Creamy Potato Soup With Ham

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/14/22
Creamy potato soup with ham recipe

The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Potato soup is a comforting and versatile dish. It can be light enough for a lunch with a sandwich or hearty enough for a main dish along with a salad and crusty bread or biscuits. 

Top this flavorful soup with a tablespoon or two of shredded cheese, sliced green onions, or chopped fresh parsley.

This version of soup calls for diced cooked ham, but the ham may be replaced with diced and browned smoked sausage or crumbled browned mild Italian sausage or a similar ground sausage. See the tips and variations below the recipe for more ideas.

Related Recipe: Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups coarsely chopped onion

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped celery

  • 2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

  • 1 pound ham, diced

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 2 cups vegetable broth

  • 1 cup water

  • 4 to 5 cups diced peeled potatoes

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 1 cup half-and-half, or whole milk, more if needed

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, optional

  • Thinly sliced green onions or chives, for garnish

  • Shredded cheddar cheese, or cheddar-jack blend, for garnish, optional

Steps to Make It

Note: There are two great methods you can use to create this delicious creamy potato soup: using the stovetop or the slow cooker.

Stovetop Method

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for creamy potato soup
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic 

  2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.

    Melt butter
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  3. Add onion, celery, carrots, and ham.

    Add onion, celery, ham
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic 

  4. Cook, stirring frequently until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.

    Cook stirring frequently
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  5. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes longer.

    Add garlic
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  6. Add vegetable broth, water, and potatoes.

    Add vegetable broth
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  7. Cover and cook for about 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

    Cover and cook
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  8. Whisk flour into the heavy cream until smooth.

    Whisk flour
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  9. Stir into the hot mixture.

    Stir into hot mixture
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  10. Stir in the half-and-half or milk. Taste and add salt and pepper, as desired. Continue cooking until hot.

    Stir in milk
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  11. Using a potato masher or fork, mash the potatoes slightly to thicken; add more milk if the soup is too thick.

    Mash
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  12. Serve the potato soup garnished with parsley, sliced green onions or chives, or a little bit of shredded cheese.

    Serve
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

Slow Cooker Method

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.

    Melt butter
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  3. Add onion, celery, carrots, and ham.

    Add onion, celery, carrots, ham
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic 

  4. Cook, stirring frequently until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.

    Cook
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  5. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes longer.

    Add garlic and continue cooking
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  6. Then transfer the cooked vegetables to the slow cooker and add the broth, water, and potatoes.

    Transfer cooked vegetables to slowcooker
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  7. Cover and cook on high for about 2 to 3 hours, or until the potatoes are very tender.

    Cook on high
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  8. Whisk flour into the heavy cream until smooth.

    Whisk flour
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  9. Stir the flour-cream mixture into the slow cooker.

    Stir in flour cream mixture
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  10. Stir in the half-and-half or milk. Taste and add salt and pepper, as desired. Continue cooking until hot.

    Stir in half and half
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic 

  11. Using a potato masher or fork, mash the potatoes slightly to thicken; add more milk if the soup is too thick.

    Use a potato masher
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  12. Serve the potato soup garnished with parsley, sliced green onions or chives, or a little bit of shredded cheese.

    Serve with parsley
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic 

Recipe Variations

  • Add a cup or more of chopped kale, chard leaves, or spinach to the soup along with the other vegetables.
  • Lighten the soup with low-fat or fat-free half-and-half in place of the heavy cream.
  • Omit the diced ham or replace it with 1 or 2 cups of diced sausage or crumbled browned ground sausage, mild or spicy. Or add cooked crumbled bacon before it's done.
  • Add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the soup along with the milk and cook until the cheese has melted.
  • For a vegan version, try this dairy-free vegan cream of potato soup.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
466 Calories
22g Fat
45g Carbs
23g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 466
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 29%
Saturated Fat 12g 62%
Cholesterol 103mg 34%
Sodium 1167mg 51%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 23g
Vitamin C 20mg 102%
Calcium 90mg 7%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 1300mg 28%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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