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This ham and potato soup is simple, hearty, and healthy with a richly flavored broth! It uses everyday ingredients, and this version has no dairy.
Try my Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup or Instant Pot Ham and Potato Soup for other cooking methods.
Why you’ll love it
If you have leftover ham from Christmas or Easter, this potato and ham soup is one of the best ways to use it up! Think of this soup as lighter comfort food that’s still filling and delicious. There’s nothing fancy about it, but it sure tastes satisfying.
This leftover ham soup is bright, perfectly simple, and you don’t need many ingredients to let the ham shine. No cream is necessary for this cozy and comforting soup (although you totally could add some). Prep is effortless, and most of the cooking time is hands off.
What you’ll need
- Carrot, celery, garlic, onion – the building blocks to many tasty soups. I recommend sweet (Vidalia) onions.
- Olive oil – for sautéing
- Smoked ham – use leftover ham for that savory, smoky flavor
- Potatoes – I like Russets in soups because they nicely crumble
- Italian seasoning – it’s my go-to all purpose blend of dried herbs that comes in a single jar
- Chicken broth – for deeper savory flavor
Pro tip
You can also buy ham specifically for this recipe, like I often do, if you don’t have leftover baked ham. I like hickory smoked ham from my local grocery store!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use this Dutch oven/soup pot.
- Here’s the hand-held potato masher I use to get that rustic texture.
- Store the rest of the onion and garlic in and onion saver and garlic keeper.
How to make ham and potato soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a soup pot, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until softened. Stir in the garlic, then add the ham, potatoes, Italian seasoning, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover with the lid slightly open.
Cook until the potatoes are fall-apart tender. Mash some of the potatoes right in the pot to give the soup a little more texture. Serve with salt & pepper as needed. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Substitutions and variations
- You can use a different variety of potatoes if you wish, but I prefer Russets because they fall apart nicely in soups for great texture. Other varieties will be more waxy.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if salt is a concern for you since ham can be fairly salty.
- This is a flexible soup! You can throw in more veggies you have on hand, increase the Italian seasoning for more herby flavor, etc.
What to serve with this soup
- A slice of fresh bread makes it extra comforting. I like French baguette or sourdough.
- For a soup and salad combo, try spring mix and vegetables with my Simple Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing (Dairy-Free) or this homemade Olive Garden Salad Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- This soup makes fantastic leftovers since the flavors meld even more. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat over a low heat until warmed through.
- This soup can be frozen for up to 3 months.
If you made this easy ham and potato soup recipe, leave a star rating and review below! Tag me on Instagram if you’ve made this or another one of my recipes.
Ham and Potato Soup (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot peeled & chopped
- 2 sticks celery chopped finely
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I added 1 more carrot, 2 more celery and more potatoes because It was overly salty due to me adding salt. Ham was salty enough. After that or if you don’t add salt it’s delicious
We absolutely loved the recipe! I made your Ham and Beans Soup a while back and that recipe was wonderful also . Nothing like a wonderful bowl of soup on a Winter Day, so comforting. Great Recipe and a great Soup for sure. Already added it to my Favorites and will be making it again for sure . Thanks for sharing your recipe with us!
You are very welcome, Greg! 😀
Had leftover ham and some potatoes and as always, I can count on your website to have easy recipes that use the everyday ingredients I find around my house. The recipe was super simple and my whole family loved it.
I’m thrilled to hear it, KJ! 😀 Thanks for your review!
Very easy and versatile recipe! A low calorie meal, if you care about such things. I added a can of navy beans to increase the fiber.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you!
I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious and filling. It’s quick to make and a great use of leftover ham and the usual staples on hand.
I’m so glad you liked it, Lisa!! I appreciate your 5-star review! Thank you!
I did make this yummy soup, but I added more Italian seasoning and garlic seasoning to it. I added it to a crock pot to cook. I would make it again, but might add more carrots next time.
Great recipe but it doesn’t give you the amount of ingredients to use more like having to wing with the meat and vegetables
Hi Rich! There are quantities listed. You had to scroll right past the recipe card to write me a comment. Please read through the entire blog post before assuming that I only give partial recipes. I would not do that… that would be ridiculous.
Love this recipe! I added 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream and about a 1/2 cup of flour slurry to thicken it at the end without having to mash my potatoes. But my whole family enjoyed this recipe! It was a cold and sick day in my house and my 10 year old just wanted soup. We had left over ham from Christmas so this was almost perfect!
I’m thrilled it was a hit!! 😀
Great recipe lots of flavour. I added my ham the last fifteeen minutes since it was already cooked and to prevent it from drying out.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sharon!