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Hearty Potato Soup Recipe with Ham: A Comforting Classic for Every Home

Introduction

This warm bowl of ham and potato soup is a pure delight. Our potato soup recipe is a wonderful mix of fresh vegetables and tender meat. It is a soup recipe that fills your home with rich aromas and heartwarming flavors. With everyday ingredients like russet or Yukon Gold diced potatoes, a clove of garlic, and 4 cups of chicken broth, this dish is pure comfort food. Whether you use leftover ham or a ham bone, you can make ham and potato soup that everyone will love. 😊

This ham and potato soup recipe is not only easy to prepare but is also a creamy ham and potato soup that brings together hearty soup elements with the smoothness of heavy cream. It is an excellent recipe for those who enjoy a bowl of comfort food that is both filling and satisfying.

Tools Needed:

A large pot or saucepan
A cutting board and a sharp knife
Measuring cups and spoons

A wooden spoon or spatula
A potato masher (if you like to mash some of the potatoes to thicken the soup)
Optional: An immersion blender for a smoother texture

Before you start, gather all the ingredients for ham and prepare your tools. This makes it a great way to use up leftover ham while creating a dish that is pure comfort food.

Advanced Tips and Techniques

For those who want to perfect this excellent recipe, here are some advanced tips to create the best ham and potato soup recipe:

Creating a Rich Base – In a large pot or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until it is frothy. Then, add the garlic and onion and cook until the onions are soft. Next, whisk in flour to form a smooth roux. Keep stirring constantly until thick to avoid any lump in the mixture. This step is essential if you want to thicken the soup perfectly.

Perfecting the Vegetables – Once your roux is ready, slowly stir in milk (or half and half) to create a creamy soup base. Add your peeled and diced potatoes (both russet and Yukon Gold work well) and let them cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender. You can use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes and help thicken the soup. Keep an eye on them; heat until potatoes are tender is your goal.
Adding the Ham – Now it’s time to add the ham. To make ham and potato soup, add your leftover ham or diced cooked ham. If you want a deeper flavor, try using a ham bone or ham hock. Some cooks even use a ham steak or baked ham. This method is a great way to use up leftover ham and transform it into a hearty meal. If you prefer, you can also use diced ham for quicker cooking. Follow these steps carefully if you want to make ham and potato soup that is both rich and satisfying.
Boosting the Flavor – Add in diced carrots and celery along with a teaspoon of dried thyme. Added a couple of extra diced carrots can bring a natural sweetness to the dish. Pour the chicken broth (or a mix with vegetable broth if you didn’t have enough chicken broth) into the pot. Bring this broth to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Slowly pour the mixture into the stockpot and let it all blend together.

Finishing Touches – Once all the ingredients are combined, stirring constantly will help the flavors meld. Slowly stir in milk or more cream if you need to thicken the soup further. You can even mash some of the potatoes to help thicken the soup. Many have doubled the recipe since they discovered how versatile this dish can be. For an extra burst of flavor, sprinkle shredded cheese on top or mix in a bit more cheddar cheese. When finished, the potato soup is creamy and rich. It’s a delicious soup that many home cooks have made this tonight and enjoyed as a meal of pure comfort food.
Thank you for sharing your own tips and ideas to improve this ham and potato soup recipe!

Tips, Variations, and Storage

Variations:

Swap or Add Meats – Instead of just ham, try using diced cooked ham from a ham steak or even baked ham. For a twist, use a ham bone or ham hock to create a deeper flavor. If you prefer a potato soup without meat, simply leave out the ham.
Extra Vegetables – Experiment with additional diced carrots or extra celery. Some cooks doubled the recipe when they added extra veggies for more nutrition.

Creamy Options – For a richer texture, use heavy cream. Alternatively, for a lighter version, slowly stir in milk or use half and half.
Herbs and Spices – A teaspoon of dried thyme gives an aromatic finish. Adjust with salt and pepper or additional salt and pepper to taste.

Tips for Best Results:

Always cook over medium heat when sautéing vegetables to keep them from losing their texture.

Use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes if you want to thicken the soup.
If you didn’t have enough broth, add a little more water or vegetable broth.
This recipe is one of the most popular leftover ham recipes and a great way to use up leftover ham.

Storage and Reheating:

Store Leftovers – Keep any extra soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It stays fresh for up to 3 days.
Reheat Gently – Warm the soup in a saucepan on low heat, stirring constantly until thick, or heat in the microwave in short bursts.
Variations for Next Time – If you doubled the recipe or even doubled the recipe since you loved it so much, adjust the spices and cream to keep the balance right.

A Closer Look at the Flavors

This creamy ham and potato soup combines the richness of ham and potatoes with the smoothness of cream. The tender diced potatoes and diced carrots hold their shape and blend well with the leftover ham. Every spoonful bursts with the warm flavors of ham steak, baked ham, and a hint of thyme. Topped with cheddar cheese or shredded cheese, this dish is a delicious soup that many say is an excellent recipe for a cold day.

It’s a dish where every step counts—from melting butter over medium heat to stirring constantly until thick. In the end, the potato soup is creamy and robust. If you didn’t have enough ham, you can even make a potato soup without it, but this version with ham is truly pure comfort food. It’s pure delight and it’s pure comfort food for everyone.

Stories from the Kitchen

Many home cooks have shared how they made this tonight and found it to be a hearty soup that brings everyone together. One Reddit thread read:

“This ham soup is amazing! I used up leftover ham and even added a couple extra diced carrots. It’s an excellent recipe and a great way to use up leftover ham. Thank you for sharing!”

Such feedback shows how versatile this ham and potato soup can be. Some have doubled the recipe when entertaining guests, proving that this dish is a hit among delicious soup recipes.

Final Thoughts

This ham and potato soup is more than just a recipe—it is a celebration of simple ingredients coming together as pure comfort food. With every spoonful, you taste the love in the soup is made carefully from start to finish. Whether you use leftover ham or fresh cuts, each step, from melt butter over medium heat to stirring constantly until thick, builds a dish that warms the heart.

For those who want to make ham and potato soup that is both hearty and smooth, remember to whisk in flour to form a roux and then slowly stir in milk or cream. If you ever didn’t have enough liquid, simply adjust with more chicken broth. With a potato masher at hand, you can mash some of the potatoes to thicken the soup even further. In short, whether you choose diced ham, diced cooked ham, or use leftover ham, this dish is a fantastic blend of ham and potatoes that many call an excellent recipe.

It’s a creamy ham treat that is both a soup recipe and a ham and potato soup recipe rolled into one. If you ever find yourself with extra ham, this is a great way to use up leftover ham. Enjoy this hearty bowl of delicious soup, and remember, every spoonful is pure comfort food.