This slow cooker ham and potato soup is a cool weather staple around here and it’s easy to make.
This is a simple, quick, and creamy potato soup loaded with sweet carrots and tender ham cooks—it’s so easy that it practically cooks itself.
Few things are as comforting as coming home to dinner after a busy day of work or errands!
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights For Ham & Potato Soup
- Flavor: This slow cooker ham and potato soup is creamy with a homestyle flavor and a slight tang from the sour cream.
- Consistency: This recipe is a soup, and while it’s thicker than many soups, it’s not as thick as a chowder. It can be thickened according to the notes below.
- Difficulty: Super easy! This is a great soup for beginners.
- Recommended tools: To save prep time, I use this chopper for the carrots and onions. It’s one of my favorite kitchen tools.
- Flavor booster: If you have a ham bone from leftover baked ham, add it to the slow cooker for extra flavor.
- Leftovers: This soup tastes just as good leftover as it does the day you made it-perfect for lunches all week.
- Serving suggestions: Pair it with 30 Minute Dinner Rolls or crusty bread.
Ham for Soup
Use leftovers if you have them from either baked ham or Crock Pot Ham. If you’ve got a ham bone, add that as well.
If you don’t have leftovers, ham steaks are an inexpensive option.
How To Thicken Potato Soup
This slow cooker ham and potato soup recipe is not quite as thick as a potato chowder but easy to thicken. I use the vegetables in the soup to thicken it without adding a lot of heavy cream or butter.
- Mash veggies – Remove two to three cups of potatoes and carrots and mash them before adding them back to the soup Crock Pot.
- Option: Potato flakes – If you’d like to thicken it further, add some potato flakes which are great to have on hand for thickening all kinds of things!
- Option: Cornstarch – You can also create a cornstarch slurry (equal parts cornstarch and water), stir it in, and let it simmer in the crock pot for 15 minutes on high.
Leftovers and Freezing
Store leftover soup in the fridge for up to four days. This Ham and Potato soup recipe freezes well. Cool it completely, transfer it to freezer bags or an airtight container, and freeze for up to four months.
Thaw in the fridge overnight and heat in the microwave or stovetop.
More Slow Cooker Recipes You'll Love
Did you enjoy this Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds potatoes about 7 cups diced
- 2 to 3 cups diced ham
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk or cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- potato flakes for thickening, optional*
Instructions
- If using russet or baking potatoes, peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into ¾-inch pieces.
- In a 6qt slow cooker, add potatoes, ham, onion, carrot, ham, parsley, thyme and salt and pepper. Pour the broth overtop.
- Cook on low for 7 hours or high for 3 hours or until the potatoes are tender.
- Transfer 2 to 3 cups of the potatoes and carrots to a bowl. Mash them and return the mashed mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add the milk and sour cream. Stir and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Soup
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Thanks for the recipe. One question, after you remove the 2 cups of potatoes and carrots, then immediately return the mash, what do you do with the potatoes and carrots? I didn’t see directions to add them later or mash them? What is the point of removing them, if you are supposed just return them back to the pot? Sorry, just a bit confused.
Thanks!
You mash the potatoes and carrots and return them to the soup.
I have made this before and it turned out extremely well. However, I forgot to throw everything in the crockpot this morning before I left for work. Do you think I could make it the same way on the stove, but just cook it until the potatoes and carrots are soft enough to mash?
Yes, this would definitely work on the stove. I’ve made it that way before too. My Cordon Bleu Soup recipe is very similar and has stove top directions. Hope that helps.
Holly, I love your recipes! I have used others but this one is spectacular! Looking for recipes for potato soup brought me back to your site and it fit the bill! I’ve never made potato soup like this, I know that I and my family are going to just die over this.
Thanks for your brilliant recipes!
Karen, thank you for your message, I’m so happy you love this as much as I do! :)
This was a huge crowd pleaser at dinner tonight! Wonderful flavor and it filled us up without having to add bread, we just ate a bit of tossed salad with it. Perfect dinner!
I just made this today and I am quite disappointed. I must have missed something because it timeout a watery and tasteless. It tastes really watered down. I do not know how to jazz it up to resurrect it.The children and hubs will likely not eat this the way it is. Any suggestions?
I have this cooking now! My house smells amazing. I will add corn and also some cheese to it! I’m very excited to try it!
I did this recipe. It came out great! I used about 4 more potatoes (left the skin on) and beef bouillon cubes – I was out of chicken stock and cubes. I also put in 2 more cups of water, 1/2 cup cream cheese and 1 tablespoon garlic powder. It came out amazing!
So glad you enjoyed it Mel!
all I have is chicken broth. what is the difference between ready to serve and regular. how do I make regular broth ready to serve?
Ready to serve doesn’t require water to be added. If you add water to the soup per the directions on the can it will work perfectly. Measure the broth once the water has been added.
question – I’m a new cook and am cooking this right now – however I have a question – when you say remove 2-3 cups then return it – why? Are you doing something to the 2-3 cups you take out?
Yes, you will mash the portion that you remove and then add it back into the soup.
i put my masher, right in the crockpot. IMO – no need to take any out. it all works, in the end and it’s just messing up more dishes, to clean.
Thank you for the great tip Tina!!
I have this coming in the crockpot now. So excited to try it!
I have it cooking now. Stinking auto correct!
Enjoy Lisa, we love this soup!
Does the ham need to be cooked before adding to the recipe?
The ham doesn’t need to be pre-cooked. It will cook in the slow cooker. Enjoy!
I have this soup in my slow cooker. It has been on high, for three hours, and the potatoes are not near done. Still very hard. I anticipated this, when I got it going, so not a big deal. Just wanted to let others know, if they are not accustomed to cooking potatoes, in a slow cooker.
I’m planning on making this tomorrow and am hoping you can tell me how many servings this makes, and about how big those servings would be? Thank you!
This makes about 8 1 cup servings.
I am currently making this soup and the smell is incredible, I have been cooking it on high for three hours but carrots/potatoes are still not soft enough to mash. My crockpot is fairly new so may have to extend cooking time to four hours. Anxious to finish up and eat!!
Tried making this for dinner tonight, and I too am having a tough time after the 3 hours on high. The potatoes and carrots are still WAY too hard to mash. I’ll have to let it cook longer and save it for tomorrow’s dinner. Smells delicious though…
This soup had great flavor. I added a stock of celery. Next time I make this I would cut down the broth and increase the milk. I would wisk 1/4 cup flour into the milk before adding so it would be thicker also.
A shortcut for thickening potato soup, Mix in some mashed potato flakes, it thickens instantly.
Great idea!
I made this today and can’t say enough good things about this soup! Delicious! That being said, I followed the recipe with one minor mistake…oops I put fresh cilantro in the soup instead of parsley! I was talking away with my nephew, who was visiting and never realized it was cilantro…haha! I went to add some more fresh “parsley” to the soup before serving, when I realized my mistake! My husband and son couldn’t stop raving about how delicious it was (and they aren’t crazy about cilantro). I told them what happened, they thought it was funny and both went for seconds! I consider it a success! Thank you for the great recipe, and so easy too!
LOL.. oops about the cilantro, I’ve done that before too!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Loriane! We love it too…
I am making this now. I adjusted it a bit, adding extra seasonings, corn, and of course lots of love. Looking forward to a yummy smelling house for the rest of the day!
Hooray for my new crock pot!
Yay for a new Crock Pot, definitely one of my favorite appliances!
I just made this soup. It is excellent! I am going to take some to my brothers house this evening and have a great meal with him. He will love it. Thank you for the great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Karen!
Adding to our menu plan! Does this freeze well? I’d like to make a big batch and be able to freeze a couple meals.
I haven’t tried freezing it but hopefully someone else has and can let you know how it worked out!
Cooked potatoes generally don’t freeze very well. They tend to become “grainy” when they defrost.
I don’t believe I have ever had this, I am going to try it for sure. Thanks for sharing.;)