Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup

overhead view of 2 bowls of soup with black slow cooker in background

Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup is the comfort food that feeds a crowd and satisfies every craving! This budget-friendly meal is perfect for using up leftover holiday ham, or a ham steak any time of year. Packed with potatoes, veggies, and ham, and finished with a creamy, cheesy broth, it's a soup you'll want to repeat again and again.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 30

Servings

Calories 415kcal

Author Jennifer Draper

Equipment

Slow Cooker
Blender or immersion blender

Ingredients

1 pound ham steak diced in ¼ inch cubes
1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes diced
2 medium carrots diced
2 celery stalks diced
1 small yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
3 cups chicken broth or stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

Finish

1 cup half-and-half
8 oz freshly shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
Salt to taste
Sliced green onions for serving

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Add ham, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, broth, thyme, pepper, and smoked paprika to slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until potatoes are very tender.
Using a ladle, transfer about 2-3 scoops of soup to a blender. Blend until smooth and return mixture to the slow cooker, or give the soup a couple of pulses with an immersion blender.
Stir in half-and-half.
Add shredded white cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until melted and smooth.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Depending on the ham used, you may need little or no additional salt.
Serve soup topped with sliced green onions and additional white cheddar if desired.

Notes

Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or half-and-half as needed to loosen the texture after refrigeration.
Dice the potatoes into evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.
Cook the potatoes just until they're fork-tender to prevent them from becoming mushy.
For a thicker soup, mash a few potatoes in the slow cooker or remove and blend a small portion of the soup before stirring it back in.
If blending hot soup, use caution by tightly securing the blender lid or use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker.
Salt to taste at the end of cooking, since different types of ham can vary in saltiness.
Add dairy at the end of cooking to maintain a smooth texture and prevent separation.

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