Ham and Potato Soup

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Inside: How to turn a leftover ham bone into a thick, creamy potato soup with no added stock or flour, what to use if you don’t have a bone on hand, and why blending only half the potatoes beats pureeing the whole pot.

A leftover ham bone isn’t a thing to toss — it’s the start of dinner. This ham and potato soup uses everyday veg, pantry staples and that leftover bone; no stock or bouillon needed. For a luxuriously creamy mouthfeel, puree half the soup until smooth. Leave the other half chunky for a chowder-like texture. This homey potato and ham soup is pure comfort food your family will love.

Spooning up a bit of ham and potato soup from the bowl.

A ham bone from a spiral-cut or baked ham shank is always worth saving for a future meal.

If you have a ham bone plus a little meat still clinging to it, it’s perfect for making a ham bone soup, seasoning a pot of beans or making a flavorful stock.

My Ham Bone Split Pea Soup is an easy, reliable recipe; a batch of deviled ham spread makes quick work of any leftover meat, or if casseroles are your thing, this potato and ham casserole is baked and cheesy.

Most potato soup recipes either leave every potato in whole chunks or blend the entire pot into something closer to baby food. This one splits the difference: half the potatoes get pureed smooth and go back into the pot to thicken the broth, and half stay in bite-sized pieces. You get a creamy soup without losing texture — and the shredded ham that comes off the bone adds flavor and chew to every spoonful.

Why this recipe works:

The classic aromatic base — a mirepoix of onion, celery, and carrot- creates a flavor base before the ham bone ever hits the pot.
No stock required — the ham bone simmered in plain water builds a rich, seasoned broth on its own. No canned broth needed, so one less ingredient to buy.
Half-blended, not fully puréed — you get a thick, spoon-coating soup with real potato chunks left whole for texture and chew.
Built-in backup plan — no ham bone in the freezer? A smoked ham hock plus a bone-in ham steak, or a package of pre-diced ham, gives you the same flavor.
Ready in one hour – not an all-day simmer.

Ingredients:

Olive oil – for sweating the vegetables.
Onion, celery, carrots – the aromatic base. Sweat them until soft and just translucent before adding anything else.
Kosher salt – seasons the vegetables and draws out excess moisture, so they get tender quickly.
Leftover ham bone – the whole point of the recipe. Simmering it in water pulls out smoky, salty flavor and a bit of collagen for a rich mouthfeel — no chicken or vegetable stock needed.
Water – the ham bone seasons the liquid as it simmers, so stock or chicken broth isn’t necessary.
Dried thyme and bay leaf – background herbal notes that round out the ham flavor without competing with it.
Diced potatoes – I used Yukon Golds, but you could also use russet potatoes or red potatoes; they hold their shape but still turn creamy once blended. About 5-6 large potatoes.
Cream – Stirred in at the end for a velvety texture. I use a half cup for a lighter soup, but you can add a full cup if you want it richer.
Salt and pepper – add at the end, to taste — the ham naturally adds salt, but it will likely need more seasoning before serving.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Heat a Dutch oven or large pot on the stove over medium heat and add olive oil and veggies (onion, celery and carrots); Sprinkle with kosher salt and sweat the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they’re tender, about 3-5 minutes.

2. Add the ham bone.

3. Add the water (it should nearly cover the ham bone) and season with dried thyme and a bay leaf.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer.

4. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the Dutch oven with the lid slightly askew so steam can escape. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove the ham bone and add the potatoes.

5. Remove the ham bone and set aside to cool. Add the diced potatoes and cook for 10 minutes; that’s enough time to get tender potatoes that won’t fall apart.

6. While the potatoes cook, remove any excess meat from the ham bone and shred into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. It should be fork-tender.

7. Work in batches to puree half of the potato soup in a blender until smooth; when blended, the potatoes add a thick creaminess that gives extra body to the soup.

8. Pour the potato purée back into the soup pot and stir to combine.

9. Add the reserved ham back to the potato soup. (There’s a lot more meat in the pot; it just sank when I added it.

10. Stir in the cream and taste for seasonings, adjusting with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladling up a scoop of the ham and potato soup.

11. Serve the soup as is or garnish with parsley, fresh thyme or an extra grind of pepper.

Pro-Tips:

If you don’t have a blender, you can use a food processor or an immersion blender. (Immersion blenders take a bit more time and won’t necessarily leave whole diced potatoes in the soup, but they make it a one-pot recipe with little else to clean.)
If you want a lighter soup, you can substitute whole milk for the cream, but add it just before serving and don’t heat the soup to a boil; milk can curdle in a way that cream won’t.
This soup thickens as it chills. Thin leftovers with a splash of water or cream when reheating.

Swaps and Variations:

No ham bone? A smoked ham hock plus a bone-in ham steak gets you the same result.
For more punch–add 2-3 cloves of finely minced garlic after sautéing the mirepoix.
Want it fully smooth? Blend the whole pot instead of half for a classic pureed potato soup.
Dietary requirements? Swap the cream for a dairy-free milk.
Add more veg–frozen corn or green peas are great to add at the last minute.
For more richness–sauté the vegetables in equal parts olive oil and butter.
Top with grated cheddar cheese–it’ll melt into the hot potato soup with ham, creating a cheese pull with every bite.

FAQs

How do you make ham and potato soup from a ham bone?

Sweat the vegetables, then simmer the ham bone in plain water for 20 minutes before adding the potatoes —the bone does all the seasoning, so there’s no need for stock. Once the potatoes are tender, pick the meat off the bone, blend half the soup for thickness, and stir the ham back in. This is a very budget-friendly meal.

Can I make a ham and potato soup without a ham bone?

Yes — a smoked ham hock plus a bone-in ham steak gives you the same smoky depth and enough meat to shred into the finished soup.

What’s the best potato for potato soup?

Yukon Golds are the right call — they hold their shape when diced but turn naturally creamy once part of the batch is blended. You can also use russets or red potatoes.

How do you thicken potato soup without flour?

Blend part of the cooked potatoes back into the broth. The starch does the thickening — no roux or flour needed.

Can you freeze ham and potato soup?

You can freeze this soup; however, the cream can separate or turn grainy after freezing, so I recommend freezing the soup BEFORE the cream is added. Don’t add it until you’ve reheated to serve.

Serving saltines with the ham potato soup.

Storage:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Reheating:

Reheat over medium heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave in 30-45 second bursts, stirring between each.

Freezing:

Dairy products like cream can separate or turn grainy when frozen. For the best results, don’t add the cream before freezing.
Freeze the soup for 2-3 months.
After defrosting and reheating, stir in the cream.

Serving crackers with a bowl of the soup.

A ham bone that would otherwise get tossed turns into a full pot of dinner here — thick, savory, and stretched with vegetables you probably already have in the crisper drawer. It’s a great way to stretch your food dollar and use what you’ve got. It makes a delicious bowl of soup that’s perfect for a cold winter day.

More ways to use a leftover ham bone:

A bowl of ham and potato soup with pepper and thyme.

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