Easy One Pot Ham and Potato Soup

This creamy one-pot ham and potato soup is the perfect way to use up leftover ham from the holidays! It’s loaded with tender potatoes, diced ham, and plenty of veggies in a creamy herb-filled broth. It’s the perfect cozy dinner for a busy weeknight!

 

The Best Ham and Potato Soup Recipe

• This ham and potato soup is super straightforward to throw together and the flavors are amazing. The aromatic veggies get a quick saute with some garlic and herbs for a delicious flavor base. Then the ham and potatoes are simmered in a rich broth of chicken stock and heavy cream. All the flavors marry together for a simple, yet flavorful family dinner that everyone will love!
• The best part is that it all cooks in one pot which means fewer dishes for you! Cooking everything together also allows the aromatic veggies to really take on the herbaceous flavors of the Italian seasoning and sage and ensures that the potatoes are infused with that herb flavor as well.

Ingredients to Make Ham and Potato Soup

Butter

Stick with unsalted butter so that you can adjust the sodium levels yourself. The butter in this recipe is going to combine with the flour to create a quick roux and thicken the soup as it simmers.

Mirepoix

Onion, carrot, and celery are my favorite aromatic veggies for soup! They add tons of flavor and a little extra fiber. Look for pre-chopped mirepoix at the grocery store to save some prep time.

Herbs and Garlic

Italian seasoning, ground sage, and freshly minced garlic work in tandem with the mirepoix to create the most delicious flavor base for this soup. Play around with the dried seasonings or use up what you’ve got on hand. Dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried basil will work in place of the Italian seasoning. And if you don’t have fresh garlic, try 3/4 of a teaspoon of garlic powder instead.

Flour

All-purpose flour works best for this recipe. I’ve not tested it using any other type of flour. The flour combines with the butter to help thicken the creamy soup.

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Yukon golds are my favorite for potato soup. They’re super creamy and because of their thin skin, you don’t have to peel them. Feel free to use your favorite kind of potato here, but keep in mind that you may need to peel it and it might take a bit longer to cook.

Ham

Leftover ham from the holidays will work perfectly in this potato soup! Just dice it up into somewhat uniform bite-size pieces. You can also dice up ham steaks or look for diced ham near the deli meats at your grocery store.

Chicken Stock

I tested this recipe with both chicken broth and chicken stock and I found the flavor of the soup made with chicken stock to be more robust. However, either will work. If you use broth, you may want to just add a couple extra pinches of salt to taste.

Bay Leaf

I love adding bay leaves to my soup recipes! They add a hint of pepperiness and add to that “cooked all day” flavor.

Heavy Cream

A hearty splash of heavy cream at the end of the cooking process is the perfect way to make this ham and potato soup extra rich, creamy, and luxurious. Feel free to substitute with half and half or whole milk but expect a thinner consistency.

How to Make Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

Saute mirepoix in butter. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, sage, salt, and pepper, and saute for another minute.

Stir flour and cook for about a minute.

Add a splash of chicken broth to deglaze the pan.

Add potatoes, ham, the remaining chicken broth, and a bay leaf.

Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender and cooked through.

Stir in heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Use Leftover Ham from Thanksgiving or Christmas

• If your family is anything like mine, you’ll end up with tons of leftover ham after the holidays – the leftover ham and scalloped potatoes are my two favorite leftovers which might explain why I love this soup so much!
• It’s the perfect way to use up that ham and present it in a new way so that your family doesn’t feel like they’re even eating leftovers!
• Feel free to add the ham bone to the soup and simmer it right along with everything else. Just make sure to remove it before serving.
• If you don’t have leftover ham, look for ham steaks at the grocery store that you can dice up yourself, or keep an eye out for diced ham which our grocery store sells in a 16 oz. package.

If you love this ham and potato soup, you will love these too!

• broccoli cheddar soup
• creamy chicken tortellini soup
• tomato tortellini soup with sausage
• creamy Italian meatball soup
• chicken and dumpling soup
• instant pot loaded potato soup

Tips for Making the Best Ham and Potato Soup

• Be sure to salt this soup moderately throughout the cooking process. I like to add a couple pinches or more each time I introduce a new ingredient or group of ingredients. The ingredient list is short and sweet which means salt is going to be very important in bringing out all the flavors. Adaquately salted broth with also help cook the potatoes more quickly.
• Cut the potatoes into uniform-sized pieces. This can be tricky since potatoes are oval and don’t dice into squares easily. I like to cut each potato into 1/2″ slices and then cut each of those slices into 1/2″ dice. This will ensure that they all cook evenly and are done at the same time.
• The amount of time that your soup needs to simmer will vary depending on what type of potato you use and how big or small you dice them. A 1/2″ dice using Yukon gold potatoes should give you tender potatoes after about 10 minutes of simmering. If you’re using Russet potatoes or dicing them a bit larger, you can expect to simmer them for the full 12 minutes or longer.
• Once the potatoes are fork-tender, they are done. Use a spoon to carefully fish out a potato chunk, poke it with a fork, and if it inserts easily the potatoes are done. The carrots, celery, and onion already had a head start so those will be done whenever the potatoes are.
• If your soup is too thick, add a splash of broth or creamy
• If it’s too thin, stir in a cornstarch slurry made from 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1-2 tablespoons of cold water combined until smooth. Then simmer for a minute or so and the soup will thicken further.

Best Type of Potato for Soup

• Yukon gold potatoes are my favorite for this ham and potato soup recipe. They’re kind of like the “workhorse” potatoes because they hold their shape well when cooked and have a deliciously tender, buttery texture when cooked. They also have a thin skin that becomes tender when cooked so there’s no need to peel them before cooking.
• Russet potatoes are another fine choice however, they don’t hold their shape quite as well once they’re cooked and tend to break down a bit more than others. Because of their thick skin, it’s best to peel them before dicing them and adding them to the soup.
• Baby red potatoes are waxy which means they hold up well and keep their shape in soup. Their small size and thin skin also make them ideal for soups and stews because you can just chop them in half or quarters and toss them in the pot!
• Fingerling potatoes are another great option because of their small size and tender skin. Depending on their size you’ll likely just need to chop them in half or quarters and they’ll hold their shape well in the soup.
• Sweet potatoes will also work in creamy potato soup if you want a slightly sweeter flavor and a beautiful pop of orange color. Sweet potatoes must be peeled and diced before adding them to soup.

FAQs

Can I leave the skin on for potato soup?

This is really a matter of personal preference. However, as a general rule, potatoes with a thin skin – like Yukon golds, baby reds, or fingerlings – don’t need to be peeled. Their skin will become very soft and tender during the cooking process. While potatoes with a thicker skin – like Russets and sweet potatoes – should be peeled before being added to soup. If they’re not peeled, the skin ends up separating from the flesh of the potato and creates an undesirable texture as you chew the potato.

How do you thicken potato soup without cream?

First, let’s talk about why on earth you’d want to exclude heavy cream from a delicious soup recipe?! All joking aside, this soup recipe is thickened with a roux made from butter and flour, along with the addition of heavy cream. If you prefer not to use heavy cream, you can thicken the soup with a cornstarch slurry made from 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1-2 tablespoons of cold water mixed together until smooth. Add the slurry to the soup and simmer until thickened. Keep in mind, however, that you’ll want to add this slurry when the potatoes still have a few minutes to cook. Otherwise, you’ll end up overcooking the potatoes.

How do you make potato soup not bland?

It’s all about layering in the flavors! Start with an aromatic flavor base (the mirepoix) sauteed in butter. Then add in plenty of fresh garlic and dried herbs. Finally, simmer the potatoes and ham in a delicious chicken stock and finish with a splash of heavy cream. Be sure to season with salt and pepper as you add each new group of ingredients and you will have a soup that is delicious, hearty, and satisfying. And it’s all made in one pot!

Making Ham and Potato Soup Recipe Ahead of Time

This ham and potato soup is a delicious make-ahead meal! Throw together a big batch over the weekend and you’ve got easy lunches of dinners ready to go all week.

Storing Leftover Creamy Potato Soup

Store leftover potato soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Reheating Leftover Creamy Ham Soup

Reheat leftover potato soup in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through. You can also cook it in the microwave in 30-60 increments until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Freezing Ham Potato Soup

Freeze ham and potato soup in an airtight container or freezer-safe Ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Serving Potato Soup in a Slow Cooker

• Potluck season is upon us and one of my favorite things to share with co-workers, friends, and family are cozy comfort foods like this soup!
• While it is not recommended to reheat leftovers in a crock pot, you can warm up the soup on the stove and then transfer it to a crock pot for serving!
• Keep it on the “warm” or “low” setting and enjoy!

Try these easy soups next!

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