Farmhouse Ham and Potato Soup

Generous pieces of ham pair with tender potatoes in a creamy and cheesy base to create a wonderful Ham and Potato Soup recipe.

The perfect way to get good use out of leftover ham, this is a simple soup recipe that we crave!

If you enjoy this soup you’ll also enjoy Pasta E Fagioli, Loaded Broccoli Noodle Soup, and Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup.

Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe

We love to use leftover ham and make this cheap and easy ham and potato soup!  Since we eat with our eyes generously sprinkling shredded cheddar cheese on top of a rich yellow base from the cheddar cheese soup makes this soup irresistible.

A whole or half of a ham is a great value and makes your grocery budget go so much further when you plan to get several meals from it. Our Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup recipe is great because it’s simple and enjoyable to eat.

We will often make our Root Beer Glazed Ham for Christmas, Easter or a special family meal and plan to have plenty of extra.

The leftovers are also great in our Cheesy Ham Sliders, Ham, Egg & Cheese Casserole, and Ham Loaf.

A bag of frozen corn to adds more vegetables to the meal.  The can of cheddar cheese soup makes the whole pot of soup cheesier and creamier.   We garnish our bowls with sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onions.  Serve in a cute white bowl and enjoy!

Why This Recipe Works

• This soup has all the flavors of a homestyle meal that are so comforting, yet it is easy to make at home.
• Can be made in an hour with about 15 minutes of hands on time, can keep warm in a crock pot to serve over a longer period of time.
• The leftovers freeze and reheat really well, so a big batch can make great freezer meals.
• There is so much good ham left around the bone and this is the perfect recipe to make use of all of those little pieces of ham or nice slices can be cut into cubes for this soup.   

Ingredients Needed:

• Ham – we like to use small pieces around the bone of a holiday ham OR buy a ham steak and cut into cubes for a batch of this recipe. You need about 1 1/3 pound of ham to make 4 cups.
• Potatoes – Yukon gold work great because they don’t need peeled, so they are the easiest to use and compliment the ham so well.
• Cheddar Cheese Soup – flavors the potato water and makes the base more cheesy, but in a subtle way and gives the soup a light golden yellow color. This combo is a substitute for chicken broth that a lot of soup recipes use.
• Milk – makes it creamier and a little richer. Heavy cream can be used, but a mixture of milk and cream will prevent the soup from becoming too rich.
• Corn – we like to use a bag of frozen, tender sweet corn. A can of whole kernel corn works fine too.
• Sour Cream – makes an eye appealing garnish that melts into the soup.
• Cheddar Cheese – enhances the cheesy undertones in the soup and makes each bite more enjoyable.
• Green Onions – are sliced up to give a pop of color and fresh flavor to make the soup more dynamic.

Crock Pot Version

Make potatoes on the stove and reserve about two cups of water that the potatoes cooked in.

Pour potatoes and reserved water in a greased or lined crock.

Add ham, cheddar cheese soup, milk and corn. Stir well.

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or cook on high for 2 to 3 hours.

Stir every hour for best results.

Since the ham is precooked the ingredients just need to warm up and blend together.

Cubes of raw potatoes can be added and the potato water can be replaced with chicken stock. Cooking times will need to be increased to allow for potatoes to tenderize.

Step By Step Instructions

Wash and cut potatoes into small cubes.

Bring a water in a stock pot to a boil. Boil potatoes until tender.

Drain most of water and reserve about two cups in the pot.

Add ham, milk and bag of frozen corn.

Then add can of cheddar cheese soup. I like to clean the can with a mini silicone spatula.

Stir it all together. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

Keep covered and simmer for 20 – 40 minutes.

Stir every 5 to 10 minutes to prevent burning on the bottom of the pan.

Scoop into bowls to serve and let each person garnish with cheddar cheese, sour cream and sliced green onions as they desire!

Allow leftovers to cool before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

OTHER HEARTY FAMILY MEALS:

• Smoked Sausage & Cheesy Potato Casserole
• Creamy Beef & Noodle Skillet
• Applesauce Meatballs
• Baked Spaghetti Alfredo
• Crock Pot Swiss Chicken & Stuffing Casserole
• Instant Pot Mozzarella Chicken

We hope you enjoy these classic ham recipes from our farmhouse table as much as we do!

Originally published on January 25, 2018 with pictures updated on April 3, 2023.