Creamy Ham & Potato Soup Recipe
One thing I love about cooler weather is the steady appearance of soups in our weekly meal plan! This recipe uses basic ingredients to create a rich, creamy ham and potato soup. It’s been a crowd favorite since day one!
This recipe makes enough soup for our family of five to enjoy two bowls each. There are no leftovers! If you’d like more, I’d suggest doubling the recipe, as long as you’ll be using it within the next couple days.
If you want to freeze the soup, I would only cook it half way. This will help the vegetables (especially potatoes) not turn mushy. Just remember you’ll need to allow additional cook time.
Ham & Potato Soup Ingredient Notes
The start of any great recipe begins with good quality ingredients. We’re a raw dairy family, but a great substitute for this is full-fat organic dairy (no growth hormones, antibiotics, vaccinations). The fat is where the flavors at!
Likewise, the soup will have more depth if using leftover ham, especially if marinated in a glaze. However, there are many good options for pre-cooked ham, that’s already diced, from the grocery store. Try to find ham from a local farm where the pigs are able to graze freely if possible.
When able, I always prefer to use homemade stocks and broths. But sometimes there’s just not enough time in a day (or week!). My favorite store bought chicken stock is Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Stock. It has a super clean ingredient list and tastes wonderful.
Einkorn flour is an ancient heirloom grain (never hybridized). This flour does contain gluten, but it lacks the gluten proteins that typically trigger gluten sensitivities. Jovial ‘s 100% Organic Einkorn All-Purpose Flour is the only flour our entire family has been able to consume, on a consistent basis over the last 5 years, without anyone reacting to it.
“guidelines”
Cooking should be fun and stress free! Look at the ingredients in this Creamy Ham and Potato Soup recipe as guidelines. One time I didn’t have celery and it still tasted just fine. The first time I made it with a yellow onion, another time all I had was red onion. Both tasted wonderful, the only difference being the red onion had a slightly more dominant flavor. I tend to use up whatever’s on hand, so if you don’t have the exact ingredients, don’t sweat it!
Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp salted butter or olive oil
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced white or yellow for milder flavor, red for more flavor
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 carrot sticks, peeled and diced
- 1.5 tsp minced garlic or 3 garlic gloves, peeled and minced
- 1/4 cup Einkorn flour or organic all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups raw milk or full fat organic milk
- 2 lbs baby Yukon and/or Red potatoes, diced roughly 1/2"
- 2 cups ham, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1.5 tsp celtic sea salt
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded
- 1/3 cup raw creme fraiche or full fat sour cream
- black pepper to taste
- Optional Toppings: Cheddar Cheese, Bacon Bits, Green Onion
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add celery, carrots, and garlic, and sauté for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in flour until ingredients are evenly coated, and sauté for another minute.
- Slowly stir in the chicken stock and milk until thoroughly mixed.
- Add potatoes, ham, bay leaf, dried thyme, and salt, stirring until combined.
- Continue cooking over a medium heat until soup reaches a simmer (do not boil).
- Reduce heat to medium-low and continue a low simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- Once potatoes are soft, add cheddar cheese and creme fraiche, stir until combined.
- Season with more salt and black pepper if needed.
