Name: Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter; 1 medium onion (diced); 2 stalks celery (diced); 2 carrots (peeled and diced); 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1½ pounds potatoes (peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes); 2 cups cooked ham (diced); 1 cup milk; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; Salt (to taste)

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This Creamy Ham and Potato Soup is an easy, thick and comforting soup made in one pot. Diced ham, tender potatoes, carrots and celery simmer in a broth that turns creamy with a little flour and milk, no heavy cream needed.

Soup is one of the oldest ways to stretch what you have, and that’s worth remembering when the grocery bill keeps climbing. Two cups of leftover ham and a few potatoes feed six people here.

Everything cooks in one large pot or Dutch oven. Mashing a few of the potatoes right in the pot at the end makes the soup thicker without adding anything extra.

Serve it with crusty bread or soft dinner rolls.

Ingredients and Swaps

Potatoes: Russets break down and thicken the soup. Yukon Golds hold their shape.
Ham: Leftover baked ham, or a ham steak diced. If you have a ham bone, simmer it with the potatoes for extra flavor.
Vegetables: Onion, celery and carrots.
Flour and milk: Flour thickens the broth and milk makes it creamy. Whole milk is best.
Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth, since ham adds plenty of salt.

Tips for a Creamy Soup

Cook the flour. Stir it into the vegetables for a full minute so the soup doesn’t taste floury.
Add the broth slowly. Stirring as you pour keeps lumps from forming.
Add the milk at the end. Stir it in over low heat and don’t let the soup boil, or the milk can separate.
Mash a few potatoes. Pressing some against the side of the pot thickens the soup naturally.
Taste before salting. Ham and broth may be salty enough.

Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.

Cost: Ingredients – $8.77 from Walmart, $7.95 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.32 to $1.46

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Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

A thick, comforting one-pot soup with leftover ham, potatoes, carrots and celery in a creamy broth made without heavy cream.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion diced
2 stalks celery diced
2 carrots peeled and diced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1½ pounds potatoes peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 cups cooked ham diced
1 cup milk
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste

Method

Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook for 5–6 minutes, until softened.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute.
Slowly pour in the broth, stirring as you go so no lumps form.
Add the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Stir in the ham and milk. Heat for 5 minutes without letting the soup boil.
Mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken the soup. Season with the pepper and add salt only if needed.

Notes

Taste before adding salt. Ham and broth can make the soup salty enough.
Russet potatoes break down and make a thicker soup. Yukon Golds hold their shape.
Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheddar at the end for a cheesy version.
Add a cup of frozen corn or peas with the ham if you like.

What to Serve with It

Soft Dinner Rolls, Cornbread or crackers. Stir in a cup of shredded cheddar at the end for a loaded version. More ideas for leftover ham are in 7 Leftover Ham Recipes.

Ham and Potato Soup With Heavy Cream

This recipe uses milk thickened with a little flour, which keeps it cheap. If you have heavy cream on hand and want a richer bowl, swap 1 cup of the milk for 1 cup of heavy cream. Stir it in at the end over low heat, the same way, and don’t let the soup boil.

Half-and-half lands right in between. Use it in place of all the milk for a soup that’s creamier than the original but lighter than full cream.

Ways to Change It Up

Loaded: top each bowl with shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, sour cream and sliced green onions.
Ham bone: simmer a leftover ham bone with the potatoes, then pull off any meat and stir it back in.
Corn chowder style: add a cup of frozen or canned corn with the milk.
No ham: leave it out and use a can of drained white beans or a few slices of crisp bacon instead.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate for up to 4 days. The soup thickens as it sits, so add a splash of milk or broth when reheating.
Reheat gently over low heat and don’t let it boil.
Potato soups made with milk can turn grainy in the freezer, so this one is best eaten fresh.

Ham and Potato Soup Questions

Can I make it in a slow cooker?

Yes. Cook the vegetables, potatoes, ham and broth on low for 6–8 hours. Whisk the flour into the milk, stir it in and cook on high for 20–30 minutes until thickened.

How do I make it thicker?

Mash more of the potatoes, or simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes before adding the milk.

What potatoes are best for ham and potato soup?

Russets break down as they cook and make the soup thick and creamy. Yukon Golds hold their shape better if you like chunks. Red potatoes work too and don’t need peeling.

Can I use heavy cream instead of milk?

Yes. Swap 1 cup of the milk for heavy cream, or use half-and-half for all of it. Add it at the end over low heat so it doesn’t separate.

Can I freeze ham and potato soup?

It’s best fresh. Potatoes and milk can turn grainy after freezing. If you want to freeze it, freeze the soup before adding the milk and stir the milk in after reheating.