Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup

Creamy slow cooker ham potato soup with soft chunks of buttery potatoes and salty-sweet ham is perfect with a salad or just some crusty bread.

Ham and Potato Chowder

The first time I made this soup, I was staring into the refrigerator over Thanksgiving weekend and I really didn’t feel like warming up another plate of leftovers. (This is what tends to happen when you accidentally wind up with triple the amount of ham and potatoes your family could possibly eat!)

I saw the container -okay, technically, it was pretty much a vat- of potatoes and a big package of ham. So, I decided to see if I could improvise with what we had and come up with a new Baked Potato Soup recipe.

Potato Soup with Ham

The improvised soup turned out fabulously and there was hardly a bite left over.

We loved that soup so much, I wanted to make it again, but I don’t typically have a mountain of mashed potatoes just waiting around to be used on a regular basis.

If you DO happen to have a whole lot of mashed potatoes in the fridge already, just skip the diced potatoes in the recipe below and add the mashed potatoes in after the other vegetables have softened.

Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup

Simple ingredients come together in this belly-warming creamy potato chowder. The classic trio of celery, carrots, and onions work with the potatoes as a perfect base for the salty chunks of ham.

Once you have all the vegetables and ham in the slow cooker, season with salt and pepper and pour in the chicken broth. Set on low and cook for 6 hours. (If you’re in a hurry, this will finish in about 4 hours when cooked on high.)

Potato Ham Chowder

As the soup nears the end of the cooking time, ladle out some of the broth and whisk flour into it. (This creates a smooth slurry that will be used to thicken the soup.)

Using a potato masher, give the soup a few mashes to break up the potatoes and softened vegetables. If you used mashed potatoes instead of diced potatoes, skip this step.

Add the flour slurry back to the crock pot along with the heavy cream. Stir to combine.

Heavy cream, milk, or half and half will all work well in this recipe. For a lighter chowder, use milk in place of the cream. We enjoy the smooth richness of cream in soups and chowders but feel free to use whichever dairy product you have on hand.

Allow the soup to cook for a few minutes, to warm it back up after adding the cold cream. Taste and adjust the seasonings, as needed. Potatoes can take more seasoning than you might think, so make sure you’ve used enough salt to bring out all of the flavors here.

This soup may be held on a warm (lowest possible) crockpot setting for up to 2 hours once it is ready. Serve with plenty of crusty bread for dipping.

If you are in the mood to bake something amazing while this is simmering in the crockpot, this rosemary bread is spectacular with the ham and potato chowder.

Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:

First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.

My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?

For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.

Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.

If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.

Potato Chowder Recipe

You will need these ingredients for this recipe:

• yellow potatoes 
• yellow onion 
• celery ribs
• carrots
• cooked ham
• kosher salt 
• ground black pepper 
• chicken broth
• flour
• heavy cream, half and half, or milk

Generous seasoning is crucial in simple recipes like this one. How much salt you need will be dependent on the saltiness of your ham and chicken broth.

Start with about a teaspoon of salt and continue stirring, salting, and tasting the soup until it tastes perfect. I frequently add almost 2 teaspoons of salt to this soup.

Slow Cooker Soups and Stews

The set-it-and-forget-it aspect of the slow cooker is no doubt a major factor in my love of this appliance. It’s perfect for this ham and potato soup and so many more soups and stews too.

With a rich ham flavor and a balanced combination of potatoes, leeks, and split peas, this slow cooker split pea soup is a very pleasant surprise.

White Chicken Chili is a creamy soup filled with tender chunks of chicken, soft white beans, green chile, and plenty of spices. Truly more soup than chili, this has been one of our favorite rainy day meals for several years now. 

Spicy sausage, tender noodles, and a melty cheese topping, this Lasagna Soup recipe has all your favorite Italian ingredients simmered together in one pot.

This creamy, rich slow cooker potato soup with a sprinkling of rosemary and thyme simmers in the crock-pot throughout the day, until you are ready to eat. I’ve been calling this my “Busy Day Potato Soup” for years.

Slow-Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup is full of seasoned beef, rice, bell peppers, and plenty of rich flavors. The first time I made this soup, I suspected it was going to be a hit with my family and I was right.

Spicy Five Bean Chili with Steak and Sausage is a family favorite all winter long. Start it in the morning and let it simmer on its own all day. Does anything smell better in the fall than a spicy pot of chili or chowder simmering on the stove?

{originally published 12/1/2014 – notes and photos updated 4/5/23}