Is it strange to be more excited about the recipes you can make with holiday leftovers than you are about the holiday meal itself?
Not when Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup is what you’re dreaming of!
I created this luscious, cheesy soup recipe to use up leftover Christmas ham and mashed potatoes, but holy buckets I will not be waiting for another holiday to make it again. I gave my Mom a bowl of it to take home after watching the boys for a bit earlier this week and got a text two minutes after she got home saying “soup is sooooo good!!”
Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup is truly a cinch to stir together, and made even easier if you have leftover ham and mashed potatoes on hand. Vegetables are sauteed in butter then simmered with a combination of milk and chicken broth, thickened with prepared mashed potatoes, then jazzed up with freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese and cubed ham.
If you like cheesy soups, this one is going to be your jam. It’s decadent, thick, and creamy, and the ham bobbing in each spoonful is such a treat. Trust me and steer hungry Uncle Jim away from taking thirds of ham and mashed potatoes at the holiday dinner table this year – you’ve got soup to make!
How to Make This Recipe
Start by adding chopped carrots, celery, shallot or onion, and dried thyme to melted butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper then saute until the vegetables are softened 8-10 minutes. Add minced garlic then saute for 30 seconds.
Next, sprinkle in gluten free flour (or all-purpose flour if you don’t need to eat GF,) then stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add splashes of chicken broth and milk while stirring to create a smooth sauce then turn the heat up to medium-high to bring the soup up to a bubble. Then turn the heat back down to medium then simmer until the soup is slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes.
Next add prepared mashed potatoes (made from 3 large russet potatoes,) then whisk vigorously until smooth. Note that these prepared mashed potatoes already have butter, milk, and salt mixed in – vs being plain cooked potatoes that have been mashed.
Last step is to pull the soup off the heat then sprinkle in freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese a little bit at a time, stirring until the cheese is completely melted before adding more. Finally add cubed ham then stir to combine.
FYI – if you’re going the ham steak route you’ll want a 1-1/2 – 2lb ham steak.
Let the soup sit off the heat for 10 minutes to thicken, taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary, then ladle into bowls. I’m telling you – there is nothing better than this decadent, thick and cheesy soup. Enjoy, enjoy!
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Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup
Description
Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup is a thick and hearty soup recipe that's perfect for cold nights. Use leftover ham and mashed potatoes to make this simple soup even easier to whip up!
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
- 1 large shallot or small onion, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tablespoons gluten-free flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups milk (I used skim)
- 3 cups prepared mashed potatoes (from 3 large Russet potatoes)
- 8oz freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2-1/2 cups cubed ham steak
Directions
- Melt butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, shallot, and dried thyme. Season with salt and pepper then saute until vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes (place a lid on top to help speed up softening if vegetables are taking too long.) Add garlic then saute for 30 more seconds.
- Sprinkle in flour then saute for 1 minute. Slowly pour in chicken broth while whisking to create a smooth sauce. Add milk then turn heat up to medium-high and bring soup to a simmer, stirring frequently. Turn heat down to medium then cook, stirring frequently, until soup is slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Add half the mashed potatoes then whisk until smooth. Add remaining mashed potatoes then whisk until smooth.
- Remove pot from heat then stir in small handfuls of cheese one at a time, stirring until completely melted before adding more. Stir in ham then taste soup and add salt and pepper if necessary (remember ham will add a bit of salt to each bite of soup.) Let sit and thicken off the heat for 10 minutes then serve.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
This soup is so tasty and easy! I split the batch in half and stirred some green chilies into the adult portion. Super tasty!
Ooo, love that spin! I’ll have to try that sometime.
I don’t leave a lot of blog comments, but I just wanted to let you know that my family LOVES this soup. We had a very pared down holiday meal this year but we made sure to include ham and mashed potatoes for the sole purpose of having this soup later in the week! I like a lot of your soups, actually, but this is definitely the favorite. So freaking good.
It was a hit with my family! Your blog makes planning meals so easy and painless. I think I will throw in the leftover broccoli when I warm up the leftovers. this soup was amazing.
I’m SO happy to hear that, Sedna! Thank you for your feedback and recipe review!
Made this tonight and WOW! It is lucious! I made exactly as directed, using prepared Bob Evans mashed potatoes. It was awesome. My husband said “restaurant quality” and my son faked a swoon! Will definitely make again!
Follow up – this continues to be the most requested soup I make. I keep making the batches bigger — adding more liquid to the full container of prepared mashed potatoes. And game changer – instead of oyster crackers, use Cheez-its. Do it! You’ll thank me.
excellent! added some smoked bacon.
[…] Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup ~ Iowa Girl Eats […]
Creamy & luscious! Dinner & next day’s lunch for my fam of 3. Take that, holiday ham leftovers!!
This soup was amazing! I’m down for any recipe that starts with “cheesy”!!
Same girl, same! So glad you loved it!
From your photos it looks like cubed potatoes were used too, but none in ingredients list.
It’s just lighter colored chunks of ham. You could leave your mashed potatoes chunky if you like that texture better!
Ok thanks
[…] Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup | Iowa Girl Eats […]
This soup is so good! My husband mentioned he might prefer it with cubed potatoes vs. mashed potatoes. Would I just boil the potatoes in the soup or separately? Think it would taste the same? Thanks so much!
I would boil the potatoes in the soup and maybe decrease the amount of liquid!
Delicious, quick and easy peasy. It was hit with my family ! Your blog makes planning meals so easy and painless. Thanks so much !
This soup was so yummy! My husband who won’t eat carrots or celery said he would gladly overlook both once he dug in! Not a drop left and no veggie remnants! Great quick weeknight dinner using Bob Evans mashed potatoes and a ham steak. IGE for the win!
That’s awesome, Jackie! So glad to hear you both loved it – thanks for the feedback!! :)
Can I ask where you purchase Whitehaven? The Hy-Vee in Ankeny doesn’t have it and after reading your picks for Sauv blanc I wanted to try both that and I think it was Decoy and also can’t find that.
We purchase both at HyVee or Costco. Did they say they don’t carry it or were you just unable to find it? I’m surprised they don’t carry it, but would try another HyVee as we can find them at several on the west side of town!
Amanda I thought of you yesterday when I went to buy a bottle of Whitehaven – it was in the “New Zealand” section of wines at HyVee vs the general “Sauvignon Blanc” section. Take a look there and I bet you’ll find it!
Made this last night with leftover ham. It was delicious. Just the 2 of us here but I’m so glad I made the full batch. I think I will throw in the leftover broccoli when I warm up the left overs. Can’t wait to try it again.
I’m so glad to hear it, Luanne!! If you want to try just a broccoli cheese soup, without the potatoes, here’s a recipe to try! http://iowagirleats.com/2014/09/22/perfect-broccoli-cheese-soup/
Ths looks delicious! Thanks for sharing! Merry Christmas =)
OMG- that soup is what dreams are made of!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!
Thank you Jen, same to you! :)
For convenience do you think store bought mashed potatoes would work? Like the prepared ones you just heat in the microwave. Thanks for any insight.
Definitely! Any mashed potatoes will work great. :)
This looks so good! And a great way to use leftover ham from the holidays.
hahaha…Alexa helped me figure out what to get my brother in law, too. :) Not a ham-eater but this soup sounds dope even if its just on vegetables. Do you think diced chicken would have the same affect or nah?
Such a great, affordable gift! And yep, chicken would be just fine!