This easy Ham and Potato Soup recipe can be made with ham hocks or a leftover ham bone. It’s so simple, but big on flavor! Rich, hearty, and so comforting on a chilly night.
We like to enjoy this soup with oyster crackers, focaccia, or popovers to mop up the last dribbles in the bowl.
Ham and Potato Soup Recipe
Ham is my main protein of choice for Thanksgiving, and I have to say, leftover ham for five days afterward is so much better than turkey! I always make my breakfast enchiladas the next morning, ham salad for lunch, and this easy ham and potato soup over the weekend. It’s the best use of a ham bone ever and never disappoints.
If you don’t have a leftover ham bone, no worries! This recipe is written with meaty ham hocks, which also makes it a perfect year-round soup.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need for this ham and potato soup recipe, super simple ingredients that create so much flavor in every spoonful.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Unsalted butter for the pot
- Vegetables – sweet onion, carrots, and garlic
- Seasonings – dried Italian herbs, cracked red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
- Ham – either a meaty leftover ham bone and diced ham or a meaty ham hock and meat from that
- Potatoes – I use Russet potatoes
- Broth – low sodium chicken stock and half-n-half
How to Make Ham and Potato Soup
Here’s a quick summary of how to make this soup.
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for details and measurements, and don’t miss the video below.)
- Melt the butter in a large pot. Add in the onion and carrot; sauté until softened, then stir in the garlic until fragrant.
- Toss in all the seasonings.
- Add in the ham bone, along with the chicken stock and potatoes. Simmer until the potatoes are tender.
- Pour in the half-n-half and diced ham; cook until warmed through.
- Discard ham bone. (If using a ham hock, cut away the meat and chop into small cubes. Add the chopped ham back to the soup.)
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a little garnish of freshly chopped parsley and some oyster crackers.
Video: Ham Potato Soup
What to Serve with Ham and Potato Soup
This soup is pretty substantial on its own, but I usually serve it with oyster crackers, focaccia, or popovers to mop up the last dribbles in the bowl.
Proper Storage
- Storing leftovers. Leftovers will keep in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave over low heat until warmed through. If it seems too thick, you can add a little chicken broth to thin it out.
- Can you freeze ham and potato soup? I’m not a fan of freezing this soup since the half-n-half tends to separate once thawed and the potatoes break down creating a weird texture – the overall soup just doesn’t taste all that great. If you simply must freeze it, it’s safe to eat up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and cook as directed.
More Soup Recipes:
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Ham and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium sweet onion , diced
- 1 medium carrot , peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper , to taste
- 1 meaty leftover ham bone (or a meaty ham hock)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 large russet potatoes , peeled and diced into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups diced leftover ham (3/4-inch cubes) – or meat from the ham hock
- 1 cup half-n-half
- Fresh chopped parsley , for serving
- oyster crackers or crusty bread , for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.
- Add in onion and carrot; sauté, stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Season with the Italian herbs, cracked red pepper, and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add the leftover ham bone (or ham hock) to the pot, along with the chicken broth and potatoes; bring to a boil.
- Turn down heat to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender, but not mushy.
- Discard ham bone. (If using a ham hock, cut away the meat and chop into 3/4-inch cubes.)
- Add in the half-n-half and diced ham; cook for another 2 minutes to warm through.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve with a little garnish of freshly chopped parsley and some oyster crackers.
It’s so good
Excellent!!!
Most excellent. Used smoked ham hocks from supermarket. Then, bought one ham slice for the cubes, and substituted some Italian seasoning paste I found in a tube. It’s good to go as posted above.
Made this soup as written. Excellent without changes.
I buy ham base at a local business. It’s great for making gravy for a pork chop dinner or adding extra flavor to anything, like this potato soup
I usually make split pea soup with the ham hock, but this will be a nice alternative.
You can buy ham hocks in the meat counter if you don’t have the bone from a half shank ham. They usually come two to a package and give off enough ham flavor. A ham steak would also be needed for the cup of diced ham, which probably won’t be quite as tasty, but better than nothing.
We make ham for the holidays, too. This soup was absolutely perfect with leftovers. Total winner, thank you!
This soup is GREAT!!!! Entire family loved it!