Ham and Potato Soup
A creamy, old-fashioned ham and potato soup that turns leftover holiday ham into a weeknight dinner worth planning for. Tender chunks of potato and browned, salty-sweet ham float in a velvety broth that gets its body from a quick butter-and-flour white sauce whisked in at the end, so the soup thickens silkily without ever turning gluey. Browning the ham first builds a savory base most versions skip, and mashing a few potato chunks against the pot gives every spoonful a rustic, chowder-like texture.
Brown 300 g diced ham in butter in a Dutch oven and set half aside, then soften diced onion, carrot, and celery in the drippings with garlic, thyme, and smoked paprika. Add 900 g diced Yukon Gold potatoes and 1.2 L low-sodium chicken broth, and simmer 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender. Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan, whisk in 1/3 cup flour, cook 1 minute, then gradually whisk in milk and cream until it thickens into a smooth white sauce. Stir the sauce into the soup with the reserved ham, mash a few potato chunks against the pot for body, simmer gently 5 minutes, and season with pepper and salt to taste before serving.
- Brown the ham before anything else — the caramelized fond in the pot seasons the entire soup and keeps the ham from tasting boiled.
- Make the white sauce separately and whisk in milk gradually; dumping raw flour or cold milk straight into the pot is how you get lumps and a starchy taste.
- Taste before salting: ham and broth both carry salt, and the soup usually needs far less than you expect.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot (5 qt / 5 L)
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Chef's knife and cutting board
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Ladle
- Potato masher (optional)
Składniki
Soup base
- 28 g unsalted butter
- 300 g cooked ham, cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) dice, leftover baked ham or a thick-cut ham steak
- medium yellow onion, diced
- medium carrots, diced
- celery stalks, diced
- garlic cloves, minced
- 1 g dried thyme
- 1 g smoked paprika
- 900 g Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm (3/4 in) chunks
- 1.2 L low-sodium chicken broth, or ham stock if you have a ham bone
Creamy finish
- 42 g unsalted butter
- 40 g all-purpose flour
- 360 ml whole milk, warmed slightly if possible
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 1 g freshly ground black pepper
- kosher salt, the ham and broth are already salty
- 8 g fresh chives or parsley, chopped, for serving
Przygotowanie
- KROK01
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2 cm (3/4 in) chunks, keeping them in a bowl of cold water so they don't brown. Dice the onion, carrots, celery, and ham, and mince the garlic. Having everything cut before the pot heats makes the rest of the recipe move quickly.
- KROK02
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until the edges are golden and a light brown glaze forms on the bottom of the pot, about 4 minutes. Transfer half the ham to a small bowl and set it aside for finishing — the crisp pieces stay more distinct that way.
- KROK03
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot with the remaining ham. Cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and smoked paprika and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
- KROK04
Drain the potatoes and add them to the pot along with the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer, partially cover, and cook until the potatoes are fully tender when pierced with a fork, 15 minutes. Don't rush this — undercooked potatoes won't mash into the broth later.
- KROK05
While the potatoes simmer, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute to cook off the raw taste. Add the milk in three or four additions, whisking each one smooth before adding the next, then whisk in the cream. Keep whisking until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 7 minutes total.
- KROK06
Stir the white sauce into the soup pot along with the reserved browned ham. Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, lightly crush about a quarter of the potato chunks against the side of the pot — this releases starch and gives the soup a naturally creamy, chowder-like body. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring often and keeping the soup below a boil so the dairy stays silky.
- KROK07
Stir in the black pepper, then taste before adding any salt — between the ham and the broth, the soup may need only a small pinch. Ladle into warm bowls and top with chopped chives or parsley. A little extra cracked pepper or shredded cheddar on top never hurts.
Make ahead
Up to 2 days ahead, cook the soup through the potato-simmering step, then cool and refrigerate the base. At dinnertime, bring the base back to a simmer, make the fresh white sauce, and finish as written — the soup tastes freshly made and the texture stays perfect. You can also dice the ham and all the vegetables a day in advance; store the potatoes submerged in cold water in the refrigerator.
Storage
Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soup thickens considerably as the potato starch sets; reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low, stirring in a splash of milk or broth to loosen it, and avoid boiling so the dairy doesn't separate. Freezing the finished soup is not recommended — the potatoes turn mealy and the cream base can break — but the dairy-free potato-and-broth base (through the simmering step) freezes well for up to 2 months.
Variations
Cheddar and chive
After the soup comes off the heat, stir in 120 g (1 1/2 cups) freshly shredded sharp cheddar a handful at a time until melted, then finish with extra chives. Shred the cheese yourself — pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking starch and melts grainy.
Ham bone version
If you have a leftover ham bone or a smoked ham hock, simmer it in the broth with a bay leaf for 45 minutes before starting the recipe, then pull off the meat and use that instead of diced ham. The broth picks up a deep, smoky flavor that boxed stock can't match; add about 45 minutes to the total time.
Gluten-free and dairy-free
Skip the white sauce entirely. Sauté the ham and vegetables in olive oil, simmer as written, then blend 2 cups of the finished soup and stir it back in for creaminess, plus 240 ml (1 cup) unsweetened oat milk or full-fat coconut milk. If you want it thicker, whisk in a slurry of 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 3 tablespoons cold water and simmer 2 minutes.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Najczęstsze pytania
What are the best potatoes for ham and potato soup?
Yukon Golds are the sweet spot: they hold their shape as chunks but crush easily when you mash a few for body, and their waxy-creamy texture feels rich in the broth. Russets work too and break down more, giving you a thicker, more rustic soup — just watch the simmer time, because they can dissolve entirely if overcooked. Skip small waxy potatoes like red new potatoes; they stay too firm to lend the soup any creaminess.
Can I make ham and potato soup with a leftover ham bone?
Yes, and it's arguably the best version. Simmer the bone in the 1.2 liters of broth (or water) with a bay leaf for about 45 minutes, strain, shred any meat clinging to the bone, and proceed with the recipe using that liquid and meat. The bone adds gelatin and smokiness that give the soup a noticeably silkier, deeper-flavored base.
Why did my soup turn grainy or curdled?
Almost always because the dairy boiled. Once the milk and cream go in, keep the soup at a bare simmer — small bubbles at the edge, never a rolling boil. High heat plus the salt and slight acidity in the broth can cause the milk proteins to seize. Whisking the milk into a proper roux first (rather than pouring it straight into the pot) also stabilizes it, which is exactly why this recipe builds a separate white sauce.
How can I thicken ham and potato soup without flour?
Two easy routes: mash more of the potatoes directly into the broth, or blend 1 to 2 cups of the soup and stir it back in — both use the potatoes' own starch. For extra insurance, whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into 3 tablespoons of cold water, stir the slurry into the simmering soup, and cook 2 minutes. All three keep the soup gluten-free if your broth is too.
Is this soup too salty if I use regular broth?
It can be. Ham is a cured, salted meat, so the recipe calls for low-sodium chicken broth and tells you to salt only at the very end, after tasting. If you only have regular broth, use 3 cups of it plus 2 cups of water, and be especially careful if your ham is a saltier country-style or spiral-glazed ham.
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