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Hearty Ham and Cheese Soup | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fantastic #soup started out with leftover #ham from the #holidays! It's chocked full of #veggies & seasoned to perfection. Terrific for cold, dreary winter nights when you want to warm up! #peas #corn #greenbeans #carrots #redpotatoes #mushrooms #cheddarcheese #HamSoup #pork #HamandCheeseSoup

Hearty Ham and Cheese Soup

Teresa Ambra
Hearty Ham and Cheese Soup is a mouthwatering and irresistible soup your whole family will love. This savory and succulent soup is loaded with fresh veggies, seasonings, ham and cheddar cheese. It's terrific for cold, winter nights when you're looking for comfort food that's hearty, filling and satisfying.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Dish, Soups, Stews and Chowders
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 vegetable peeler

Ingredients
  

  • 3 to 4 cups cooked ham diced
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and sliced thinly
  • 1 leek green top removed, washed thoroughly and sliced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 8 oz. container fresh mushrooms sliced
  • 2 cups red potatoes chunked
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen whole green beans
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp. cornstarch
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 4 cups half-and-half or milk
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
  • 1 tbsp. dried parsley
  • 1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt or more, to taste
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper or more, to taste
  • water if needed to thin soup

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in a large Dutch oven.
  • Add carrots, leeks, celery, bell peppers, onions and mushrooms.
  • Cook over medium heat until veggies are tender, about 5-8 minutes.
  • Add flour and cornstarch and stir into mixture.
  • Slowly work in chicken broth.
  • Add potatoes and cook about 8-10 minutes over low to medium heat, or until potatoes are fork tender.
  • This mixture will thicken so continue stirring almost constantly so veggies don’t stick to the bottom of the Dutch oven.
  • If necessary, add a cup of water to pot if veggies start to stick.
  • Add green beans, corn and peas and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.
  • Slowly stir in milk or half-and-half and seasonings.
  • Add cheese and turn heat to low.
  • Continue stirring until cheese melts.
  • Do not allow cheese to boil.
  • Add ham.
  • Check seasonings.
  • Add additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Notes

NOTE: Make sure potatoes are fork tender before moving on to the next step in the recipe even if it takes more time. Otherwise, the potatoes will not be cooked when everything else is ready.
 
NOTE: I used 1 ½ cups of frozen peas because I was trying to use them up.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Keyword carrots, cheese, corn, green beans, ham, leeks, main dish, mushrooms, peas, pork, potatoes, soup
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