Name: Creamy, Simple Ham & Potato Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3 cups cooked ham (diced); 2 lbs. russet potatoes (about 4-5 medium Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes); 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (, 32 oz. ); 2 cups milk; 1.5 cups carrots (diced); 1 cup celery (diced); 1 cup onion (diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 3 Tablespoons flour; 2-3 Tablespoons butter; 2 Tablespoons oil; salt and pepper (to taste); 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley (for garnish, optional)

This homemade classic Ham & Potato Soup is creamy, rustic, hearty, packed with healthy vegetables, and oh-so delicious! Best of all, it’s so simple to make and only takes 45 minutes total.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

Close up of a bowl of creamy ham and potato soup with extra vegetables.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love It

This is one of those soup recipes you’ll return to whenever you’re in the mood for a cozy, comforting soup. Here’s why:

All the ingredients are budget-friendly and household staples.
It repurposes leftover ham into something new. The ham gives this soup an instant flavor boost!
It’s simple and easy to make using just one pot, or you can use your slow cooker or Instant Pot.
It’s packed with hearty, healthy vegetables.
You only take about 45 minutes to make it.

Best of all, the house smells amazing while the soup simmers away. It doesn’t get better than that!

Are you looking for more ways to repurpose leftover holiday ham? I recommend making classic Lentil Soup, hearty White Bean Soup, or even a Ham & Cheese Frittata.

All the Ham & Potato soup ingredients separated and labeled.

Ham and Potato Soup Ingredients:

Potatoes: Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes work well in soup because they become super creamy and thicken the soup nicely.
Ham: Use leftover spiral ham, country ham, ham steak, or any other kind of cooked ham. They'll all work great! If you have a ham bone, use it. It adds tons of flavor to the soup!
Broth/Stock: You can use either chicken or vegetable stock.
Milk: You can use any type of milk you prefer, as long as it's unsweetened and unflavored. Depending on your dietary preferences, you can use cow's milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or almond milk interchangeably.
Flour: Adding flour thickens up this soup, but you can easily make this recipe gluten-free by omitting flour and substituting arrowroot powder or corn starch.

Diced ham, onion, potatoes, carrots, celery, and garlic on a wooden cutting board.

How To Make Ham and Potato Soup

Wash all the produce well. Dice the onions, celery, carrots, ham, and potatoes and set aside. Mince the garlic. (Save the vegetable scraps to include in your next batch of Vegetable Stock!)

Time Saving Tip: You don’t have to peel the potatoes or carrots. In fact, Potato skins are good for you (they contain potassium, magnesium, and fiber), and will give the soup more of a rustic texture.

Collage showing the first simple recipe step with vegetables sautéing along and flour and butter.

Add the oil to a pot over medium heat, then add the onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until they start to soften.
Add the butter and sprinkle the flour on top of the vegetables. Mix well, stirring constantly, for another 2-3 minutes.

Broth pouring into a pot of ham and potato soup for cooking.

Milk pouring into the ham and vegetable soup.

Stir in the garlic, potatoes, ham, broth, and bay leaves. If you have a ham bone, add it in during this step! Bring it to a simmer and cover the pot. Allow the soup to simmer for about 15 minutes, stopping halfway to stir the soup.
Uncover the soup and stir in the milk. Allow the soup to simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and ham bone, if you used one. Season with salt and black pepper, if needed. Ladle the finished soup into bowls and garnish with more pepper and minced parsley.

For a thicker and creamier soup, let it sit for 25-30 minutes or by adding a roux.

Close up of a ladle scooping from a pot of creamy ham and potato soup.

Crock Pot & Instant Pot Instructions

This recipe is a winner when cooked on the stovetop in a pot or dutch oven, but if you’d like to cook using your Slow Cooker or Instant Pot, you can do that! Here’s how:

Slow Cooker

Add the diced potatoes, veggie mixture of carrots, celery, onion, garlic, celery, and ham to your slow cooker. Stir in the broth and add the bay leaves. Cook on low for 5.5-6.5 hours or high for 3-4 hours. The potatoes and carrots should be fork tender before moving on to the next step.
Make a slurry by whisking a few tablespoons of the hot broth with the flour in a small bowl, then pour the slurry into the soup and stir well. Stir in the milk. Cover and simmer for another 30-45 minutes.

Instant Pot

Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat the oil. Add the carrots, celery, and onion, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the butter and flour, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the ham, broth, garlic, and bay leaves. Cover and turn to High Pressure for 2 minutes.
Allow for a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 5 minutes, then turn or press the steam release valve to release all the remaining steam.
Carefully open the lid and stir the soup. Add the milk.
Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and bring the soup to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes.

A bowl of creamy ham and potato soup on a white tabletop.

Expert Tips & Info

Wait until the end of cooking to add salt. Ham and broth can vary in their saltiness, so I recommend that you not add any salt until the soup is fully cooked. Take a taste of the cooked soup, then stir in additional salt to taste.
Use a ham bone if you have it. I always recommend adding a leftover ham bone to your soup as it cooked because it adds SO MUCH FLAVOR.
Russet potatoes are a natural thickener, so only a minimal amount of flour is needed in this recipe.
If your soup is too thick for your preferences, stir 1/4 cup of broth or water at a time.
If your soup is too thin, allow it to simmer slightly longer to reduce it.

FAQ

What to serve with ham & potato soup: Ham and potato soup is great served with crusty bread, crackers, a side salad, or any roasted vegetable that you enjoy.

Storing leftovers: Transfer the cooled soup to an airtight container, zip top bag, or a reusable silicone bag. Store it in the refrigerator. Reheat and enjoy within 3-4 days, per USDA.

Freeze leftovers: This soup freezes beautifully! Transfer to soup cubes or any freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2-3 months for the best taste, per USDA. Defrost the frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it as usual.

I'd love to hear about your experience making this recipe!
Please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom.

A bowl filled with ham and potato soup, garnished with parsley and pepper.

Creamy, Simple Ham & Potato Soup

This homemade classic Ham & Potato Soup is creamy, rustic, hearty, packed with healthy vegetables, and oh-so delicious! Best of all, it’s so simple to make it only takes about 45 minutes total.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 45

Servings: servings

Author: Laura Miner

Equipment

Dutch Oven or large pot with lid

Ingredients

3 cups cooked ham diced
2 lbs. russet potatoes about 4-5 medium Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth , 32 oz.
2 cups milk
1.5 cups carrots diced
1 cup celery diced
1 cup onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
3 Tablespoons flour
2-3 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Video

Instructions

Wash all the produce well. Dice the onions, celery, carrots, ham, and potatoes. Mince the garlic.
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat, then add the onions, celery, and carrots.
Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
Add the butter and sprinkle the flour on top of the vegetables. Mix well, stirring constantly, for another 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, potatoes, ham, broth, and bay leaves. If you have a ham bone, add it in.
Bring it to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stopping halfway to stir the soup.
Uncover the soup and stir in the milk. Allow the soup to simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 10-15 minutes. The longer it simmers, the thicker and creamier the soup will be.
Remove the bay leaves and ham bone, if you used it. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve the finished soup and garnish with more pepper and minced parsley.

Notes

Wait until the end of cooking to add salt.
Peeling the potatoes and carrots is optional!
Simmer the soup with a ham bone if you have it for extra flavor.
If the soup is too thick for your preference, stir 1/4 cup of broth or water at a time.
If the soup is too thin for your preference, allow it to simmer a little longer to reduce more.

Slow Cooker:

Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, celery, and ham to your slow cooker.
Stir in the broth and add the bay leaves.
Cook for on low for 5.5-6.5 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the potatoes and carrots should be fork tender and cooked through.
Make a slurry by whisking a few tablespoons of the hot broth with the flour in a small bowl, then pour the slurry into the soup and stir well.
Stir in the milk. Cover and simmer for another 30-45 minutes.

Instant Pot:

Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat the oil. Add the carrots, celery, and onion, and saute for 5 minutes.
Add the butter and flour, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the ham, broth, garlic, and bay leaves. Cover and turn to High Pressure for 2 minutes.
Allow for a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 5 minutes, then turn or press the steam release valve to release all the remaining steam.
Carefully open the lid and stir the soup. Add the milk.
Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and bring the soup to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes.

Store leftovers: Transfer the cooled soup to an airtight container or bag. Store it in the refrigerator. Reheat and enjoy within 3-4 days, per USDA.

Freeze leftovers: This soup freezes beautifully! Transfer the soup to any freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2-3 months for the best taste, per USDA. Defrost the frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it as usual.