Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
A good ham and potato soup should have tender potato pieces, enough ham in every bowl and a broth that stays creamy without becoming gluey. This version thickens with a small amount of flour and some crushed potato. The cooked ham goes in near the end, so it warms through without spending half an hour becoming tough and salty.
Ham and potato soup is a chunky, milk-enriched soup made with cooked ham, potatoes and aromatic vegetables. It is useful after a holiday ham dinner, but a thick slice of fully cooked ham works just as well. There is no ham bone to simmer and no cream cheese to melt into the pot.
The ham decides how much salt you need
Use fully cooked ham cut into small cubes. A piece from a roast or a thick ham steak gives a better texture than paper-thin sandwich slices. Trim away tough rind and any large pieces of fat before weighing. Some smoky flavour is welcome, but heavily sweetened glaze can make the soup unexpectedly sugary.
Taste a piece of ham before starting. That tells you more about the final seasoning than the colour of the meat. Use low-sodium broth and wait until the ham has heated in the soup before adding salt. A standard salty broth plus salty ham can leave very little room for adjustment.
If you have more ham than this recipe needs, save some for leek and ham gratin or ham and cheese crêpes. Adding all the leftovers to one pot changes both the salt level and the balance between meat and vegetables.
Pick potatoes that keep some shape
Yellow potatoes are a useful middle ground: tender enough to crush, but firm enough to leave distinct pieces in the bowl. Peel them for a smoother result and cut into half-inch cubes. Similar size matters more than perfectly square corners. Very large chunks can remain firm while the small ones break apart.
Russet potatoes also work, but tend to break down more readily. Stir gently and check them early. Red potatoes hold their shape well and may need a little more crushing to thicken the broth. This soup should not become completely smooth like potage Parmentier.
For another way to use potatoes in soup, blended vegetable soup with leeks has a different texture. Here, the spoon should lift actual potato and ham pieces with enough creamy liquid around them.
Build the soup in three stages
Soften the vegetables
Melt the butter in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for six to eight minutes, stirring occasionally. They should soften without turning dark brown. Add the garlic and thyme for thirty seconds, then sprinkle in the flour and stir for one minute.
The small amount of flour coats the vegetables rather than forming a large separate roux. Keep the heat moderate so it does not scorch. If the bottom is colouring quickly, lower the heat before adding liquid. Burnt flour cannot be hidden by milk later.
Simmer the potatoes until tender
Gradually stir in the broth, scraping the bottom smooth. Add the potatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, partly covered, for fifteen to twenty minutes. Stir occasionally so the potatoes do not settle and stick. The cubes are ready when a fork enters without resistance.
Remove the bay leaf. Scoop about one cup of potatoes and vegetables into a bowl with a little broth, crush with a fork and return them to the pot. This adds body without blending all the vegetables. Do not use a high-speed blender on the entire pot, which can make potato soup sticky.
Warm the ham and milk gently
Add the milk and diced cooked ham. Heat gently for five to eight minutes, stirring often, until the ham is hot through and the soup reaches 165°F. Avoid a hard rolling boil after adding milk. Taste, then add pepper and only as much salt as the soup actually needs.
If the soup is thicker than you want, add a little milk or water. If it is thin, crush a few more potatoes rather than tipping dry flour into the finished broth. Let it stand off the heat for a couple of minutes before ladling; the texture settles as the potato starch hydrates.
Chef tips for a clean, creamy finish
I recommend cutting the carrots a little smaller than the potatoes so both become tender together. Large carrot rounds can stay crunchy after the potatoes are done. Celery should also be diced rather than left in long strings. The aim is a spoonful that is easy to eat, not a bowl that needs a knife.
Use whole milk for a rounded texture. Two-percent milk works, but gives a lighter result. Cream is unnecessary here because the crushed potato provides body. For a deliberately richer, cheese-forward soup, broccoli cheddar soup is a different recipe with its own balance.
Season at the end and taste the liquid with a piece of ham. A spoonful of plain broth alone may seem less salty than the full bite. If the soup is already too salty, dilute gradually with unsalted liquid and accept a slightly lighter texture. Adding a raw potato does not selectively remove salt.
Substitutions
For a different smoky flavour, I’d use fully cooked smoked turkey in place of the ham. This method is not intended for raw pork or an uncooked ham joint. For a meat-free version, omit the ham, use vegetable broth and add cooked white beans near the end; adjust seasoning because the ham normally supplies much of it.
A washed, finely sliced leek can replace the onion. Keep the total vegetables close to the recipe so there is enough liquid. If you want a dairy-free soup without adapting a milk-based method, homemade lentil soup or vegetable soup may suit the meal better.
Questions about storage
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate. Use within three days, or sooner if the ham was already near the end of its storage period. The soup thickens in the refrigerator. Add a little milk or water as it reheats, stirring gently until it reaches 165°F.
Can I freeze it?
You can freeze it for up to two months, but potatoes may become grainier and the milk can separate slightly. For the best texture, freeze the cooked vegetable base before adding milk and ham, then finish after thawing. If freezing the completed soup, reheat gently and stir rather than boiling hard.
Can I use a ham bone?
This quick recipe is built around diced cooked ham and ready-made broth. A bone needs a separate simmer to make stock, so it is not a direct addition to the timing here. If you enjoy that deeper style of soup, split pea soup is another option to consider.
Serving ideas
A simple green salad or bread is enough beside this substantial soup. For a bigger lunch, serve small bowls with grilled cheese and ham, keeping portions modest because both contain ham. The soup collection offers other meals for the week. Potatoes provide carbohydrate, ham contributes protein, and the sodium content depends strongly on the products you choose.
Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 medium carrots finely diced
- 2 celery stalks finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds yellow potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups whole milk
- 12 ounces fully cooked ham diced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Fine salt as needed
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley optional
Instructions
- Melt butter in a heavy soup pot. Soften onion, carrots and celery over medium heat 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and thyme for 30 seconds. Stir in flour for 1 minute.
- Gradually stir in broth. Add potatoes and bay leaf. Simmer gently, partly covered, 15–20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender, stirring occasionally.
- Remove bay leaf. Crush about 1 cup of potatoes and vegetables with a little broth in a bowl; return to pot.
- Add milk and cooked ham. Heat gently 5–8 minutes, stirring, until hot through and 165°F. Avoid a rolling boil. Add pepper and salt only as needed.
- Adjust thickness with milk or water. Serve with optional parsley.
