Is it strange to be more excited about the recipes you can make with holiday leftovers than you are about the holiday meal itself? Not when Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup is waiting to be made! I developed the recipe for this luscious, cheesy soup to utilize leftover holiday ham and mashed potatoes, but it’s so incredibly delicious that I will not be waiting for another holiday to make it again. I gave my Mom a bowl of it to take home after watching the boys for a bit a few weeks ago, and got a text two minutes after she got home saying “soup is sooooo good!!”
Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup
Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup is a cinch to stir together, and made even easier if you have leftover ham and mashed potatoes on hand. Fresh vegetables are sauted in butter then simmered with a combination of milk and chicken broth, thickened with prepared mashed potatoes, then jazzed up with freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese and cubed ham. If you like cheesy soups, this one is going to become a favorite. It’s decadent, thick, and creamy, and the ham bobbing in each spoonful is such a treat. Trust me and steer hungry Uncle Jim away from taking thirds of ham and mashed potatoes at the holiday dinner table this year – you’ve got soup to make!
How to Make This Recipe
Start by adding chopped carrots, celery, shallot or onion, and dried thyme to melted butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper then saute until the vegetables are softened 8-10 minutes. Add minced garlic then saute for 30 seconds.
Next, sprinkle in gluten free flour (or AP flour if not GF,) then stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add splashes of chicken broth and milk while stirring to create a smooth sauce then turn the heat up to medium-high to bring the soup up to a simmer. Then turn the heat back down to medium then simmer until the soup is slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes.
Next add prepared mashed potatoes then whisk vigorously until smooth. Of course feel free to use homemade though I do love both Simply Potatoes and Bob Evans’ gluten free prepared mashed potatoes, which are delicious and convenient!
Last step is to pull the soup off the heat then sprinkle in freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese a little bit at a time, stirring until the cheese is completely melted before adding more. Finally add cubed ham then stir to combine.
Let the soup sit off the heat for 10 minutes to thicken, taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary, then ladle into bowls. I’m telling you – there is nothing better than this decadent, thick and cheesy soup. Enjoy, enjoy!
Like this recipe? Share it with friends!
