Ham and Potato Soup (Without Milk)

This homemade old fashioned Healthy Ham and Potato Soup recipe is easy and a great way to use leftover ham! It's made without milk or dairy.

This Ham Potato Soup is just the thing to make when you're looking to use up leftover ham from the holidays. If you've got a bag of potatoes in your pantry and some carrots in the veggie drawer of your fridge 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 stay warm during the winter months, and allows us to utilize any leftovers that might be sitting around in the fridge. This soup is all of the above.

I was recently given a few bags of potatoes from someone in town who had an overabundance of them and I was all too happy to put them to good use.

Many potato soup recipes are laden with dairy and lots of cheese but this one is on the lighter side as it uses no dairy at all. One thing this soup does not skimp on is flavor.

It's got that cozy comfort food factor that we're all craving now that the weather has turned cold.

Jump to:

• Which Potato Is Best For Ham and Potato Soup?
• Do I Need To Peel The Potatoes First?
• How To Make Leftover Ham Potato Soup
• How Long Does This Soup Take To Cook?
• How To Thicken Potato Soup without Dairy
• What To Serve With Healthy Ham Potato Soup
• How Long Does Ham Potato Soup Last In The Fridge?
• Ham and Potato Soup (Without Milk)

Which Potato Is Best For Ham and Potato Soup?

I am normally ALL about red potatoes - I use them to make Herb Roasted Potatoes, Mediterranean Potato Salad, and Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Soup.

Red potatoes and other waxy potatoes are tend to hold their texture when used in soups and stews and are generally lower in starch.

I'm breaking my own rule with this Ham and Potato Soup and opting for Russet Potatoes. Russet potatoes work well for this recipe because that starchy texture helps to thicken this soup.

The potatoes become soft as they cook and in this case that's a good thing.

Do I Need To Peel The Potatoes First?

I'm breaking another rule with this recipe and recommending that the potatoes be peeled before adding them to the soup.

I love the texture of potato skins in things like Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Ranch Roasted Potatoes and would normally recommend leaving them on but in this case the skins would likely create a weird texture so it's best to peel them first.

Ingredients For Ham and Potato Soup:

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion (any color)
• 2 stalks Celery
• 5-6 large Carrots (3 cups)
• 4-6 Russet Potatoes (5 cups)
• 1 lb. Ham Steak or Leftover Ham
• 5 cups Low-Sodium Gluten Free Chicken Broth (or any chicken broth if not GF)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (split)
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt
• ½ tsp. Pepper

How To Make Leftover Ham Potato Soup

As far as homemade soups to this one is SO easy to make.

1. The first step is to mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
2. Chop 2 stalks of celery into small pieces.
3. Cut 5-6 large carrots into slices (equals ~3 cups).
4. Peel 4-5 Russet potatoes and cut them into cubes (equals ~5 cups).
5. Cut 1 lb. ham steak or leftover ham into cubes.

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. Place the Dutch oven or soup pot on the stove top and heat it to medium-high. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil.
2. Once the oil is heated add the cubed ham to the soup pot and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Once the ham has been sauteed remove it from the soup pot and set aside.
3. Add another 1 Tbsp. olive oil along with the minced garlic, onions, and celery. Saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add the carrots along with ¼ tsp. kosher salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.

How Long Does This Soup Take To Cook?

Once the veggies are sauteed it's time to add the broth.

I like to use low-sodium chicken broth because ham is pretty salty and regular chicken broth may make the soup too salty.

You can also use ½ chicken broth and ½ water or substitute water and leave the chicken broth out entirely if sodium is an issue for you.

1. Once the carrots have sauteed for 4-5 minutes, add 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth. Bring the soup to a boil, cover, and reduce to a low boil.
2. Cook for 15 minutes on a low boil.
3. After 15 minutes, remove the cover and add the diced potatoes and ham.
4. Return the cover and cook on a low boil for another 15-20 minutes.

Cooking times may vary slightly. The potatoes should be soft, but not mushy near the end of the cooking time.

How To Thicken Potato Soup without Dairy

This Ham and Potato Soup is thick and hearty but it's made with no dairy or heavy cream which is usually used to thicken soups like this one.

I discovered this trick a few years ago and am kind of in love with it.

1. To thicken the soup remove 1 cup of the diced potatoes and place them in a small bowl. Mash them with a fork or potato masher.
2. Return the mashed potatoes to the soup and stir until combined.
3. Add 1 tsp. Italian seasoning to the soup and stir until combined.
4. Cook for another 2 minutes or so.

If you would like a creamier texture simply mash more of the potatoes. You can mash all of the potatoes if you like or you can skip the mashing process altogether and leave all the potatoes cubed.

If you choose not to mash the potatoes the soup will have a more 'broth-y' texture.

Alternately, you can thicken the soup even more by scooping out a cup of the broth and adding a few tsp. corn starch to it. Stir the corn starch into the broth and return it to the soup. (This is completely optional).

What To Serve With Healthy Ham Potato Soup

Once the carrots and potatoes have softened and the texture is to your liking the soup is ready to serve!

I love soups like this one served with some toasty bread or garlic toast.

A grilled sandwich or panini like this Chipotle Chicken Panini, Dijon Chicken Grilled Cheese, or Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwiches are all great pairings.

A Lemon Basil BLT or Mediterranean Naan Pizza are also delicious options.

If you like healthy soups I think you'll love these recipes:

• Sweet Potato Kale Soup
• Tuscan Vegetable Soup
• Crockpot Tortilla Soup
• Hearty Lentil Soup
• Lentil Sausage Soup
• Chunky Vegetable Soup with Pesto
• Healthy Root Vegetable Soup
• Italian Vegetable Soup
• Cannellini Bean Kale Soup
• Mediterranean Vegetable Soup

How Long Does Ham Potato Soup Last In The Fridge?

This soup lasts 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Make sure to allow the soup to come to room temperature before storing in the fridge.

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

Can This Soup Be Frozen?

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

How To Freeze:

Prepare the soup according to the instructions and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, place the soup in heavy-duty freezer bags or in airtight containers. Store up to 3 months in the freezer.

How To Reheat:

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

This soup is perfect for using up leftover holiday ham and easy enough to prepare for a weeknight dinner.

Looking for more dairy free soups? Check out these recipes!

• Carrot Ginger Soup
• Lemongrass Potato Corn Chowder
• Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
• Curried Cauliflower Potato Soup
• Dairy Free Chicken Noodle Soup

If you've got leftover turkey this holiday season be sure to check out this Turkey Soup, Turkey Stew, and Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup!

For more leftover ham recipes check out this Instant Pot Split Pea Ham Soup, Ham and Cheese Egg Cups, and Ham and Cheese Frittata!

Looking For More Hearty Soup Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Chicken and Corn Chowder

Udon Noodle Soup with Mushrooms and Bok Choy

Caldo de Pollo Mexican Chicken Soup

Sweet Potato Pork Stew