Leftover Ham and Potato Soup is the most delicious recipe to use leftover ham. It’s cheesy, thick and creamy but also seriously easy to make- the ultimate comfort food!
Try some other awesome soup recipes like Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup and Bean and Sausage Soup.
Leftover Ham and Potato Soup
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I seriously love leftovers. And I also can’t stand food waste. So repurposing leftovers, makes me very happy. Especially because I’m married to a man who is only lukewarm about leftovers (see what I did there?). And there’s only so many ham sandwiches you can eat, amirite?!
Being that my love affair with soup is seemingly endless, using leftover ham in a soup seemed like a natural next step. So it was, this Potato and Ham Soup was born. And it’s a keeper and I cannot wait to show you how to make potato soup the easy way!
Milk and greek yogurt help make a deliciously cheesy potato soup without being overly heavy (because there’s no heavy cream in this recipe!) and cheddar cheese adds a certain decadence that we all know and love. Throw in the savory ham and you’ve got yourself a meal that’s as comforting as it is easy.
Tips for making Potato Soup:
- I like to use salted butter because it adds even more great flavor.
- I gave a range for the amount of flour to use depending on how thick you want it. If you find that it’s thinner than you had hoped you can always mix a little flour with a little water and mix it in as it simmers to make it thicker.
- Shredding the cheese yourself allows it to melt easier than pre-shredded (but both work!).
- This makes tasty leftovers but be aware that it gets a lot thicker when it cools. This is easily remedied by adding a little milk or water when you reheat it.
- Be sure to taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
What are the best potatoes for this easy potato soup?
I used red potatoes but russet potatoes are also a great option.
What if I don’t have ham?
If you don’t have ham, you can always start by cooking a few slices of bacon and then cut the butter in the recipe down by one Tablespoon.
Can you freeze ham and potato soup?
Yes, this freezes well in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in your refrigerator when ready to cook.
Can I use sour cream instead of yogurt?
Sure, I just used yogurt to keep it lighter but they are interchangeable.
What if the soup is too thick?
No problem, thin it out with a little milk.
Ingredients for making this potato soup recipe:
- Salted butter
- Ham
- Onion
- Flour
- Chicken broth
- Milk
- Potatoes
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Green onion
Ingredients to prep ahead:
- Chop ham (or bacon)
- Chop onion
- Shred cheese
Helpful tools:
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Wooden spoon
- Cast iron dutch oven
or this kind of dutch oven
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Peeler
- Immersion Blender

Leftover Ham and Potato Soup is the most delicious way to use leftover ham. It's super creamy and cheesy but also seriously easy to make!
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 2 cups leftover ham, diced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 3-4 Tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups milk
- 4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded + extra for topping
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Chopped green onions, for garnish (optional)
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Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a dutch oven over medium-high heat.
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Add ham to the pot and saute until golden brown stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan.
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Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter and melt.
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Add onions and saute stirring periodically to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
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Sprinkle flour onto the onions and stir to fully coat.
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Add chicken stock, milk and potatoes and bring to a boil then reduce to medium low heat and simmer for 15 minutes. It will thicken a bit during this time.
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Add greek yogurt and cheese and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it's partially blended (so there are still some chunks of potato but its also thicker).
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Add 1 1/2 cups of diced ham into the soup.
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Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
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Serve topped with remaining diced ham, extra cheese and chopped green onions.
I gave a range for the flour depending on how thick you want it. You can always whisk together a little flour and water after it's simmered if you want it thicker (although the blended potato also thickens it).
This will last for 5 days in an air-tight container and also freezes well. It does thicken when cooled but you can add a little milk or water when you reheat the get the desired texture.
If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions!
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22 Comments
Jennifer
December 27, 2019 at 4:55 pm The ham and potato soup recipe is excellent! I don't really like to cook, but had a huge spiral ham to eat up. I had to make a couple of changes to the ingredients list as I forgot them when shopping. Instead of the chicken broth, I boiled and steamed the ham bone for the broth. I also had to use almond milk. It still tasted great. Thanks!Jessy Freimann
December 28, 2019 at 12:42 pm So glad you loved it! The substitutions you made sound fantastic! <3Lauren
December 29, 2019 at 8:26 pm I loved this recipe! I used the leftover Christmas ham and it tasted great. I didn’t have Greek yogurt so I just omitted that and instead put some extra cheese about about 4 1/2 tbps of flour; turned out great!Jessy Freimann
January 8, 2020 at 4:31 pm It sounds like you made some delicious substitutions- so glad you loved it!Elisabeth
March 1, 2020 at 9:43 pm This is a very filling and wholesome recipe. I added carrots and a bay leaf, for extras flavors.Jessy Freimann
March 1, 2020 at 9:44 pm That sounds amazing! So glad you liked it!Amy
March 11, 2020 at 12:49 am Ok! I NEVER leave comments or rate or post anything, but I made this recipe today! OMG! It was probably the best soup I have ever had. My husband, daughters and parents agreed! Thank you for sharing this recipeJessy Freimann
March 11, 2020 at 10:22 am Awwwwww I'm so glad to hear that Amy! And I'm so appreciative that you commented- thank you! <3Heather
April 14, 2020 at 7:25 am I don’t have an immersion blender. Can I just use a hand held mixer? Help!Jessy Freimann
April 14, 2020 at 2:24 pm Hi Heather! You can use a regular blender or food processor. A hand mixer might work, but perhaps not as well.Brittany
April 14, 2020 at 3:22 pm Hi! What can I use as a substitute for the Greek yogurt? We don't have any and don't really want to go to the supermarkets right nowJessy Freimann
April 14, 2020 at 3:37 pm Hi Brittany- I totally understand- You can sub with sour cream, creme fraiche or even heavy cream or coconut milk, just use your best judgement if you use the latter two. Let me know how it goes!bbkeef
April 15, 2020 at 2:44 pm I've made many potato soups, but this is the easiest, least ingredients hands down winner! I added a diced carrot for some color. I used full fat sour cream and sharp cheddar. My husband loved it. It's a great way to use the leftover Easter ham.Jessy Freimann
April 19, 2020 at 1:51 pm Sounds like you made some seriously delicious substitutes- I'm so glad you loved it <3Sara
April 30, 2020 at 6:09 pm I love this recipe. Actually my kids love this recipe and finding something to feed the masses can be tricky! If I have it on hand I also add carrots, celery, asparagus, corn or whatever I need to use up in the crisper.Jessy Freimann
May 3, 2020 at 9:54 pm I hear that- feeding kids is tough- so glad it was a hit! I love the idea if throwing in what you have on hand- so smart!Hilary
October 21, 2020 at 7:42 pm This potato soup is SO good and even better... it’s SO simple. I had a ham left over and am not a fan of split pea soup so was looking for other alternatives when I came across this. We like our potato soup a little more on the chunky side so I actually just used my masher before adding the ham in instead of the blender and it was perfect. I added a smidge of garlic (I just can’t help myself when it comes to cooking with garlic) as well as the tiny bit of scalloped potatoes we had left over from last night as well - zero waste woohoo! I definitely wouldn’t do 4 TBSP of flour. It was nice and thick with three.Jessy Freimann
October 27, 2020 at 10:47 pm So glad you liked it Hilary! Sounds like you made some delicious changes, thank you for sharing them :)Allison
December 29, 2020 at 7:13 pm This was so good and so easy! My husband went to culinary school so I usually don’t even try but this seemed easy enough and I wanted to use the leftover ham from Christmas. Everyone asked for seconds, even our extremely picky eater. Thank you for sharing!Jessy Freimann
December 29, 2020 at 10:52 pm Awww, what a great compliment- thank you! I'm so glad you loved it! Also, I feel your pain with picky eaters- my husband is soooo picky!Ken
February 14, 2021 at 2:10 pm I'm a guy and don't cook that much but this looked so easy and it was! It came out delish! I used sour cream and just hand mashed the potatoes. I love it thanks!Jessy Freimann
February 15, 2021 at 1:24 pm Hi Ken! I'm so glad you loved it- it sounds like you made some awesome substitutes :) I hope you keep cooking, it sounds like you have some good instincts! Thanks for sharing!