Cozy up with a bowl of this simple Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup. It’s gluten-free with dairy-free options and the perfect way to use up leftover ham from an Easter or Christmas holiday meal. Easy to make in your slow cooker or on the stovetop, this soup is the perfect comfort food. Enjoy with simple toppings like sliced green onions, or load up your bowl like a baked potato with grated cheddar cheese and bacon bits too.
I started this recipe with the idea to use up leftover holiday ham. But instead, I’ve found myself buying ham specifically to make this soup!
The idea for this soup is nothing new by any means, but it’s inspired by a potato soup I grew up eating. It’s the classic old-fashioned potato soup with boiled potatoes, milk, salt, and pepper.
It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s incredibly satisfying. I think the recipe dates as far back as the Great Depression. So I wanted to start the same concept but with a bit more flavor and protein added.
Enter some ham, veggies, and cream in place of the milk to make a comforting soup you’ll want to make again and again!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ham – I use ham from either Penderson’s or Beeler’s because they don’t have additives in their products. You can buy smaller amounts of ham, sometimes called ham steaks, to make this soup or use leftover ham from an Easter or Christmas holiday meal.
- Veggies – onion, carrots, celery, and garlic make up a nice flavor base in this soup. I recommend either white or yellow onions. Avoid red onion because the color doesn’t work well in soup.
- Potatoes – I like to use Yukon gold potatoes in soup because they’re a good blend of waxy potato that stays moist as it cooks. But there’s still enough starch to make a thicker soup. Russet potatoes also work in this soup but they cook up on the drier side. I also enjoy potato soup made with red potatoes, but I sometimes need to add a bit more thickener.
- Broth – low sodium chicken broth works well here, or homemade chicken stock if you have it. If you have homemade stock you’ll need to salt more to taste because homemade stock is unsalted.
- Creamy option – leave this soup simple or you can add the heavy cream or unsweetened coconut cream as a nice change of pace. Simple potato soup is great, but sometimes a creamy version just hits the spot.
- Rosemary – pairs well with the flavors of ham and potato. But thyme is also a great option as well as Italian seasoning if you don’t have fresh herbs on hand.
How to make this potato soup recipe step by step
Step 1: Start by dicing up your onion, carrots, and celery.
Next cube up the ham and potatoes. Mince the garlic and chop the fresh rosemary.
Step 2: Add all the veggies, ham, garlic, and rosemary to the slow cooker.
Step 3: Pour the chicken broth into the slow cooker bowl.
Stir to combine, cover with the lid, and set to cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Step 4: When the potatoes are completely tender, use a potato masher to lightly mash some of the potatoes to thicken the soup.
Add the heavy cream or unsweetened coconut cream and stir to combine.
Step 5: If you would like the soup to be thicker, mix 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch or tapioca starch with water until smooth to form a cornstarch slurry.
Add the starch mixture a little at a time stirring to combine until the potato soup is the thickness you desire. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper and serve with your choice of toppings.
Ways to serve this
- Add toppings! Go simple with sliced green onions or chives. Load it up like a baked potato with grated cheddar cheese, green onions, and crispy bacon bits.
- Add a veggie side dish like my Sautéed Green Beans or Air Fryer Asparagus.
- Or add a fresh veggie side like my Strawberry Spinach Salad in the spring and Apple Spinach Salad for the fall and winter months.
FAQ’s
Yes, you can make this slow cooker soup on the stovetop and the instructions are included in the notes of the recipe card below.
You can use 1 pound of browned bulk sausage in place of the ham. Breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, and fresh chorizo all work for this soup, just use what sounds good. You can also dice up 1/2 pound of bacon and cook it to render out the excess fat before adding it to the slow cooker in place of the ham.
Lightly mashing some of the potatoes when they’re cooked slightly thickens the soup. From there you can thicken it further by mixing cornstarch or tapioca starch with just enough water to form a smooth mixture called a ‘slurry’. Add this mixture a little at a time stirring as you add it to the soup until the consistency is the thickness you desire.
Storing leftovers
- To store – place any leftover soup into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.
- Make ahead – this soup reheats well so you can make it ahead to reheat as needed for up to 4-5 days.
- Reheating – place any leftover soup into a saucepan and reheat covered over low heat stirring occasionally until heated through.
- To freeze – the soup doesn’t freeze well because the dairy changes in texture and the potatoes will be a bit mushier when thawed. You can freeze this soup without the cream, but the potatoes will still be softer when defrosted. You can also make a 1/2 batch of this soup to reduce the amount of leftovers.
Tips & Tricks
- Is the slow cooker or stovetop a better option for this soup? The stovetop is always a better option for any soup for two reasons. First, when you cook on the stovetop there is more evaporation which increases the flavor of your soup. Secondly, when you sauté the onion-garlic mixture it adds more depth of flavor than just adding it to a slow cooker.
- My first choice for soups is to make them on the stovetop. However, I still make soup often in the slow cooker because it’s much more convenient. Slow cooker soups are especially good for busy days or anytime you have company in the house.
Dietary Options & Substitutions
- Dairy-free – omit the creamy option altogether, use 1 cup unsweetened coconut cream, or 1 cup of my Vegan Cashew Cream. You can also use anything you normally use in place of heavy cream.
- Paleo – omit the heavy creamy or use one of the dairy-free options listed above. Also be sure to carefully read the labels on your ham, not all ham is paleo. Look for ham that doesn’t contain nitrates etc. Penderson’s and Beeler’s both make good quality hams. Beeler’s does have a tiny amount of sugar in it, but Penderson’s offers ham without any added sugar.
More Soup Recipe Inspiration
I really hope you enjoy this Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup! If you do get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 1 small onion - 1/4" dice, 2 cups
- 4 carrots - peeled, cut into quarters lengthwise and diced 1/4"
- 2 stalks celery - thinly sliced
- 8 cups Yukon gold potatoes - 1" cubes, 3 pounds
- 4 cups cubed ham - 1 pound
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary - stems removed and finely chopped, see notes
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream - or unsweetened coconut cream
- 1 tsp sea salt - more or less to taste depending on your ingredients.
- 1/2 tsp black pepper - more or less to taste
- 2 tbsp cornstarch - or tapioca starch, for a really thick soup use 3 tbsp
Optional Toppings:
- 1/2 cup green onions - or chives, thinly sliced
- grated cheddar cheese, crispy bacon bits
- sour cream with the above toppings in place of the cream listed
INSTRUCTIONS
- Start by dicing the onion, carrots, and slicing the celery. Cube the potatoes and ham, then mince the garlic and chop the rosemary.
- Add your prepped ingredients to the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker and add the chicken broth.
- Mix to combine. The liquid should come just up to the level of the ingredients but doesn't need to completely cover them. If it's low, add a bit more broth or water.
- Top with the lid, and set to cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- When the potatoes are completely tender, use a potato masher to lightly mash up some of the potatoes to slightly thicken the soup.
- Add the heavy cream and stir to combine. If you would like the soup to be thicker, mix the cornstarch with just enough water to completely dissolve it.
- Add cornstarch a little at a time stirring to combine until the soup is your desired thickness.
- Season to taste with sea salt and pepper and serve with your choice of toppings.