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Ham and Potato Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
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Ham and Potato Soup

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This easy Ham and Potato Soup recipe is the perfect way to use up leftover ham! This ultra cozy soup is a smoky and creamy potato chowder. Loaded with smoky ham, tender potatoes, cream, and fresh dill and chives, this soup is my go-to cozy soup recipe.

If you find yourself with leftover ham after Thanksgiving, this creamy Ham and Potato Soup recipe should be at the top of your list! This is an easy one-pot soup recipe that’s perfect for chilly nights. The whole recipe comes together in about 30 minutes–perfect for any night of the week.

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of hearty, creamy ham and potato soup. All up it takes under 45 minutes to have a pot of full soup ready and on the table. Perfect for busy weeknights or for when you’re craving a hearty meal!

Ham and Potato Soup simmers away on the stove, pretty much taking care of itself, thickening into a delicious creamy base. All this recipe requires is a bit of chopping and dicing, and you’ve got cozy and hearty dinner on the table in no time.

I always have leftover potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery after the holidays with increasing desperation on how to use everything up. This creamy Ham and Potato Soup recipe is a great way to use up excess ingredients! If you love transforming your leftovers into something new, this recipe is definitely for you.

Leftover Glazed Ham adds the perfect amount of smoky and savory flavor to the soup. The fresh dill and chives add the perfect fresh balance. This is an easy recipe with simple ingredients and lots of flavor!

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Comforting – There’s nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of soup, but we’ve made it even better! This Creamy Ham and Potato Soup recipe is so flavorful and rich without being too heavy. It’s the soup we turn to over and over again for cool nights.

One Pot – This soup is entirely made in one pot! I love any dinner that saves me from tons of clean up. You’re going to love how easy this recipe is.

Customizable – This is a great recipe for using up extra veggies you may have! The classics here are carrot, onion, and celery but you could also add peas, sweet potato, parsnip, etc.

Uses up leftovers – If you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy eating the same thing over and over again, this is a great way to transform your Thanksgiving leftovers. You could also add in some shredded turkey or chicken for extra protein.

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

How to Make Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

You don’t need any fancy equipment to make Creamy Ham and Potato Soup, but as with all soups I recommend investing in a nice dutch oven! It’s my go-to for so much of my cooking, and soups especially.

Tools Needed

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Ham. I used leftover glazed ham for this recipe, but you could also purchase a ham steak and dice it up.
  • Veggies. Onions, carrots, and celery create the flavor base here. You could also use some leeks, and stir in corn, peas, or green beans towards the end.
  • Garlic. Garlic makes everything better!
  • Butter and flour. Butter and flour make a roux to help thicken the soup.
  • White wine. Optional, but adds a nice balance of acidity to the soup.
  • Dijon. A couple of spoonfuls of dijon mustard add tons of savory flavor to the ham and potato soup.
  • Potatoes. I use Yukon gold because they’re my favorite, but russets would also be great.
  • Broth. Homemade chicken broth is best, but you can also use store bought and bolster the flavor by simmering it with a leftover ham bone.
  • Cream. Heavy cream makes this soup ultra velvety and creamy.
  • Herbs. Chives and fresh dill are the perfect pairing with the smoky ham!

The Process

  1. Saute the veggies. Melt butter in a 4 qt dutch oven and saute the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until soft. Add the dijon and cook for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir it in. Cook the flour for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, to remove any raw flour taste.
  2. Add the liquid. Stir in the white wine, if using, and the chicken broth. Make sure to stir well as you add the liquid so that there aren’t any lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  3. Add the ham and potatoes. Add the diced potatoes and ham and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are very tender. Use a fork to gently smash them so that they thicken the soup a bit. Add the cream and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  4. Season and add herbs. Season the soup to taste with salt and lots of freshly cracked pepper. Stir in the chopped dill and chives and any additional leftover veggies that you want to add. Serve Creamy Ham and Potato Soup with crusty bread for dipping.

Customizing Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup is such a great recipe for using up holiday leftovers! Here are some ways to customize this soup to your tastes and ingredient availability.

Add more protein. You could add shredded chicken, turkey, or diced bacon to the soup to make it extra hearty. Don’t forget the leftover chopped ham!

Add veggies. The classic veggies are present here including onions, carrots, and celery! You could also saute in some sliced leeks for more flavor. At the end, if you have leftover green beans, peas, or corn, those would all be great additions.

Swap up the herbs. I absolutely adore the fresh dill and chives, but you could also add some sage, thyme, or rosemary when you saute the veggies. Stir in chopped parsley at the end!

Ramp up the toppings. Have leftover stuffing? Cut chilled stuffing into cubes and toss with olive oil. Toast in the oven and use them as extra flavorful croutons for topping this Creamy Ham and Potato Soup.

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

Making Ham and Potato Soup Gluten-Free

While this recipe for Creamy Ham and Potato Soup uses butter and flour to make a roux for thickening, you can make this soup gluten-free.

If you want to make this Ham and Potato Soup gluten-free, you can omit the flour from the beginning. Use russet potatoes for this soup because they’re extra starchy. Once the potatoes are tender, mash some of them with a fork to help thicken the soup.

You can also stir in leftover mashed potatoes towards the end to thicken the soup.

Finally, you can mix 2 teaspoons of corn starch with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Stir that into the soup before adding the cream and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Storing Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

Ham and Potato Soup should keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. The completed soup with the dairy shouldn’t be frozen as dairy doesn’t freeze well.

  • Ham and potato soup can be frozen before adding the dairySimply remove a portion of the soup before adding the dairy. Stir in the cream before serving. Note the texture of the potatoes changes after freezing and it’s not my favorite.
  • Reheat leftovers on the stovetop over medium heat without letting the soup boil. Add in additional cream or broth to thin the soup as necessary. Top with your favorite garnishes before serving!
Ham and Potato Soup

More Soup Recipes to Try Now

ALBONDIGAS SOUP
CHICKEN CURRY NOODLE SOUP
INSTANT POT MATZO BALL SOUP
TOMATO-BACON BISQUE
Chicken Tortellini Soup

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Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe Ideas
Main Dishes, Soup, Soups

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

This easy Ham and Potato Soup recipe is the perfect way to use up leftover ham! This ultra cozy soup is a smoky and creamy potato chowder. Loaded with smoky ham, tender potatoes, cream, and fresh dill and chives, this soup is my go-to cozy soup recipe.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Makes: 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 4 cups chicken broth, homemade is best
  • 1 1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 3 cups diced cooked ham
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh chives
  • kosher salt
  • freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • Saute the veggies. Melt butter in a 4 qt dutch oven and saute the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until soft. Add the dijon and cook for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir it in. Cook the flour for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, to remove any raw flour taste.
  • Add the liquid. Stir in the white wine, if using, and the chicken broth. Make sure to stir well as you add the liquid so that there aren't any lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes or so, until thickened.
  • Add the ham and potatoes. Add the diced potatoes, bay leaves, and ham and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are very tender. Use a fork to gently smash some of them so that they thicken the soup a bit. Add the cream and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Season and add herbs. Season the soup to taste with salt and lots of freshly cracked pepper. Stir in the chopped dill and chives and any additional leftover veggies that you want to add. Serve Creamy Ham and Potato Soup with crusty bread for dipping.

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  1. 5 stars
    This soup is absolutely wonderful!! I made it just like you said. The only thing was you didn’t say when to add the bay leaves. I figured they should go with the first simmer. Then I let it sit with the lid on for an hour. Brought out the flavor. I will certainly make this one again.! It’s a keeper! Thank you for sharing.

  2. 5 stars
    This was a wonderfully flavored soup and was prefect for a cold day. I ended up using only half the ham and was glad I did. I’m a big meat eater but felt the ham might over power the rest of the soup. I also added cheddar cheese on top and loved it.

  3. 5 stars
    This soup is wonderful ….. easy and delicious. The Dijon mustard, fresh chives and dill add
    the perfect little punch. This is a keeper. Thank you.