape, I don't peel waxy potatoes)
  • 8 cups reduced sodium chicken broth (8 cups = 64 ounces; reduced sodium vegetable broth may be substituted)
  • 1 cup fresh green beans trimmed into bite-sized pieces (I recommend fresh but frozen may be substituted)
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice optional but recommended to brighten up the flavor
  • Fresh herbs or grated Parmesan optional for garnishing and to taste (fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fresh oregano, etc.)

Instructions

  • To a large Dutch oven, add the oil, onions, and saute the onions over medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes; stir frequently.
    Chopped onions sautéing in a large white pot, surrounded by fresh vegetables and kitchen items on a countertop.
  • Add the carrots, celery, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until the vegetables are becoming soft and tender; stir frequently.
    Chopped carrots, celery, and onions are sautéing in a large white pot on a gray countertop, surrounded by various ingredients.
  • Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute; stir nearly continuously.
  • Add the ham, potatoes, broth, and bring to a low boil. Boil gently for about 10-12 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost done; stir occassionally. 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 of soup with diced ham and potatoes in a yellow broth, surrounded by parsley and kitchen items on a gray surface.
  • In the final approximately 5 minutes of simmering, add the green beans. Tip - Depending on how al dente you like your green beans, you may want to add them to the pot sooner, or just a couple minutes from the end.
    A white pot filled with a yellow-green soup topped with chopped green beans, sitting on a gray countertop with herbs, salt and pepper shakers, and a striped towel nearby.
  • Optionally but recommended, add the lemon juice, optional herbs, and taste the soup. As necessary, make any necessary flavor adjustments.
    A pot of vegetable soup with diced ham, carrots, potatoes, green beans, and parsley, garnished with lemon slices, sits on a gray countertop beside bread and fresh herbs.
  • 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. In a pot of soup this size with the amount of simple root vegetables used, I add another ~2 teaspoons at the end. It also depends on how salty the ham is, how salty your broth is, 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 vegetable soup with diced ham, green beans, carrots, potatoes, and lemon slices, garnished with chopped herbs.
  • Optionally, if you want a creamier soup, 1/2 cup heavy cream (or a bit more) will do the trick. If you foresee yourself wanting to add heavy cream at the end, you may way to reduce the amount of broth by about 1/2 cup but it doesn't matter too much if there's a bit of extra broth. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is great as a garnish if you have it. Garnish as desired and serve.
    A bowl of vegetable soup with diced ham, carrots, green beans, potatoes, and lemon slices, with a spoonful lifted above the bowl.

Notes

Storage: Leftover soup will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, noting that the texture of the vegetables will change a bit and get softer after being frozen and thawed. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 166cal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 693mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 148IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
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