Ham and Potato Soup (Without Milk)

This gluten free Ham and Potato Soup recipe is healthy and made without milk or dairy. It's homemade and a great way to use up leftover ham!

This Ham Potato Soup is just the thing if you've got some leftover ham on hand. If you've got a bag of potatoes in your pantry and some carrots in the refrigerator vegetable drawer you're good to go.

It is my firm belief that you can never have too many soup recipes. Soup is great for so many reasons. It's easy to make, inexpensive, feeds a family, helps us to stay warm during the winter months, and is a great way to utilize any leftovers that we might have on hand. This soup is all of the above.

Many potato soup recipes out there are laden with heavy cream and lots of cheese, but this one is on the lighter side as it uses no dairy at all.

This old fashioned ham potato soup is made in a Dutch oven on the stove top using simple ingredients and simmered in a savory broth.

It might be made without dairy, but this it's got the cozy comfort food factor that we're all craving now that the weather is turning cold.

Jump to:

• Which Potatoes Are Best For Ham Potato Soup?
• Do I Need To Peel The Potatoes First?
• Ingredients For Ham and Potato Soup
• What Type Of Ham Is Best For Soup?
• How To Make Ham and Potato Soup
• How Long Does This Soup Take To Cook?
• How To Thicken Soup Without Milk or Dairy
• How To Thicken The Soup Even More
• What To Serve With Potato Ham Soup
• How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Ham and Potato Soup (Without Milk)

Which Potatoes Are Best For Ham Potato Soup?

In general, I prefer waxy varieties of potatoes such as Yukon gold or red potatoes when making soup. Waxy potatoes are low in starch and tend to hold their shape, making them a great choice for chunky soups like this Italian vegetable soup.

However, when it comes to this Ham and Potato Soup, I recommend Russets (also known as Idaho potatoes), or any other starchy potato variety.

Russet potatoes are high in starch and tend to soak up liquids, making them an ideal choice for this soup. It's made without milk or dairy, and the starch from the potatoes helps to naturally thicken the broth.

Do I Need To Peel The Potatoes First?

Normally, I do not peel potatoes before adding them to soup, but I do recommend peeling the Russet potatoes when preparing this Ham and Potato Soup.

The skins of Russet potatoes are rough and do not break down easily, which would create an unappealing texture. For the best results, I recommend peeling the potatoes first.

Ingredients For Ham and Potato Soup

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion (any color)
• 4 stalks Celery
• 4-5 large Carrots (yields 3-4 cups chopped)
• 4-6 Russet (also known as Idaho) Potatoes (yields 5 heaping cups chopped)
• 1 lb. Ham Steak or Leftover Ham
• 5 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (split)
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• ½ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper
• Minced chives or herbs of choice for garnish (optional)

What Type Of Ham Is Best For Soup?

The great thing about this soup is that you can use any type of ham you have on hand.

It can be made with a ham steak, sliced quarter ham, diced ham, spiral ham, boneless or bone-in ham, or any type of leftover ham.

I love to make soups like this one when I'm looking to use up some leftover holiday ham from Easter or Christmas.

Whichever type of ham you choose, it's best to dice it into chunks. The ham is first sautéed in olive oil and cutting it into chunks allows the edges to become caramelized and draws out the fat, which helps to create a rich and flavorful broth.

How To Make Ham and Potato Soup

This is a simple soup recipe and requires no fancy ingredients or cooking techniques.

It starts by mincing the garlic, onions, and celery, peeling and chopping the potatoes and carrots, and dicing the ham that goes into making the soup.

I love to use a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot to make soups like this one. They're large enough to fit the soup, distribute heat evenly, and are just generally indestructible.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
2. Finely dice 4 stalks of celery.
3. Peel and slice 4-5 large carrots (yields 3-4 cups of chopped carrots). Feel free to chop the slices into halves or quarters if desired.
4. Peel 4-6 Russet (also known as Idaho) potatoes and cut them into chunks, making sure they are relatively equal in size to ensure even cooking (yields 5 heaping cups chopped potatoes).
5. Cut 1 lb. ham steak, quartered ham, or leftover ham into cubes.
6. Place a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil.
7. Once heated (the ham should sizzle as it hits the oil), add the chopped ham to the soup pot and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. The ham should brown slightly and some of the fat should render. Once the ham has sautéed, remove it from the pot and set aside.
8. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil along with the minced garlic, onions, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring often.
9. Add the chopped carrots, along with ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Sauté the carrots for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.

How Long Does This Soup Take To Cook?

Once all of the ham and veggies are sautéed, it doesn't take long for this soup to cook on the stove top.

Once the broth is added to the soup, it cooks on a low boil for 15 minutes. This helps to soften the carrots. After 15 minutes, the potatoes and ham are added to the soup and it cooks for another 8-10 minutes on a low boil.

I recommend using a low sodium chicken broth to help control the sodium levels when making this soup, as ham is naturally quite salty.

You can also sub half of the chicken broth for water if you are concerned about sodium levels.

1. After the veggies have sautéed, add 5 cups of low sodium chicken broth and 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning to the pot. Stir until incorporated.
2. Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a low boil, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
3. After 15 minutes, remove the cover, and add the diced potatoes and ham.
4. Return the soup to a boil, reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for another 8-10 minutes.

Cooking times may vary slightly.

The carrots should be soft, but not mushy and the potatoes easily pierced with a fork at the end of the cooking time.

How To Thicken Soup Without Milk or Dairy

As mentioned, many potato soups are prepared with heavy cream, milk, or some form of dairy. Dairy products help to thicken potato soup and create a rich and creamy texture.

I find that adding dairy to soups and stews tends to overwhelm all of the other ingredients and generally prefer them to be made without it.

The broth of this Ham and Potato Soup is thickened by removing some of the potatoes near the end of the cooking time, mashing them with a fork or a potato masher, and then adding the mashed potatoes back into the soup.

The starch from the potatoes helps to create more of a rich and 'creamy' broth without the use of dairy products or flour.

1. At the end of the cooking time, remove 1-2 cups of the diced potatoes and place them in a small bowl. Mash them with a fork or a potato masher.
2. Return the mashed potatoes to the soup and stir until completely combined.
3. Cook the soup for another 2 minutes. Once finished, remove the Dutch oven from the stove top, so that the potatoes do not overcook and become mushy.

How To Thicken The Soup Even More

Even with the addition of the mashed potatoes, this soup is still not as 'creamy' as a traditional potato soup.

Here are some tips to create a thicker texture:

• For a thicker texture, simply mash more of the potatoes. You can mash all of the potatoes if you like, or alternately you can skip the mashing process altogether and leave all the potatoes cubed if you prefer a thinner broth.
• You can also thicken the soup by scooping out a cup of the broth using a glass measuring cup. Add 1-2 Tbsp. of corn starch, arrowroot powder, or thickener of choice and stir to create a slurry. Pour the slurry into the soup and stir until completely combined.
• If dairy isn't an issue for you, feel free to add some heavy cream or whole milk to create a thicker, creamier texture.

What To Serve With Potato Ham Soup

Once the soup is finished, feel free to garnish it with some fresh minced herbs like chives or parsley for freshness. This step is entirely optional.

I love soups with a savory broth like this one served with some warm, crusty bread, garlic bread, or foccacia for dipping.

It's also great with these cheddar chive scones or homemade biscuits.

Soup of any kind is delicious paired with a toasted sandwich or grilled cheese like this Italian grilled cheese, Gouda chicken grilled cheese, or Reuben sandwich.

For a healthy side, check out this harvest wild rice salad, maple mustard Brussels sprouts, or roasted green beans.

Love soup? Check out these recipes!

• Sausage Lentil Kale Soup
• Harvest Vegetable Soup
• Potato Leek Cauliflower Soup
• Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
• Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Soup
• Chunky Butternut Squash Sausage Soup

How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?

This soup lasts 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Make sure to allow the soup to come to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator for storage.

It's a great soup to prepare on a Sunday or Monday and enjoy for lunch throughout the week!

Can It Be Frozen?

This soup makes a great freezer meal as it contains no dairy.

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the soup according to the recipe instructions and allow to cool completely.
2. Once cooled, place the soup in heavy-duty freezer bags or in freezer-safe airtight containers.
3. Label with the date and store up to 3 months in the freezer.

How To Reheat

1. Place the containers of frozen soup in the fridge for 24 hours to thaw.
2. Place the soup in a Dutch Oven or soup pan and heat thoroughly on the stove top.

Looking for more leftover ham recipes? Don't miss these!

• Instant Pot Split Pea Ham Soup
• Ham and Cheese Egg Cups
• Ham and Cheese Frittata

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Chicken and Corn Chowder

Udon Noodle Soup

Caldo de Pollo Mexican Chicken Soup

Sweet Potato Pork Stew