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Deliciously creamy and packed with comforting flavors, this Ham Potato Soup is a hearty blend of tender potatoes, smoky ham, and sweet carrots—without a drop of heavy cream! Easy to make and impossible to resist, it’s perfect for cozy dinners that impress every time. For something fresh to round out the meal, try serving it with a crisp Bacon Lettuce Tomato Salad; it adds a bright, clean bite that pairs beautifully with the warm, savory soup.
What Sets This Ham Potato Soup Apart?
Nothing warms the soul like a bowl of hearty, flavorful soup. Whether it’s a chilly evening or just a cozy dinner, this creamy Ham Potato Soup delivers comfort in every spoonful. If you’ve loved our Creamy Pumpkin Soup or Cream of Mushroom Soup, you already know the unbeatable flavors we bring to every recipe.
What sets this ham potato soup apart? Its velvety texture without using heavy cream! By making a roux directly in the pot, the creamy consistency is effortless yet refined—a game-changing technique that guarantees a rich mouthfeel and depth of flavor every time. Ready in under 45 minutes, it’s perfect for busy nights or whenever you’re craving something hearty and wholesome.
Ham Potato Soup: Key Ingredients
The secret to this Creamy Ham Potato Soup lies in its ingredients. Smoky ham adds depth, tender potatoes bring heartiness, and fresh garlic delivers bold, aromatic flavor. Simple staples, unforgettable comfort!
- Ham: The hero of this recipe! Choose a smoked ham with balanced saltiness and minimal additives for the purest flavor. Ham is able to add the same touch of magic as it does in this Ham And Bean Soup. Leftover ham is a great option—it adds depth and transforms the soup into a cozy comfort dish. Dice it into bite-sized pieces for even distribution.
- Ham Broth: The flavor-packed foundation of this soup. Homemade ham broth delivers unmatched richness—simmer a leftover ham bone with onions, carrots, celery, and bay leaves for a nutrient-filled base. Store-bought broth works as a quick substitute, but homemade is worth the effort for its hearty, authentic flavor.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are the top choice for their creamy texture and buttery flavor. Their ability to hold their shape while softening adds to the soup’s velvety finish. Dice evenly for consistent cooking and full flavor absorption.
*Note: Please see Recipe Card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Additions And Substitutions
When it comes to Ham Bean Soup, hearty simplicity is everything. Out of an ingredient? No worries—easy substitutions will still create a flavorful, satisfying bowl of comfort!
- Cheese: For an extra layer of flavor, stir in some grated cheddar, parmesan, or your favorite cheese towards the end of cooking. It adds a creamy richness that complements the ham perfectly.
- Spices: If you enjoy a bit of heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce. For a smokier flavor, try adding a touch of smoked paprika.
Ham Potato Soup: Step-By-Step
Let’s jump in! With just a few easy steps, you’ll create a bowl of hearty, flavorful Ham Bean Soup that’s sure to impress. Time to make your kitchen the coziest spot in the house!
- Sauté the Veggies: Heat butter in a pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until they begin to soften.
- Add Ham and Potatoes: Add ham and potatoes, cook briefly, then add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Mix in Flour: Mix in the flour and cook for a short while.
- Add Stock and Boil: Stir in stock and bouillon. Increase heat and bring to a boil until potatoes are just fork-tender.
- Thicken with Milk: Reduce heat to medium-low, add milk, and stir until thickened.
- Season to Taste: Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Nothing beats a warm piece of bread dipped in a hot bowl of ham potato soup! Lucky for you, I have some wonderful bread recipes to complement your meal. Feel like baking your own? Consider these delicious options: Artisan Bread or Soft Dinner Rolls. Both are up to the standard, but they become even more irresistible with a knob of Garlic Butter spread on your warm bread fresh out of the oven.
Looking for more creamy soup ideas? Here are some you might love: Skinny Slow Cooker Potato Soup, Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup, Creamy Zuppa Toscana, Lentil Soup, or Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup. Each one brings its own unique flavors to your table.
Recipe FAQ’s
The key is to reduce the heat to medium-low before adding the milk. Stir gently and let it cook until it thickens. Lowering the heat is vital to prevent the flour from curdling, ensuring a smooth, creamy soup.
No problem! Homemade ham broth adds incredible depth of flavor, but if you don’t have it, a high-quality store-bought chicken or beef broth works well too. For extra richness, you can add a bit of bouillon powder.
Absolutely! While I recommend Yukon Gold potatoes for their creamy texture and buttery flavor, you can also use Russet or red potatoes. Just keep in mind that each type will slightly alter the texture, but they will all be delicious.
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Ham Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 cup carrot large, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 3 cups potatoes peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cooked ham diced, add more if desired
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour plain flour
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock or broth
- 2 teaspoons chicken Bouillon
- 3 cups milk whole milk or 2%
- 1/4 teaspoon salt if needed, adjust to you taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, celery until beginning to soften (about 4 minutes).
- Add the ham and potatoes, cook for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Mix the flour through and cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in stock and bouillon, mixing all ingredients together. Increase heat and bring to a boil until potatoes are ‘just’ fork tender, about 10-12 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add the milk and stir over the heat until thickened (about 5 minutes).
- Taste test and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Serve warm.
Notes
HAM BROTH
You can make your own ham broth for ham soup using leftover ham bone:- Simmer the ham bone in a stock pot filled with enough water to cover the bone halfway (about 2 quarts/litres, depending on size of bone).
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid and let simmer until very fragrant (about 1 hour).
- Discard hambone
- Replace the chicken stock with your ham broth.
TIPS
If your soup is too thick once it’s finished, simply add more milk in 1/4 cup increments until reaching your desired consistency. Alternatively, if your soup is not thick enough to your liking, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch together with 2 tablespoons of extra milk. Pour the mixture into the soup and allow to boil for a few minutes to thicken, while stirring. Repeat for an even thicker soup!Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Christmas was a little different that usual. We celebrated with both sides of the family the weekend before Christmas. That left Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for just my husband and myself. It really was quite lovely. We opened our gifts to each other on Christmas Eve and had a nice dinner of ham and bean soup (ham from Saturday) and Tiramisu poke cake (left over from Sunday). Christmas Day we went to a movie and a light dinner. We decided in the end, that it didn’t really matter what day you celebrate with family and friends, as long as you are all together to celebrate.
My husband cooked me Christmas/Birthday breakfast while the kids opened up their presents. After breakfast we headed out to see “Aquaman”, which was an awesome movie! Later that night my husband grilled steak and shrimp for dinner! It was a wonderful day! 🙂
We had a lovely and quiet Christmas. We spent the whole day in our PJs and watched our boys play with their gifts.
Spent Christmas making cinnamon rolls in the morning. Had breakfast and headed to the park with the kids. Had a wonderful picnic lunch there and the Kids got their presents in the afternoon. Busy and fun packed day!
Soup was delicious I spent my Christmas with family as always and my closest friend which I consider family
Spent Christmas with family and had a wonderful time.
Spent the weekend before Christmas having our family celebration. We had 25 people and 11 dogs at our house from Friday to Monday. We had a large dinner on Saturday evening using two recipes I have from this blog (well received and will make again). We spent Christmas Eve at a close family friends house having dinner and playing a gift exchange game. My intent is to make this recipe with the leftover ham I have from our Christmas dinner, I cannot wait because I love soups in the cold weather.
Had a wonderful Christmas with my house mate’s family and extended family. Trying bits of every cuisine including their family recipe Guatemalan tamales and Chile Verde. An amazing time of sharing time, culture, and experience new things.
Spent Christmas surrounded by family and great food! Thankful for an amazing year filled with love, joy and by the end of the year health!
Its just my son and I at Christmas. Unfortunately I am on crutches so other than him opening his gifts we were very quiet this year. I do very much enjoy looking at the recipes. I get some good ideas
Christmas celebrations always start Christmas Eve late afternoon having an rarly dinner with my mom’s brothers and sisters d family. Christmas mor ing is spent at my home opening gifts with my boyfriend. Then we both go to my oarents home where we always enjoy orange danish tolls. We open gifts and stockings. Usually we feel a tad rushed beause we need to prepare some side dinner items to take to my dad’s family. Where 4 generations gather and eat, sing Chrisymas carols, read the Christmas story, open girts, and enjoy each other’s company. This has been tradition every year for all my life, and i wouldn’t want it any other way! I love to find some great cafedelites recipes to share with my family during the holidays.