This healthy ham and potato soup is pure comfort food in a bowl. Easy, fast, and low-calorie, it’s one of my favorite busy weeknight meals.
The photos in this post have been updated. Don’t worry. You’re in the right place. 😉
Have you seen that Campbell’s soup commercial with the sick guy lying on his couch trying to get his partner to make him soup?
He tells her that his mom always used to make some for him when he wasn’t feeling well, and for a moment, it looks like she’s going to do it, but instead she just throws a phone at him, tells him to call him mom, and leaves him to wallow.
I laugh SO hard, every single time I see that commercial, and I have no idea why, because I’m totally that person who makes soup for sick people. Feeling sick? Here, let me bring you some soup. And if I’m bringing soup, I’m probably bringing this one.
Like my Peasant Chicken Soup, this surprisingly healthy Ham and Potato Soup is another of the early recipes I learned in college. It saw me and my friends through many an illness and late-night study session.
It’s perfect for what ails you because it’s pure comfort food. Ham and potatoes in a bowl? That’s like a hug from the inside.
And the nice thing about this soup is that it’s deceptively easy. Sure it looks gorgeous and complicated, but once you cut the veggies and put them on to boil, all you really have to do is make the roux, stir in the milk, and watch the broth go from clear to creamy and delicious.
Throwing this together for a sick friend or a busy weeknight dinner takes all of a half hour, and when you’re done, the result is the best damn healthy ham and potato soup you’ve ever tried.
Looking for more Easy Weeknight Meals? Try my Tri-tip in the Oven, No-Fuss Beef Ribs, and Broccoli Chowder.
Easy and Comforting Ham and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups (about 2 large) russet potatoes, peeled and diced medium
- 1 1/2 cups (9oz) cooked honey ham, diced medium*
- 1/2 cup celery diced small
- 1/2 cup onion diced small
- 4 cups (2 15oz cans) chicken broth
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon (44g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk, (any percentage)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt
Instructions
Boil
- In a large pot, combine potatoes, ham, celery, onions, and chicken broth. Bring to a low boil and cook over medium heat until vegetables are fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Make the roux
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and whisk in flour. Cook, stirring constantly until flour is golden, about one minute. Slowly add in milk, continuing to stir so that no lumps form and cook until mixture is thick, about 5 minutes.
Combine
- Pour flour and milk mixture into the soup and stir. Add pepper, and salt to taste.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Nutritional Information
Recipe Adapted From: Allrecipes
Small Batch Instructions: This recipe halves cleanly.
Make-ahead Instructions: Ham, onions, and celery can be cut up to two days in advance. Potatoes should be cut just before cooking to avoid browning.
Freezer Notes: You can freeze this soup–it will keep up to 4 months in the freezer, but I was not a huge fan of the texture of the potatoes once my test batch defrosted. I probably wouldn’t freeze this soup again.
Circa early 2016 photo:
Crystal says
Made this tonight. Added real bacon bits and used salt free chicken broth. Hubby and I loved it ❤️
Tracy says
So happy your husband enjoyed it!
Patricia says
I made this…..just omitted celery but it was great..
Tracy says
Thanks, Patricia!
Sherry says
This soup is amazing to say the least. I doubled up on everything to make a bigger amount. Also added corn, sour cream. It was so so delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe! ☺
Tracy says
Mmmm, love that you added sour cream! So glad you enjoyed the soup, Sherry!
Teresa says
Tried it tonight. Was delicious! I added a bay leaf while cooking and corn at the end. We’ll be adding this to our rotation!
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed it, Teresa!
Carole says
Added some dill, carrots, mushrooms and frozen peas.
Tracy says
Great additions!
Alison says
This is on the stove simmering right now, but the taste I got was wonderful! I added corn to the mix and used heavy cream in the roux to make it extra creamy. Also added some Cajun seasoning. Can’t wait to have on this chilly cloudy day!
Tracy says
Mmmm, heavy cream is always an excellent addition to soup! Love the idea of adding some Cajun seasoning as well. Hope you enjoyed it!
EmFos says
Delicious!!! I used beef broth because I didn’t have chicken, and added half a can of corn because I love corn. Thanks for a delicious recipe.
Teresa says
This soup was so yummy! I even added some cheese to the roux before putting that into the soup. Then I added some sour cream to the soup as well. Delicious!
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed it, Teresa! And mmmmm, love that you added sour cream and cheese!
Nadine says
We absolutely love,loved your soup and so easy to make.nadine
Tracy says
Thanks, Nadine! So glad you enjoyed it!
Colleen Digiamberardino says
This soup is absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Thank you!
Tracy says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Colleen!
Mavis says
This soup is so yummy!!! My kids loved it, thanks a lot
Tracy says
So happy you all enjoyed it, Mavis!
Amanda says
Wow, I actually made this and it came out great! I made it with more potatoes but the same amount of roux, so it’s rather chunky but I like that. I also added a can of whole corn and a can of green beans. I suppose you could also add carrots but I left that off. Or add a can of mixed vegetables to make things even easier. Either way, I woke up not feeling the greatest today but I’m already on cloud nine with my success of this and I have you to thank for that so thank you 🙂
Now, I’m going to try my hand at making beer bread for the first time to complete out the meal my mom frequently made for us 🙂
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed it, Amanda! And beer bread sounds amazing. Good luck!
Angela Pooser says
This is one of my go to recipes! love this soup.
Tracy says
This makes me so happy to hear. Thanks, Angela!
Lisa says
This is the BEST, most velvety cream soup I have ever made. Absolutely delicious! Very easy to make. My husband LOVED IT!
Tracy says
Thanks, Lisa! So happy to hear you both enjoyed it!
Cynthia says
This soup was AWESOME!! My family loved it. I was lucky to even get a little of it for lunch the next day. I did have a question…how much is a serving. Counting calories here and just need that little tidbit of info. Thank you for the recipe!!
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed it, Cynthia!! This soup makes 5 servings, but I’ve never measured its volume, so I don’t know in cups exactly how much a serving is. What I do when I’m counting is dish all 5 servings up at once and just make sure all the bowls get the same amount of soup. Hope that helps!
Kim says
Delicious! What more can I say. Fast and easy and so satisfying! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Tracy says
Thanks, Kim! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Alicia says
Ok, I have to be honest here. I truly did not expect this soup to turn out this good!! Let me explain…I came across your website and this recipe because I was looking for something quick to feed my family with few ingredients. I thought okay this looks too damn easy to be that good! Well slap me silly because I am completely blown away by the flavor of this soup! This soup looks beautiful and taste like something you would get a fancy restaurant! My 11-year-old said this is the best soup I have ever made! Karma game strong! Hahahaha Thank you!!!
Tracy says
LOL, you just cracked me up, Alicia! So glad you guys enjoyed the soup, and thanks for taking the time to let me know!