There’s nothing like a warm bowl of creamy Ham and Potato Soup to bring comfort on a chilly day. With tender potatoes, smoky ham, and a rich, velvety broth, this cozy classic is a perfect way to use up leftover ham. Make it your way using the stovetop, Instant Pot, or slow cooker, with easy options to customize every bowl to your taste!
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You need to try this Potato Ham Soup Recipe!
This ham and potato soup recipe is one of my cherished family recipes that has been passed down and perfected! I’ve made it a bit more weeknight-friendly by using chicken broth instead of the traditional ham broth (don’t worry—I’ll show you how to make the original ham broth, too!).
What makes this soup so good is its foundation of bacon and sautéed vegetables—because, let’s face it, potatoes and bacon are a match made in heaven. That simple step of cooking the vegetables in bacon drippings builds flavor right from the start!
Plus, I’ll show you how to make it on the stovetop, in your Instant Pot, or let it simmer in the slow cooker, giving leftover holiday ham a delicious second life!
The Quick Dish on Potato and Ham Soup
Prep: 20 minutes • Cook: 20 minutes • Total Time: 40 minutes
- Cuisine Inspiration: Classic American Comfort Food
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop (with Instant Pot and Crock Pot options)
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free adaptable, and customizable for different dairy preferences
- Key Flavor: Creamy, smoky, and savory with a hint of rich, hearty ham
- Skill Level: Beginner — Easy-Peasy
Ham Potato Soup ingredients
- Bacon: Technically, bacon is optional—but is it really? 😉 The smoky flavor and richness it adds, especially when sautéing your veggies in the bacon grease, brings a serious WOW factor!
- Celery & Onion: Aromatic vegetables build flavor from the get-go!
- Garlic: For a depth of savory flavor!
- Chicken Stock: This is my shortcut option if you don’t have a ham bone to make the traditional ham broth. The stock has more flavor than broth, but if using chicken broth, adjust your seasonings to taste!
- Chicken Better than Bouillon: Better than Bouillon adds an extra layer of flavor that you won’t otherwise get–I like organic!
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes work great here because they hold up in the soup, but I also love using Yukon gold potatoes (and then you don’t have to peel them).
- Ham: Cooked, diced ham is all you need! Great to use up leftover holiday ham, or you can use any thick-cut ham.
- Butter & Flour: This makes a roux, a thick paste that perfectly thickens up your ham and potato soup.
- Whole Milk & Half and Half: A combo of whole milk and half & half makes this soup the perfect creamy consistency! Not too thick, not too thin!
- Kosher Salt & Pepper: Add to taste!
- Optional Toppings: Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, and that reserved chopped bacon.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to make Ham and Potato Soup Recipe
Step 1 – Sauté the Vegetables
In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, reserving the bacon grease*.
(*If skipping bacon, add 1 tablespoon butter and/or oil to sauté veggies, or skip sautéing altogether and add veggies directly into the broth—though sautéing adds extra flavor!)
In the same pot, sauté the onions and celery over medium heat until golden and tender (4-5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Step 2 – Simmer the Soup Base
Add chicken stock, diced potatoes, Better than Bouillon (if using), and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Stir in your chopped ham.
Step 3 – Make Roux
In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook until slightly golden (1-2 minutes), this is called a roux. Slowly whisk in milk and half-and-half, cooking until thickened (4-5 minutes), which is actually a white sauce.
Step 4 – Combine & Serve
Pour the roux into the soup pot. Stir well and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt as needed.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with toppings like cheese, bacon, and green onions. Enjoy!
Alternative Cooking Methods
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Optional Sauté Step: Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode to cook bacon (if using) until crisp, then remove. Sauté onions, celery, and garlic (or skip and add directly to the pot with other ingredients). Press Cancel when done.
- Add Ingredients: Add potatoes, ham, chicken stock, and Better than Bouillon. Stir to combine.
- Pressure Cook: Lock lid and set to Manual/Pressure Cook for 8 minutes (9-10 at high altitude) on high pressure. Let naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
- Make the Roux: On the stovetop, melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook until golden. Whisk in milk and half-and-half until thickened.
- Combine: Stir roux into the Instant Pot, turn on Sauté mode, and heat through. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Optional Sauté Step: Sauté bacon, onions, celery, and garlic on the stovetop (or skip and add everything directly to the slow cooker).
- Assemble Ingredients: Add potatoes, ham, chicken stock, Better than Bouillon, and veggies to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook: Cook on Low for 6-8 hours or High for 3-4 hours until potatoes are tender.
- Make the Roux: On the stovetop, melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook until golden. Whisk in milk and half-and-half until thickened.
- Combine: Stir roux into the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes to meld flavors.
Recipe Tips
- Cut potatoes into uniform sizes so they cook evenly!
- Don’t skip sautéing the vegetables – this develops deep flavor right from the start and those brown bits on the bottom — flavor-WOW!
- Taste and Adjust: Add salt and pepper as needed once the recipe is finished. Ham adds a significant amount of salt so be careful!
- Avoid boiling after adding dairy to prevent curdling—keep the soup at a gentle simmer.
How do you thicken ham and potato soup?
The key to perfectly thick ham and potato soup has three elements:
- The roux (butter and flour mixture)
- The natural starch from the potatoes
- And the dairy (butter, milk and half and half)
If your soup isn’t thick enough, you can:
- Make an additional roux, whisking it in.
- Mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot using an immersion blender and blend some of the soup (careful you don’t overblend it, causing the potatoes to become gummy.)
- Add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with cold water).
Why isn’t my potato soup creamy?
If your soup isn’t creamy, you might have encountered one of these common issues:
- Boiling instead of simmering after adding dairy (this can cause separation).
- Not using enough roux or cooking it long enough.
- Using low-fat dairy products.
- Overcooking the potatoes until they’re grainy.
To make sure it gets creamy, you can add some more roux, add a splash of half & half, or use an immersion blender to blend some of the potatoes and make it creamier!
Creamy Ham and Potato Soup Variations
- Milk or Cream: Use all milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream (any combo) for richness.
- Consistency Adjustments: Use less broth for thicker soup or add more broth or water (or make your own broth by adding 1 cup hot water + 1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon dissolved) for a thinner soup.
- Add-ins: Stir in frozen peas at the end for sweetness and color. Add diced carrots when cooking the other aromatics for a classic mirepoix.
- Ham Bone Option: Simmer a ham bone in water, see below on how to make ham broth. Replace chicken stock with ham stock for a deeper flavor.
- Gluten-Free Potato and Ham Soup: This soup is easily converted to be gluten-free, I use my favorite Gluten-Free Cup-for-Cup AP Flour and ta-da!
- Vegetarian Version: Skipping the bacon? No problem! Just use a little butter and olive oil to sauté your veggies, and it’s vegetarian!
How to make Ham Broth with a Ham Bone
If you prefer to make ham broth with a leftover ham bone, here’s how to do it:
- Place the ham bone in a large stockpot and cover it with water.
- Add optional aromatics (onion, celery, carrots, garlic, herbs) for extra flavor.
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 2–3 hours.
- Skim off foam during the first 30 minutes.
- Taste after 2 hours; continue simmering if you want a deeper flavor (up to 3 hours).
- Strain the broth, discard the solids, measure out what’s needed for soup, and refrigerate or freeze the rest – I love these Souper Cubes!
How to serve Potato and Ham Soup
Serve this potato ham soup piping hot in deep bowls with toppings like crispy crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, chopped green onions, and oyster crackers.
I also love to serve my soup with sides of hearty bread like Yeast Rolls, Irish Soda Bread, or Guinness Brown Bread for dipping that gorgeous, creamy broth!
How to store Potato Ham Soup
- Refrigeration: Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months (not ideal for cream-based soups as potatoes may get grainy and cream may separate). Thaw in the fridge and reheat gently. Use an immersion blender and add a splash of cream to restore the texture.
How to Reheat Ham and Potato Soup
- Stovetop (Best Method): Heat soup over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of milk, cream, or broth if it’s too thick. Avoid boiling to prevent separation or graininess.
- Microwave: Heat in a microwave-safe bowl on medium power (50–70%) in 1-minute intervals, stirring between intervals. Add a splash of milk or cream if needed.
- Tips for Both:
- Use an immersion blender if the soup separates or turns grainy.
- Add a little milk or cream during reheating to restore creaminess.
- The stovetop offers better control, while the microwave works well for single portions.
Our favorite soup recipes to try
Don’t forget to check out all of our Leftover Ham recipes for more inspiration!
What are you waiting for? This recipe is like a hug in a bowl—warm, comforting, and just what you need to hit the spot. Whether it’s a cozy night in or a way to use up leftovers, it’s time to grab your soup pot, gather a few simple ingredients, and get cooking. Don’t overthink it—just let the magic happen. And use the bacon, even if you normally don’t, because… well, bacon.
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Ingredients
- 3-5 slices bacon optional, but adds great flavor
- 2-3 stalks celery chopped (about ½ cup)
- ½ medium onion chopped (about ½ cup)
- 2 cloves garlic minced, or 2 teaspoon prepared minced garlic
- 3-4 cups chicken stock 24-32 ounces, see Note 1
- 1 teaspoon Chicken Better than Bouillon see Note 2
- 2 large russet potatoes peeled and diced (about 3 ½-4 cups)
- 1 ½ cups diced cooked ham perfect for leftover holiday ham
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon black pepper or white pepper to taste
- 5 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour can use gluten-free flour
- 1 cup whole milk or other percentages
- 1 cup half and half see Note 3
- salt to taste, see Note 4
Suggested Toppings
- crumbled bacon
- shredded cheese smoked gouda, sharp cheddar, or pepper jack
- green onions or chives
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. (If skipping bacon, add 1 tablespoon butter and/or oil to sauté veggies, or skip sautéing altogether and add veggies directly into the broth—though sautéing adds extra flavor!)3-5 slices bacon
- In the same pot, sauté the onions and celery over medium heat until golden and tender (4-5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.2-3 stalks celery, ½ medium onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add chicken stock, diced potatoes, Better than Bouillon (if using), and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Add in the ham and stir in.3-4 cups chicken stock, 1 teaspoon Chicken Better than Bouillon, 2 large russet potatoes, 1 ½ cups diced cooked ham
- In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook until slightly golden (1-2 minutes). Slowly whisk in milk and half-and-half, cooking until thickened (4-5 minutes).
- Stir the roux into the soup pot. Stir well and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt as needed.¼-1/2 teaspoon black pepper or white pepper, salt
- Serve with optional toppings, like crumbled bacon (if you cooked it), shredded cheddar cheese, green onions or chives.crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, green onions or chives
Notes
- I prefer chicken stock for soup recipes as it has more flavor, but feel free to substitute chicken broth, just adjust your seasonings. Use more for thinner soup and less for thicker soup (you can always adjust at the end). Replace chicken stock with Ham Broth: Simmer a ham bone in water for 2-3 hours. Use this broth in place of chicken broth. See below for detailed instructions on how to make ham broth.
- Adding a teaspoon of bouillon is my secret ingredient with most soups, it adds a punch of flavor to the soup, but it’s entirely optional if you prefer not to use it. I like using organic Better than Bouillon.
- Milk Options: Use any milk (percentage) or cream combination totaling 2 cups-but know that if you use fat free, lesser % if won’t be as rich or creamy.
- Salt: Adjust salt at the end, as ham and broth add plenty of natural saltiness.
- Place the ham bone in a large pot and cover it with water.
- Add optional aromatics (onion, celery, carrots, garlic, herbs) for extra flavor.
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 2–3 hours.
- Skim off foam during the first 30 minutes.
- Taste after 2 hours; continue simmering if you want a deeper flavor (up to 3 hours).
- Strain the broth, discard the solids, measure out what’s needed for soup, and refrigerate or freeze the rest.
- Optional Sauté Step: Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode to cook bacon (if using) until crisp, then remove. Sauté onions, celery, and garlic (or skip and add directly to the pot with other ingredients). Press Cancel when done.
- Add Ingredients: Add potatoes, ham, chicken broth, and Better than Bouillon. Stir to combine.
- Pressure Cook: Lock lid and set to Manual/Pressure Cook for 8 minutes on high pressure. Let naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
- Make the Roux: On the stovetop, melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook until golden. Whisk in milk and half-and-half until thickened.
- Combine: Stir roux into the Instant Pot, turn on Sauté mode, and heat through. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Optional Sauté Step: Sauté bacon, onions, celery, and garlic on the stovetop (or skip and add everything directly to the slow cooker).
- Assemble Ingredients: Add potatoes, ham, chicken broth, Better than Bouillon, and veggies to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook: Cook on Low for 6-8 hours or High for 3-4 hours, until potatoes are tender.
- Make the Roux: On the stovetop, melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook until golden. Whisk in milk and half-and-half until thickened.
- Combine: Stir roux into the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes to meld flavors.
Nutrition
Tasia
This soup was flavorful and hearty and the perfect way to use up our leftover ham. Love the easy to follow directions!
Thanks so much, Tasia! So glad you loved it!