January 26, 2026

Creamy Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup

Name: Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 7 h
Total time: 7 h 15 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 leftover Ham Bone* (see note below); 8 cups boiling Water; 1/2 of a Yellow Onion; 1 large rib Celery; 1 large Carrot; 3 stems fresh Parsley; 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns; 1 tablespoon Olive Oil; 1 Yellow Onion, diced; 2 Carrots, peeled and chopped; 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic; 2 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and diced; 1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme Leaves; 1 lb. leftover Ham, cubed; 1 cup Heavy Cream; 3 tablespoons flour; 3 cups roughly chopped Kale Leaves, stems and ribs discarded; Salt and Pepper, to taste; 2 dashes Cayenne

From the Kitchen of Katie Kick

Jump to Recipe

Not sure what to do with all that leftover holiday ham? This creamy Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup transforms your leftovers into a rich and creamy soup that takes just 15 minutes to throw together. It also uses the ham bone, which infuses the soup with so much flavor!

★★★★★

Lori says –

“I just made this for dinner and it was delicious! Even my 3 year old granddaughter ate it too!”

photo of a table with two white bowls with ham bone soup in them

This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

The Slow Cooker Soup I Always Make With Leftover Ham

Some people dread the mound of leftovers that comes with hosting any holiday gathering. Me? I live for those leftovers!

Leftover ham is a particular favorite of mine because it can be thrown into soups, salads, sandwiches, and more. A long-time family favorite has been this old-fashioned ham and potato soup, which uses both the ham meat and the ham bone.

Here’s why I think you should make this easy soup too:

✔ Quick, 15-Minute Prep: Even though you’re making the ham bone broth from scratch as well as the actual soup, the total hands-on prep time is just 15 minutes!

✔ Flexible Recipe: You can mix and match most of the ingredients in this recipe to use up what you have on hand. The carrots can be swapped out for butternut squash, the kale for spinach, the potatoes for white beans, and so on.

✔ Hearty, Comforting Flavor: There’s just 1 cup of heavy cream in this big batch soup recipe, so although it tastes cozy and rich, it’s not too heavy.

Enjoy!

-Katie

ham soup ingredients to make this ham bone soup recipe

The Main Ingredients

You can find the full list of ingredients with their measurements in the recipe card below. Here are the key ingredients you’ll need to make the homemade ham bone broth as well as the ham and potato soup.

Ham + Ham Bone — If you’re not ready to make this soup right away, remember that you can freeze both the ham and ham bone in a zip-top bag for several months. Then, add it straight to the slow cooker (no need to freeze first). And if you need a ham recipe to make, we love this brown sugar glazed ham and this honey glazed slow cooker ham.
Vegetables and Aromatics — A blend of yellow onion, carrot, celery and garlic add rich flavor to the soup.
Fresh Herbs — I prefer using parsley to make the ham broth and thyme to make the soup itself, but you can mix and match the herbs however you like. If using dried herbs, use 1/3 the amount called for because they’re more potent than fresh.
Potatoes — I prefer using Yukon Gold potatoes for making soup. They stay super creamy without falling apart in the broth (which is what Russets tend to do).
Heavy Cream — You can replace the cream with an equal amount of half and half, whole milk, or evaporated milk for a slightly less creamy but still delicious soup.
Kale — You can use any variety you like, just make sure to remove the fibrous stems first.

photo showing how to make ham stock for this recipe for ham bone soup

How to Make Ham and Potato Soup in the Slow Cooker

a quick overview!

Make the ham broth. To the slow cooker, add the ham bone, celery, carrot, onion, parsley, peppercorns, and a little water. Cook on high for 1 to 2 hours, then strain before using.
Sauté the aromatics. To deepen the flavor of the soup and reduce the cook time slightly, I always sauté the celery, carrots, and onion before adding them to the slow cooker.
Add the veggies and ham to the slow cooker. Cook the soup on high for 3 to 5 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.
Finish the soup. After the 5-hour mark, add the heavy cream and kale. From here, you can either pop the lid back on and wait for the kale to wilt and for the cream to heat up, or you can transfer the soup to a stock pot and bring it to a simmer to finish the job.

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

photo of homemade ham broth in a crockpot for this slow cooker potato and ham soup

photo of woman sauteeing carrots and onion for this potato and ham soup recipe

Recipe FAQs

Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

What size slow cooker should I use?

I used my trusty 6-quart slow cooker, but you can use anything that’s 6 quarts or larger. Don’t use a smaller slow cooker or else the ham bone won’t fit inside.

Do I have to make the homemade ham broth?

No, if you’ve used your ham bone in another recipe or don’t have one, you can substitute the ham broth with an equal amount of chicken broth or chicken stock instead.

Can I Freeze this soup?

Yes! I typically don’t freeze soups that have a lot of dairy in them (i.e. cheese, heavy cream, or half and half) since dairy tends to split in the freezer. But since there’s only a cup of cream in this soup, it freezes without issue.

Check out this post on how to freeze soup for more instructions.

photo of woman adding cubed ham to a slow cooker to make this potato and ham soup recipe

Side Dish Suggestions

I usually serve this ham bone potato soup with some kind of bread for dipping and a simple green side salad for freshness. Here are some sides you can try:

photo showing this ham soup recipe completed - two bowls of creamy ham and potato soup

More Leftover Ham Recipes

You can also browse all of the ham recipes through the Ingredient Index. Some of our all-time favorites are:

Ham and Cheese Calzones

Make Ahead Mini Ham and Spinach Breakfast Pies

Ham and Egg Muffins

Split Pea Soup

How to Freeze Ham

Stay Inspired in the Kitchen!

Want more delicious recipes, kitchen tips, and meal inspiration? Sign up for the Good Life Eats Newsletter and get:

✔ Tried-and-true recipes—from quick weeknight meals to special occasion favorites.
✔ Seasonal meal ideas—helping you make the most of fresh, in-season ingredients.
✔ Time-saving kitchen tips—boosting your confidence and creativity in the kitchen.

Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup

Yield: serves 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 7 hours

Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes

This creamy slow cooker ham and potato soup transforms your leftovers into a rich and creamy soup that takes just 15 minutes to throw together.

Ingredients

For the Homemade Broth

1 leftover Ham Bone* (see note below)
8 cups boiling Water
1/2 of a Yellow Onion
1 large rib Celery
1 large Carrot
3 stems fresh Parsley
1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns

For the Ham Soup

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme Leaves
1 lb. leftover Ham, cubed
1 cup Heavy Cream
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups roughly chopped Kale Leaves, stems and ribs discarded
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 dashes Cayenne

Instructions

For the Broth

In a slow cooker, combine the hambone, water, 1/2 yellow onion, celery, carrot, parsley, and peppercorns. Cook on high heat for 1 - 2 hours.
Afterwards, strain through a fine mesh strainer, making sure to reserve the broth. Discard the onion, celery, carrot ham bone, and peppercorns.
Return the broth to the slow cooker. Set aside.

For the Soup

In a large saute pan or cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and carrot and sauté for 3 - 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the potatoes, thyme, and ham.
Cover with the lid and cook on low for 3 - 5 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, whisk the flour and the cream together. After the veggies become tender, slowly whisk in the heavy cream and flour mixture. Stir in the kale, salt and pepper (to taste), and cayenne.
If the slow cooker insert is stovetop safe, transfer it to the stove and bring the soup to a boil, stirring periodically, until it thickens slightly. Alternatively, if the insert is not stovetop safe, you can transfer the soup to a stock pot to bring it to a boil before serving.

Notes

*If you've used your ham bone in another recipe or don't have one, you can substitute the ham broth with chicken broth instead.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 381Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 814mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 23g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.

photo of a woman eating ham soup from a white bowl full of ham and potato soup

Try Making This Easy Slow Cooker Soup!

Did You Try This Recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and a review below—your feedback helps others and makes my day.

Share Your Creations!

If you took a photo, tag me on Instagram @goodlifeeats and use #goodlifeeatsrecipes—I’d love to see what you’re cooking up in your kitchen!

Tags

Carrot, ham, Heavy Cream, Kale, Potato

Meet Katie Kick

My lifelong interest in cooking has shown me that part of the goodness in life is enjoying delicious food with friends and family. I love trying new foods, discovering new places & things that help my family live the good life.

More About Katie