By Becky Hardin
Published Nov 2, 2023
Whip up this creamy Ham and Potato Soup recipe in just 30 minutes! This quick and easy soup is filled with cubes of ham, hearty potatoes, veggies, and a delightfully creamy base. It’s the most comforting soup and it’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Why We Love This Ham and Potato Soup Recipe
To me, there is nothing more comfortable than a homemade pot of this Creamy Ham and Potato Soup. Here are some reasons why we make it time and time again:
- Easy. Grab a few pantry staples, some leftover ham , and a couple other basic ingredients to make this easy ham and potato soup in just half an hour!
- Creamy. Russet potatoes, cream of celery soup, and half-and-half make this soup silky smooth.
- Flavorful. Carrots, garlic, and vegetable broth add so much flavor to this soup.
Variations on Potato and Ham Soup
There are so many fun ways to change up this creamy ham and potato soup recipe. Try some of these variations!
- Spicy: Mix in chili powder and/or red pepper flakes with the other spices . Sprinkle pepper jack cheese on top. You could even mix in green chiles to really spice things up.
- Protein Swap: Use cooked turkey or chicken instead of ham.
- Load it Up: Mix in bacon crumbles , sliced jalapeños, broccoli bits, peppers, or anything you like. It would also taste great served with a dollop of sour cream on top!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover ham and potato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan set over medium-low or in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring frequently, until warmed through.
I do not recommend freezing this soup , as the half-and-half tends to separate once thawed.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this creamy ham and potato soup with some homemade croutons , homemade cornbread , or our favorite Parker House rolls . It’s also great with a chopped salad .
I recommend Russets or all-purpose baking potatoes. These potatoes are high in starch and low in moisture, so they will soak up lots of liquid and lose their shape, creating a thick and delicious soup.
That’s up to you! I chose to remove mine for a creamier, smoother texture, but you can leave them on if you like a chunkier texture.
There’s no need to soak the potatoes before adding them to this soup. We want all of their excess starch to help thicken the soup.
The starch in the potatoes should do most of the work, and the cream of celery soup will take it the rest of the way there!
If you process the potatoes too much, they will turn gummy and sticky in the soup. This is why I recommend adding them in chunks rather than mashing them.
This soup should have plenty of flavor when made as written, but you can help brighten it up and accentuate the flavor even more by adding a squeeze of lemon juice or a dollop of sour cream!
More Potato Soup Recipes We Love
- Cheesy Potato Soup
- Crockpot Potato Soup
- Hashbrown Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Potato Soup
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Or try my Ham and Potato Casserole for a different take!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 3 tablespoons salted butter (⅜ stick)
- ▢ 1 pound cubed ham (1 package)
- ▢ 1 cup sliced carrots
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ▢ 3 Russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- ▢ 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ▢ 10 ounces cream of celery soup (1 can)
- ▢ 1 cup half-and-half room temperature
- ▢ Freshly ground black pepper optional, for garnish
- ▢ Chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Video
Instructions
- Melt the salted butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. 3 tablespoons salted butter
- Add in the ham, carrots, and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the ham and garlic are fragrant and the carrots soften on the edges. 1 pound cubed ham, 1 cup sliced carrots, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Carefully and gradually mix in the potatoes, vegetable broth, and cream of celery soup, stirring until smooth. 3 Russet potatoes, 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, 10 ounces cream of celery soup
- Bring to a low boil and allow the soup to cook for 15-18 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are easy to pierce with a fork. Be sure to stir often so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the vegetables have softened, remove the pot from the heat and stir in half-and-half. 1 cup half-and-half
- Serve hot, garnished with black pepper and chopped parsley, optional. Freshly ground black pepper, Chopped fresh parsley
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Becky’s Tips
- Don’t mash the potatoes before adding them to the soup; this could cause it to turn out gluey.
- Make sure to add the half-and-half gradually off the heat, stirring constantly, to prevent curdling.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Ham and Potato Soup Step by Step
Melt the Butter: Melt 3 tablespoons of salted butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat.
Cook the Veggies and Ham: Add in 1 pound of cubed ham, 1 cup of sliced carrots, and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the ham and garlic are fragrant and the carrots soften on the edges.
Add the Potatoes: Carefully and gradually mix in 3 peeled and cubed russet potatoes, 2 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth, and 10 ounces (1 can) of cream of celery soup, stirring until smooth.
Cook the Soup: Bring to a low boil and allow the soup to cook for 15-18 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are easy to pierce with a fork. Be sure to stir often so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Add the Half-and-Half: Once the vegetables have softened, remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1 cup of half-and-half.
Serve the Soup: Serve hot, garnished with black pepper and chopped parsley if desired.
Ham and Potato Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter (⅜ stick)
- 1 pound cubed ham (1 package)
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 Russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 10 ounces cream of celery soup (1 can)
- 1 cup half-and-half room temperature
- Freshly ground black pepper optional, for garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Melt the salted butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. 3 tablespoons salted butter
- Add in the ham, carrots, and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the ham and garlic are fragrant and the carrots soften on the edges. 1 pound cubed ham, 1 cup sliced carrots, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Carefully and gradually mix in the potatoes, vegetable broth, and cream of celery soup, stirring until smooth. 3 Russet potatoes, 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, 10 ounces cream of celery soup
- Bring to a low boil and allow the soup to cook for 15-18 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are easy to pierce with a fork. Be sure to stir often so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the vegetables have softened, remove the pot from the heat and stir in half-and-half. 1 cup half-and-half
- Serve hot, garnished with black pepper and chopped parsley, optional. Freshly ground black pepper, Chopped fresh parsley
Video
Notes
- Don’t mash the potatoes before adding them to the soup; this could cause it to turn out gluey.
- Make sure to add the half-and-half gradually off the heat, stirring constantly, to prevent curdling.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
