Leek, Potato & Ham Soup

Leek, Potato & Ham Soup takes a classic and adds extra protein and flavour with cooked ham. This lighter but still wonderfully tasty version finished with chives is made with equal parts milk and stock, the usual cream being entirely optional. Don’t like ham? Use the recipe as a base and swap in cooked chicken, bacon or sausage. Or just add cubes of cheese to melt deliciously in each bowlful.

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Leek and potato soup is always a winner. With its simple but comforting combination of tasty leeks and hearty potatoes in a lightly creamy broth, it’s one of my favourites. Eaten on its own, with bread or crunchy croutons, it makes an easy lunch or dinner.

I also think leek and potato soup lends itself to all kinds of variations. I’ve already posted my delicious Smoky Bacon, Leek & Potato Soup and delicate Leek, Potato & Watercress Soup. Now I’ve another. Leek, Potato & Ham Soup.

LEEK, POTATO & HAM SOUP

My Leek, Potato & Ham Soup is really just my standard leek and potato soup with ham added right near the end. If you think of it that way, you can also use it as a base for your own variations. For example, instead of ham you could add diced cooked chicken, or leftover sausage or bacon. Or how about scattering cubes of cheese to melt into each bowlful? I sometimes add cheese to the ham version too!

One thing I do find with many leek and potato soups is, for my taste, they’re just too rich with lots of cream. My preference is to make it with half milk and half stock. I find this results in good savoury flavour and a light creaminess. If you do want more richness, you can always add a splash of cream to finish.

You’ll find a recipe card at the end with ingredient amounts and full instructions. But I recommend you read the whole of this post first for extra tips and step-by-step images to guide you.

INGREDIENTS

You can use almost any cooked ham in my Leek, Potato & Ham Soup. For the batch you see in this post I used the remains of a boiled gammon joint I tucked away in the freezer, diced. Shredding the ham is fine too and is particularly good if you have a ham hock.

Besides the ham, plus salt and pepper, you’ll need the following ingredients.

• Butter. For sautéing.
• Olive oil. Just a little helps stop the butter burning.
• Onion. Helps form the soup’s savoury base.
• Dried thyme (optional). Adds a very subtle background flavour but can be left out.
• Leeks. Use both the white and green parts.
• Garlic. For flavour.
• Potatoes. Floury rather than waxy varieties are best e.g. King Edward, Roosters, Russet.
• Milk. Use whole rather than skimmed or semi-skimmed for the best results.
• Stock. I prefer chicken but vegetable is fine too.
• Chives. Add near the end for mild but fresh onion flavour.

HOW TO MAKE LEEK, POTATO & HAM SOUP

As you’ll see, making this soup is very easy. Start by softening the onions in the butter and olive oil, adding some salt and pepper plus the dried thyme if using. The leeks and garlic go in next to soften a little. Add the potatoes, give them a stir, then add all the milk and stock.

Make sure you scrape up any bits of veg from the bottom of the pot before bringing everything up to a simmer. Pop on a lid and cook on a gentle heat (don’t let it boil over) until the potatoes are very tender. Depending on how large you diced them and how high the heat is, this might take 15 – 20 minutes.

Because I like a semi-smooth leek and potato soup, I now go in with my stick blender (affiliate link) and give it a few seconds whizz. This gives a nice balance of silky soup but still with some pieces of vegetable remaining. If preferred, you could completely blend it. On the other hand, omit the blending if you want a chunkier soup.

Now stir in the chopped or shredded ham plus the chives. Just a few more minutes simmering will be enough to warm the ham through and meld the flavours. If you’re adding cream, now’s the time to stir it in. Finally, have a taste and add more seasoning if you think it needs it.

SERVING & STORING

Once ladled into bowls, I like to scatter more chives over the soup. I’ve also been known to add a few cubes of cheese to melt in. Double Gloucester with onion and chives is a favourite! I usually have some bread to mop up the very last of the delicious broth. If you prefer a crunchy accompaniment, try these easy Homemade Croutons.

If you want to make in advance, or have leftovers, Leek, Potato & Ham Soup will keep in the fridge for 2 – 3 days. You can freeze it, although you might find the broth splits when reheated. It will still taste good though.

Whether you’re looking for a classic leek and potato soup you can add cream to, a lighter leek and potato soup, a base for your own creations, or just have some ham to use up, I think this is a great place to start.

If you’ve made this recipe, I’d love to know what you thought. Please do leave a comment and rating.

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Leek, Potato & Ham Soup

A variation on a classic with extra protein and flavour thanks to cooked ham. This lighter but still wonderfully tasty version finished with chives is made with equal parts milk and stock, the usual cream being entirely optional.

Don't like ham? Use the recipe as a base and swap in cooked chicken, bacon or sausage. Or just make it as leek and potato soup, maybe with cubes of cheese to melt deliciously in each bowlful.

It's recommended that you read the accompanying blog post before starting the recipe.

Course Soup, Main Course, Starter, Lunch

Cuisine British, European

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 4

Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 30 g butter
• 1 large onion (roughly chopped)
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme (optional)
• 1 - 2 large leeks (roughly chopped then rinsed) approx. 450 - 500 g after preparation
• 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 450 - 500 g potatoes diced (weight after preparation if peeling)
• 500 ml whole milk
• 500 ml stock
• 225 - 275 g cooked ham (diced or shredded)
• 20 g chives (finely chopped)

Instructions

1. Put the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.

   When the butter's melted stir in the onions, seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper plus the thyme if using.

   Cook until the onion is starting to soften (approx. 10 min.). Turn the heat down if it begins to brown rather than turn golden.

2. Stir in the leek and garlic with a little more salt and pepper and cook until the leek is starting to soften a little (approx. 5 min.). Try not to let the veg brown.

3. Add the potatoes plus a little more salt and pepper and stir around for a minute or so.

4. Pour in all the stock and milk, making sure you scrape up any veg from the bottom of the pot, then bring to a boil.

   Immediately turn down to a simmer and cook with a lid on until the potatoes are very tender (15-20 min).

   Tip: if it boils over, turn down the heat and/or only partially cover.

5. Optional but recommended: off the heat, take a stick blender and whizz the soup for a few seconds so it's partly smooth and thickened but still has some pieces of leek and potato.

6. Stir in the ham and chives (reserve some chives for a garnish) and simmer for a few minutes until the ham is hot.

   Optional: stir in 1 - 2 tablespoons of cream as the ham warms through.

7. Serve with the reserved chives sprinkled over.

   Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 - 3 days.

   Can be frozen although may split when reheated.

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