White bowl with scoop of ham and potato chowder being poured on top of soup already in the bowl with red stockpot in the background all on marble surface.

Ham & Potato Chowder

Name: Ham & Potato Chowder
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 62 min
Total time: 77 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 medium onion (diced); 3 ribs celery (diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 ½ tsp kosher salt; ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 cups chopped carrots; 1 ½ lb red potatoes (diced); 1 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 stem fresh rosemary; 4 cups chicken stock; 1 cup heavy cream; ½ lb ham (diced); 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Kaleb Wyse

Last modified on August 7, 2024

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This ham and potato chowder is one of the most comforting soups to make during the winter months. This traditional and homey soup takes little work to prepare and has pieces of ham, cheese, and of course, potatoes. Together, they form a delicious, hot meal for any cold day of the year. Make it once, and you’ll want it again and again!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 2

Total Time 1 17

Table of Contents

This potato chowder is the soup recipe to make.
Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
Here’s how to make this recipe.
These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
You'll love these other soup recipes.
Watch how to make this recipe.
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
Ham & Potato Chowder Recipe

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This potato chowder is the soup recipe to make.

A chowder is a soup that’s thickened with milk and a roux. The ingredients can vary and change, with many areas having a chowder than defines them. This potato chowder is a simple soup. As a family, we would often make this soup around the holidays when we gathered together. The flavors satisfy all ages. The base of onion and celery creates the layer and is fortified with carrots and ham. Potatoes are the main ingredient. The key is using red-skinned potatoes. As they cook, some will break down and give body to the soup while others will hold their texture. Instead of using a roux to thicken, some of the potatoes and vegetables are blended until smooth and added back to the soup. This is a great way to have a thick and hearty soup without the work or added ingredients of a roux. The result is a chowder-like soup full of flavor that will please everyone.

Large red stockpot filled with light yellow colored soup with white bowl to the side also filled with potato chowder with potatoes and parsley as well.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

Butter has a richer, more well-rounded flavor. Since potatoes do not have a ton of flavor on their own, butter is used to heighten their impact in the soup.
Potatoes are the main ingredient. Red-skinned potatoes work well. Red-skinned potatoes cook quickly and have a great texture in the soup. No need to peel these thin-skinned potatoes, which will help with prep time.
Carrots are cut slightly larger than the other vegetables. To ensure the carrots do not break down into mush, they have enough size that helps them hold their structure.
Ham is an easy way to add a lot of flavor. If there is leftover ham from a big meal, this is a great way to use it. Otherwise, buy a ham steak at the grocery store for a quick and easy protein.

White marble surface filled with all ingredients needed to make ham and potato chowder including potatoes, ham, carrots, celery, cheese, herbs, spices, and more.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

Cook the onion and celery. In a stockpot, melt the butter. Chop the onion and dice the celery and add to the stockpot once the butter has fully melted. Let these two ingredients sauté until they become softened. Then add in the minced garlic, salt, and black pepper, and cook for 30 seconds to one minute.

Slice the potatoes and carrots. While the onion and celery are sautéing, slice the carrots and potatoes. For the carrots, cut them into half-circle pieces. For the potatoes, dice them into somewhat small pieces, roughly 1/2-inch in size.

Add the vegetables and liquid. Once the garlic has been added and has cooked, add the chopped carrots and potatoes to the stockpot. Along with the vegetables, add in the sprig of fresh rosemary and fresh thyme along with the chicken stock. Stir everything together and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes.

Blend the potatoes. Once the soup has simmered, remove the herbs and discard them. Using a ladle, remove some of the potatoes to a separate bowl. With a countertop blender or immersion blender, blend together this separate amount of potatoes until smooth. Add the blended mixture back to the stockpot along with the cream and stir until combined.

Add the ham and let simmer. Chop up the ham into bite-size cubes and add it to the soup and cheddar cheese. Stir these into the soup and let it simmer for 10 minutes until the ham has warmed through. Once warm, serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkled on top (optional).

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

Cooking garlic slightly to reduce the raw flavor that’s implicit in garlic is very important. However, make sure not to cook the garlic for too long, as garlic can burn quickly. Cooking for about 30 seconds to one minute should be the correct length of time necessary.
If you have any leftover mashed potatoes or ham from the holidays, this is the perfect recipe to use them up! Simply add the mashed potatoes as an additional thickening agent and slice up any leftover ham into bite-size pieces.
Do not worry if some carrots or celery end up being blended with the potatoes. This may slightly affect the soup’s color but will not affect the resulting texture.

Ladle holding serving of ham and potato chowder over top of stockpot below holding the rest of the soup with pieces of carrot and ham showing through.

Frequently asked questions about this recipe.

Will any potato work in this recipe?

Yes, but I prefer red-skinned potatoes for this recipe. This specific type of potato gets soft but can still maintain its structure.

Can this recipe be made vegetarian?

Yes, simply switch out the chicken stock for vegetable stock and leave out the chopped ham.

Can this soup be frozen once prepared? What is the best way to freeze it if so?

Yes, freezing soup is a great way to extend the life of leftovers. As with any cooked vegetable, the carrots could become slightly soft during freezing but will still be good.

You’ll love these other soup recipes.

Watch how to make this recipe.

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