Home » Recipes » Recipes by Course » Soup » Ham & Potato Chowder
Kaleb
Last modified on
5.0
This ham and potato chowder is one of the most comforting soups to make during the winter months. This traditional and homey soup takes little work to prepare and has pieces of ham, cheese, and of course, potatoes. Together, they form a delicious, hot meal for any cold day of the year. Make it once, and you’ll want it again and again!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 2 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 17 minutes mins
Table of Contents
- This potato chowder is the soup recipe to make.
- Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Here’s how to make this recipe.
- These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
- Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
- You'll love these other soup recipes.
- Watch how to make this recipe.
- Have I convinced you to make this recipe?
This ham and potato chowder is one of the most comforting soups to make during the winter months. This traditional and homey soup takes little work to prepare and has pieces of ham, cheese, and of course, potatoes. Together, they form a delicious, hot meal for any cold day of the year. Make it once, and you’ll want it again and again!
This potato chowder is the soup recipe to make.
A chowder is a soup that’s thickened with milk and a roux. The ingredients can vary and change, with many areas having a chowder than defines them. This potato chowder is a simple soup. As a family, we would often make this soup around the holidays when we gathered together. The flavors satisfy all ages. The base of onion and celery creates the layer and is fortified with carrots and ham. Potatoes are the main ingredient. The key is using red-skinned potatoes. As they cook, some will break down and give body to the soup while others will hold their texture. Instead of using a roux to thicken, some of the potatoes and vegetables are blended until smooth and added back to the soup. This is a great way to have a thick and hearty soup without the work or added ingredients of a roux. The result is a chowder-like soup full of flavor that will please everyone.
Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Butter has a richer, more well-rounded flavor. Since potatoes do not have a ton of flavor on their own, butter is used to heighten their impact in the soup.
- Potatoes are the main ingredient. Red-skinned potatoes work well. Red-skinned potatoes cook quickly and have a great texture in the soup. No need to peel these thin-skinned potatoes, which will help with prep time.
- Carrots are cut slightly larger than the other vegetables. To ensure the carrots do not break down into mush, they have enough size that helps them hold their structure.
- Ham is an easy way to add a lot of flavor. If there is leftover ham from a big meal, this is a great way to use it. Otherwise, buy a ham steak at the grocery store for a quick and easy protein.
Here’s how to make this recipe.
- Cook the onion and celery. In a stockpot, melt the butter. Chop the onion and dice the celery and add to the stockpot once the butter has fully melted. Let these two ingredients sauté until they become softened. Then add in the minced garlic, salt, and black pepper, and cook for 30 seconds to one minute.
- Slice the potatoes and carrots. While the onion and celery are sautéing, slice the carrots and potatoes. For the carrots, cut them into half-circle pieces. For the potatoes, dice them into somewhat small pieces, roughly 1/2-inch in size.
- Add the vegetables and liquid. Once the garlic has been added and has cooked, add the chopped carrots and potatoes to the stockpot. Along with the vegetables, add in the sprig of fresh rosemary and fresh thyme along with the chicken stock. Stir everything together and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes.
- Blend the potatoes. Once the soup has simmered, remove the herbs and discard them. Using a ladle, remove some of the potatoes to a separate bowl. With a countertop blender or immersion blender, blend together this separate amount of potatoes until smooth. Add the blended mixture back to the stockpot along with the cream and stir until combined.
- Add the ham and let simmer. Chop up the ham into bite-size cubes and add it to the soup and cheddar cheese. Stir these into the soup and let it simmer for 10 minutes until the ham has warmed through. Once warm, serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkled on top (optional).
These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
- Cooking garlic slightly to reduce the raw flavor that’s implicit in garlic is very important. However, make sure not to cook the garlic for too long, as garlic can burn quickly. Cooking for about 30 seconds to one minute should be the correct length of time necessary.
- If you have any leftover mashed potatoes or ham from the holidays, this is the perfect recipe to use them up! Simply add the mashed potatoes as an additional thickening agent and slice up any leftover ham into bite-size pieces.
- Do not worry if some carrots or celery end up being blended with the potatoes. This may slightly affect the soup’s color but will not affect the resulting texture.
Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
Will any potato work in this recipe?
Yes, but I prefer red-skinned potatoes for this recipe. This specific type of potato gets soft but can still maintain its structure.
Can this recipe be made vegetarian?
Yes, simply switch out the chicken stock for vegetable stock and leave out the chopped ham.
Can this soup be frozen once prepared? What is the best way to freeze it if so?
Yes, freezing soup is a great way to extend the life of leftovers. As with any cooked vegetable, the carrots could become slightly soft during freezing but will still be good.
You’ll love these other soup recipes.
- Turkey quinoa chili
- Tomato tortellini soup
- Black bean soup
- Creamy curry lentil soup
- White bean chicken chili
- Dairy-free creamy tomato soup
- Slow cooker chili
- Sausage meatball kale soup
- Homemade chicken noodle soup
Watch how to make this recipe.
More soup recipes to try
Harvest Squash Soup
2 hours hrs
4.5
Dairy-Free Creamy Tomato Soup
1 hour hr 17 minutes mins
5.0
Sausage Meatball Kale Soup
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
4.8
Have I convinced you to make this recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Ham & Potato Chowder
Kaleb
4.98 from 38 votes
This ham and potato chowder is one of the most comforting soups to make during the winter months. This traditional and homey soup takes little work to prepare and has pieces of ham, cheese, and of course, potatoes. Together, they form a delicious, hot meal for any cold day of the year. Make it once, and you’ll want it again and again!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 2 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 17 minutes mins
Servings 8 servings
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share a Review
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 ribs celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 1 ½ lb red potatoes diced
- 1 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 stem fresh rosemary
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ lb ham diced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
In a 6-quart stockpot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, add the celery and onion. Sauté the onion and celery until they are softened but not brown, 4-6 minutes. Once the mixture is softened, add the garlic, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and cook the garlic for 1 minute.
2 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 medium onion, 3 ribs celery, 3 cloves garlic, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, ¾ tsp black pepper
Once the garlic is cooked, add the red potatoes, carrots, thyme, rosemary, and chicken stock. Stir, and bring the soup to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer the soup until the potatoes are soft, 35-45 minutes.
2 cups chopped carrots, 1 ½ lb red potatoes, 1 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 stem fresh rosemary, 4 cups chicken stock
Once the potatoes are softened, remove the rosemary and thyme. Then remove 1 ½ cups of the potatoes, vegetables, and stock, blend it until it is smooth, and return the liquid to the soup. Add the heavy cream, diced ham, and cheese. Stir and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the ham to heat and the cheese to melt. Once the soup has simmered, the potatoes will break down into the soup, and the blended portion will have thickened the soup slightly.
1 cup heavy cream, ½ lb ham, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Notes
- Cooking garlic slightly to reduce the raw flavor that’s implicit in garlic is very important. However, make sure not to cook the garlic for too long, as garlic can burn quickly. Cooking for about 30 seconds to one minute should be the correct length of time necessary.
- If you have any leftover mashed potatoes or ham from the holidays, this is the perfect recipe to use them up! Simply add the mashed potatoes as an additional thickening agent and slice up any leftover ham into bite-size pieces.
- Do not worry if some carrots or celery end up being blended with the potatoes. This may slightly affect the soup’s color but will not affect the resulting texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 446kcal
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Difficulty Easy
Method Cooking
You May Also Like
Soup
Creamy Corn Chowder
50 minutes mins
5.0
Soup
Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup
45 minutes mins
5.0
Soup
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
4.8
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
34 Comments
Saw this recipe this morning and since I had leftover ham and mashed potatoes from Christmas dinner I made it and it turned out amazing.
Love your recipes. Happy New Year.Reply
Tried this recipe today with my leftover ham from Christmas dinner and it was delicious. So much flavor. A great way to use up my leftover ham when we were tired of sandwiches.Reply
This soup was absolutely delicious! I thought that it would not make enough but it was perfect. Thank you.Reply
Delicious! I didn’t have rosemary, but it was still good! I used some ham broth from the leftover roasted ham so I didn’t need as much chicken broth. This is definitely added to my recipe collection.Reply
A very good soup!! Just recommended it to my dad who follows you.Reply
I made this tonight and it was fantastic! I had to use russet potatoes because I didn’t have red potatoes but it was still so good. My new favorite potato soup recipe!!
Reply
Made this the other night and my husband said, “this is a keep”. Shared it with my mother-in-law since she wasn’t feeling well. She loved it too!Reply
You are so gifted and talented what a blessingReply
This soup is delicious and very easy to make. Mine even looks just like your photo. I’m having leftovers of it for lunch today in a few minutes.
Thanks, NancyReply
I made this soup with leftover Christmas dinner ham. Oh wow—so creamy and delicious!! Even better the next day. Thanks for a fabulous yet simple soup.Reply
Ham & Potato Chowder – outstanding. Made a test batch – taking it on a quilt retreat this weekend.Reply
The soup was delicious but too salty for my taste. Knowing what I know after making, I would wait until the end to see if additional salt is needed (at the beginning with the onions) . There is a lot of sodium in the ham, cheese and low sodium chicken broth. Definitely making again tho!!Reply
This is fabulous! Used coconut milk(unsweetened) and dairy free cheese. Will make again!Reply
I made it twice so far and doubled the recipe. So simple economical and delicious. I served it with thyme loaf of bread I had it in the freezer from Costco for months and forgot about it. Thank you Kalb for yet another tasty recipeReply
This soup was awesome! Great smokey flavor and hearty for a cold winter night! Thank you for making the video as well.
I will be making this soup often and share it with my friends and family!Reply
OMG. This was so easy and sooooo good. Really the trifecta of soups – fast, easy and tastes amazing. Your format for printing recipes is good as well.Reply
So delicious! I had no regular cheese so I subbed in what I had (garlic cheese curds lol!) And it was absolutely delicious. So easy to put together!Reply
Made this soup for my kids and myself. It was incredibly delicious. Even the kids had seconds and they aren’t typically soup fans! Can’t wait to try to next recipe! Love watching the videos, learning new and exciting things to cook!Reply
My wife made your ham and potato chowder and it is delicious. Sure hit the spot for our cold Wisconsin winter.Reply
Wonderful chowder, I made today and used small gold potatoes which were perfect. I followed all your directions and will enjoy it for 2 more days. A truly delicious chowder and served with french bread, salad with pear and blue cheese dressing . Thank you for inspiring us to be more creative☺Reply
What a wonderful chowder. I used gold potatoes with skins on, wonderfully delicious, followed every step and spent extra money on the two fresh spices you used as well. We had it for lunch and will have it two more days. I fixed a fresh salad with pear, blue cheese and raspberry dressing and french bread with butter and parmesan cheese. A delightful meal. Thank you so much.😍Reply
Just made this soup tonight for the first time with leftover ham from Christmas that I had in my freezer. I followed the recipe and it turned out absolutely delicious! Lots of leftovers that my husband and I can’t wait to have! Thank you Kaleb for another great recipe! And for bringing such a positive energy and joy to everything you do!
Reply
This soup is delicious! Definitely a recipe that I’m adding to my rotation. I so enjoy everything you cook and all your gardening projects. Thank you Kaleb! You bring me joy!Reply
Easy, delicious and kid friendly.Reply
I made this today, added cabbage and a about 11/2 cups more broth and it is to die for. Have had two bowls already. Perfect for a south coast morning where unscheduled snow arrived.Reply
So I found a scary looking bag of leftover in the freezer that turned out to be some frozen leftover Easter ham. It’s a BAZILLION degrees in Phoenix, AZ, so naturally- I’ve craving homey, fall flavors. My family went nuts over this. I really loved that it just happened to be gluten free (my MIL is sensitive). I did have an immersion blender and just blitzed it a few times before adding ham so it was a super simple way to thicken soup without having to do a roux. This recipe is also easy to tweak with whatever preferences you have. My adjustments were to add a jalapeno, half cup of vermouth, and double the ham because I just had gobs of it. I was able to nix the butter because my leftover ham was pretty fatty and I just rendered the fat out of the ham, removed the ham ad cooked the veg in it…then I followed the recipe.Reply
This was easy and delicious. I will definitely keep this in the meal rotation.Reply
I’m currently making this soup now, it’s in the final step of cooking, I may have sampled a little and omg it is sooo good! I just came across your videos this is my first recipe I’ve done of yours and definitely not the last! I really enjoy your videos.Reply
I made this with leftovers from Thanksgiving last month and it turned out phenomenal!!! Making it again with our leftover Christmas dinner! Thank you sooo much for this recipe! 5 stars!!!!Reply
I made this tonight and it was delicious. I had a little leftover ham gravy and mashed potatoes and added them into the soup which thickened it nicely and I didn’t need to use an immersion blender. We all loved it. Thanks for the recipe!Reply
Delicious recipe for left over ham. The Recipe is easy to follow. ❤️Reply
I love watching your shows from outside gardening, interior decorating, and especially watching you cook!! I plan on making this chowder tomorrow! Have a wonderful New Year!
Reply
Thank you so much for this recipe!! The taste and texture is outstanding! It warms our bellies on a cold winter day!!Reply
Half the world is probably trying to figure out what to do with left over Easter ham about now. This was a good one. Great recipe. Made a fresh loaf of bread for dipping.Reply
