Potato Ham Soup

This potato soup is farmhouse cooking at its simplest. Diced potatoes, celery, and onion simmer in water until tender, then milk, diced ham, and a butter-flour roux get stirred in to create a creamy, hearty bowl.

The roux (butter and flour cooked together) is what gives the soup its body. Without it, you’d have a thin, brothy potato soup. With it, the milk thickens into a velvety base that coats the back of a spoon and clings to every cube of potato and ham.

Letting the soup sit for a couple of hours after cooking is the step that transforms it from good to great. The potatoes continue to break down slightly, releasing starch that thickens the broth even further. The ham flavor permeates the liquid. The celery and onion meld into the background. Everything becomes one unified, comforting bowl.

Heat it just to boiling after adding the milk, then pull it back. Don’t let it simmer hard or the milk can curdle and the soup turns grainy.

Chef Tips

• Dice everything small and uniform. Large chunks of potato take longer to cook and won’t break down as much during resting.
• Mix the flour into the melted butter before adding it to the pot. Adding flour directly to the soup creates lumps.
• Use whole milk for the creamiest result. Low-fat milk works but the soup will be thinner.
• This soup reheats beautifully the next day. Add a splash of milk when warming since it thickens considerably overnight.

Variations

• Add a cup of shredded cheddar cheese after removing from heat for a loaded potato soup version.
• Stir in frozen corn kernels with the ham for added sweetness and color.
• Top each bowl with crumbled bacon, sour cream, and chopped chives for a baked-potato-style presentation.