American
Ham and Potato Soup
Diced cooked ham, potatoes, celery, and carrots simmer in one pot with a milk and cheddar finish. The ham is already cooked, so the clock is about tender potatoes and a hot bowl.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Cooked ham only needs to heat through. It will turn salty and dry if it boils for the whole potato time.
- A butter-and-flour base keeps the milk from feeling thin around the potatoes.
- Yukon Golds hold their shape better than russets in a soup you might reheat.
- Cheddar melts off the boil so it stays smooth.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion, celery, and carrots until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme for 30 seconds.
- 2
Stir in the all-purpose flour and cook 1 minute.
- 3
Pour in the chicken broth and add the potatoes. Bring to a simmer.
- 4
Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced, about 15 minutes.
- 5
Stir in the cooked ham. The ham is already cooked. Simmer 5 minutes, until it is hot through.
- 6
Lower the heat. Stir in the whole milk, cheddar, kosher salt, and black pepper until the cheese melts. Do not boil.
- 7
Taste the salt. Ham and broth may be salty enough. Serve hot.
Pro tips
- Cut the potatoes into similar cubes so they finish together.
- If the soup is thicker than you want, loosen it with a splash of milk.
- Add the ham near the end. A long boil makes it rubbery.
Easy substitutions
- Cooked ham
- Diced leftover ham steak
- Cheddar cheese
- Swiss cheese
- Yukon Gold potatoes
- Russet potatoes
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days. The soup thickens as it cools.
Reheating
Warm over medium-low heat until steaming, stirring, and add a splash of milk if it is stiff. Heat until the ham is hot.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 428
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Budget friendly · One Pan, Stovetop
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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