Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
This creamy ham and potato soup is thick and hearty and loaded with flavor. Ham & potato soup is perfect for using up leftovers from Christmas and Easter as well.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces diced ham, about 2 cups
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced, about 1 ½ cups
- 1-2 medium carrots, chopped, about ½ cup
- 1-2 ribs celery, diced, about ½ cup or so
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-1 ½ pounds potatoes, about 3 cups 1” cubes
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, see note
- 3-4 cups low sodium chicken stock, see note
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, more to taste
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, optional
- 1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
Directions
- Start by dicing 8 ounces of ham into small cubes, then small dice the yellow onion, carrots, and celery and mince 2-3 cloves of garlic (the carrots can also be cut into coins instead, if you prefer). Chop the potatoes into roughly 1” cubes and set everything aside.
- This is optional, but I like to start by searing the ham for 3-5 minutes in my Dutch-oven or stockpot on medium to medium-high heat. Once it is lightly browned, remove and set aside for later.
- To the Dutch-oven or stock pot, add ¼ cup of butter and melt over medium heat. Once melted, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper and sauté for 5-6 minutes, just until the onions start to turn translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for about a minute more. Now add ¼ cup all-purpose flour and keep stirring to cook the flour for about 2 more minutes. Slowly pour in 2 cups of whole milk while constantly stirring/whisking and allow it to come to a simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- At this point, pour in 3 cups of low sodium chicken stock, the chopped potatoes, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, and return the ham to the pot. Bring everything to boil and then turn down to a simmer. Continue cooking, uncovered, for at least 12-15 minutes until the potatoes feel fork tender.
- Finally, add 1 cup of heavy cream and let it simmer until the soup is heated throughout. This should only take a few minutes. Taste for seasoning and remove the thyme stems. At this point you can serve the soup or thicken or thin it out to your preference. See below for some tips on this.
- Optionally, I like to top this creamy ham and potato soup like a loaded potato soup. You can add some shredded cheese, extra ham or bacon, and some chopped green onions or fresh parsley.
Equipment Used
Notes
1) Ham – Almost any kind of leftover ham works great here. Try to use a thicker sliced ham, roughly ¼” thick so that it makes decently sized chunks when chopped up for soup. If you’re not making this with leftover ham, look in stores for a thicker cut ham steak. The single, 8-ounce slices of ham work perfectly here.
2) Dairy – This part is down to personal preference. I use a mix of whole milk and heavy cream here. I add the heavy cream near the end to help thicken a little bit and add a touch of richness. You could also use 1-2% milk or switch the heavy cream for half-and-half, or just use all of one dairy, but I find all heavy cream to be a bit too rich for soup.
3) Stock – I use unsalted or low sodium chicken stock here, which is common with potato soup. If you have it, ham stock would also work well, or just some vegetable broth if you like. Start with 3 cups and use more if you plan to reduce the soup or want to thin it out more.
4) Thinning the Soup – If you prefer a thinner soup, add more stock, a little at a time, until the soup reaches the consistency you prefer.
5) Thickening the Soup – If you like a thicker potato soup, you have a few options. The first option is to cook at a stronger simmer for a bit longer to reduce the soup more. This will thicken it but also lessen the amount of soup you end up with. Another option is to use a cornstarch or potato starch slurry. Mix ¼ cup of milk and ¼ cup of cornstarch/potato starch and add near the end of cooking. Bring it to a strong simmer again and let it cook for a few minutes to see if it is thick enough.
Another option for thickening is to use an immersion blender to blend some of the potato chunks, or remove some of the potato and mash in a bowl and add back in. My favorite way, however, is to use a bit of unflavored, instant potato powder. Add about a tablespoon at a time and give it a few minutes to thicken, then add more if needed. This thickens the soup nicely while adding to the potato flavor.
Keep in mind that however you thicken the soup, it will naturally thicken more as it cools as well.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 bowlCalories: 432kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 16gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 845mgPotassium: 831mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gCalcium: 162mgIron: 2mg
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