This ham and potato soup is simple, hearty, and healthy. It uses everyday ingredients, and this version has no dairy.
This is such a tasty and easy soup, and I already have a Crockpot ham and potato soup and an Instant Pot ham and potato soup that I posted a couple of years ago, so now you've really got options haha. I figured I should probably do a stovetop version as well... so here it is! All three are equally tasty, but some people prefer one cooking method over another. Aaaand I wanted to make this soup again.
I know that some ham and potato soups are creamy, but this one is not. I went the lighter route with this one, and it's perfectly tasty without heavy cream. That's not to say that I won't make a creamy one at some point since you all know that creamy recipes are totally my jam. 😉
This is a great leftover ham and potato soup recipe (like if you have some leftover from Christmas or Easter or just a Sunday roast), but you can also buy ham for this recipe (like I usually do). I just buy the little (about 2 pounds) hickory smoked hams from my local grocery store.
If you're looking for more leftover ham recipes, try my Ham and White Bean Soup, this One Pot Ham and Pea Pasta, or my Dill Pickle Soup with Ham.
How to make ham and potato soup
- Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery in a soup pot;
- Stir in the garlic, then add the ham, potatoes, Italian seasoning, broth, and water;
- Bring the soup to a boil then cover (with lid slightly open) and reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes (we want the potatoes to be fall-apart tender);
- Using a hand-held potato masher, mash some of the potatoes to give the soup a little more texture. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve.
(Full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below)
Recipe notes & tips:
- You can use a different variety of potatoes if you wish.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if salt is a concern for you (ham can be fairly salty).
- This soup can definitely be frozen.
More tasty soup recipes to try:
Will you give this easy ham and potato soup recipe a try?
Questions? Made this recipe? Let me know in the comments below! Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you've made this or another one of my recipes.
Ham and Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound (approx.) smoked ham cut into small pieces
- 2.5 pounds Russet potatoes peeled & cut into 1" pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep your celery, carrot, and onion and add them to a large soup pot with the olive oil. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, prep your ham and potatoes (or you can prep them at the start - it's up to you!).
- Stir in the garlic, then add the ham, potatoes, Italian seasoning, chicken broth, and water to the pot. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a gentle boil. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and reduce the heat so it's simmering. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are nice and tender (I like them to easily fall apart).
- Using a potato masher, lightly mash some of the potatoes right in the pot. I like a mix of potato pieces and a bit of mash. Season with salt & pepper and serve immediately. This soup tastes even better the next day!
Notes
- Try the slow cooker version or the Instant Pot version of this recipe.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if salt is a concern for you.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Rinchen says
Hi.. Can i use celery root instead of sticks.. Thats all i have on hand.. Thanks😊
Natasha says
I think that should be fine! 🙂 Hope you enjoy the soup!
adramatree says
a can of blended small white beans added to this makes it extra creamy without adding dairy!
Natasha says
Excellent!
Nicky says
Really surprisingly tasty , given the very few basic ingredients. This will now be a great addition to the repertoire of, 'what can I cook with the Christmas ham' collection. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Natasha says
Excellent! You're very welcome, Nicky!
Marshall A. says
Perfect for the leftover ham from a holiday party. I was a bit short on potatoes so I added a can of white beans to thicken it up and some fresh thyme. It was delicious for a cold rainy night. Thanks for the timely post!
Natasha says
Love those additions!! So glad you enjoyed it, Marshall!
Yoga with Apiwan R says
Hello from Sydney, Australia! I made this today. The family loves it. We ate it with garlic bread. The ham I used was salty so we didn’t need to add any salt at the end. I even have to add more water to dilute it. I used pressure to cook so the veg were soft but doesn’t fall apart. Keeping the leftover the in freezer.
Natasha says
Hi!! I'm so happy it was a hit. 🙂
Janet Capua says
Soup was delicious!
I added some roasted corn for added texture.
This recipe is a keeper.
All kinds of fun things can be added.
Next time gonna add some hatch chiles
Natasha says
Fantastic!! Yup it's definitely easily tweaked. Love the hatch chilies idea!
Katelyn Miller says
What is the serving size for one serving? A cup? I see it says it makes 6 servings, but doesn't say how much the serving is. Thank you 🙂
Natasha says
Hi! I honestly don't know. I am not good at math (at all lol). The recipe card automatically calculates the nutrition info by dividing the recipe into 6 equal parts. As to how much that actually is, I don't know - sorry!
Katelyn Miller says
No worries! Just figured I'd ask. Math isn't my fav either. lol. I'm making the soup right now. I can't wait to try it! Thank you for thr reply.
Natasha says
You're welcome. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful! I hope you enjoy the soup. 🙂
Catharine says
Amazing Recipe !! I used 6c of Veg Broth & Simmered for 1.5hrs to allow the potato to really soften, break down & fall apart 🙂 Delish !!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you liked it! 🙂
Catharine says
Has anyone actually froze this soup and had it turn out ok after it has been defrosted and reheated ?
Natasha says
I have! The potatoes do fall apart a bit, but it's fine. Since there's no dairy in here it doesn't separate or anything. 🙂
Kathaleen Brown says
I’m so excited to make this tomorrow with leftover Christmas ham. I’m lactose intolerant Thank you for posting it.
Natasha says
You are very welcome!!
Lisa Rodgers says
I made this for just hubby and me and served with cornbread muffins. I used the leftover ham and it was so delicious. I usually make creamy potato soup, but this was a really nice change.
Natasha says
I'm so happy you two enjoyed it! 🙂 Now I want cornbread muffins haha...
Joanna Birnbaum says
Simple and delicious! Leftover Christmas ham put to good use. The whole family enjoyed this. Thank you!
Natasha says
That makes me happy! Thank you 🙂
Sue Fazio says
Loved it! I did add a T of chicken -better than bouillon because I needed more broth.
Natasha says
Wonderful!
Leihoku says
I made this today. It was easy to make and very delicious. I am going to try other recipes on your website.
Natasha says
Wonderful! I'm so pleased you enjoyed it, Leihoku. Let me know if you end up making other recipes! 🙂
K'Lann says
This was SO good! Thank you for another great recipe! It was a great way to use our left over spiral ham. We had everything except celery, and it was still awesome. I'm looking forward to eating this soup again tomorrow!
Natasha says
I am so happy that you enjoyed it!! Thank you for leaving me a comment! 🙂