Ham Chowder Recipe: How to Make Cheesy Ham Chowder
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Nov 27, 2022 • 3 min read
Make the most of your leftover ham with this creamy ham chowder that you can put together with a few pantry staples and a handful of hearty vegetables.
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What Is Ham Chowder?
Ham chowder is a cream-based soup that features chunks of country ham, tender potatoes, and a variety of hearty vegetables cooked in a velvety, cheddar-infused base. If you’re making the soup around the holidays, use leftover holiday glazed ham to make a quick and cozy sequel to the Easter or Christmas feast.
4 Tips for Making Ham Chowder
Follow these tips to master this quick and easy comfort food recipe:
- 1. Experiment with additions. You can alter this comforting ham soup to incorporate a variety of different proteins and vegetables. Add veggies like peppers, legumes, and diced tomatoes. Garnish the soup with fresh herbs and alliums, like chives, green onions, and parsley, or top the soup with sour cream for a tangy finish. Incorporate additional meats like bacon, chicken, and pancetta, for an even meatier flavor. Swap out cornstarch for the all-purpose flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
- 2. Change up the dairy. Make this recipe lighter or dairy-free by swapping out the whole milk and heavy cream for skim milk, half-and-half, or unsweetened dairy-free milk or creamer.
- 3. Make it in a slow cooker. You can adapt this recipe to make in a slow cooker for an easy make-ahead dinner. To do so, cook the bacon and sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in the bacon fat in a pan. Next, transfer the vegetables to the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients. Cook the chowder on low for 4–5 hours in your slow cooker, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- 4. Store in an airtight container. Store this cheesy ham and potato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Do not freeze this chowder because the creamy base will likely separate and become grainy in the freezer. Warm it up slowly on the stovetop when you reheat it. Warming this soup in the microwave is more likely to cause the milk to separate.
Hearty Ham Chowder Recipe
makes
prep time
15 mintotal time
1 hrcook time
45 minIngredients
- 1
Add the bacon to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until it is slightly browned and crispy, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve the bacon grease in your pot.
- 2
Add the butter to the pot. Once the butter melts, add the onion and carrots and sauté, frequently stirring until the veggies are slightly tender, about 7 minutes.
- 3
Add the garlic to the pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 4
Add the flour to the pot and stir to combine it evenly with the fat.
- 5
Whisking constantly, slowly pour the milk into the pan. Cook, frequently whisking, until the milk thickens, about 3 minutes.
- 6
Add the chicken broth, potatoes, corn, and thyme to the pot and stir to combine all ingredients.
- 7
Bring the liquid to a light boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook your soup until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
- 8
Stir the heavy cream, cheddar cheese, and diced ham into the soup, and cook until the cheese melts completely and the soup is warmed through, about 5 minutes.
- 9
Season the soup with salt and pepper.
- 10
Remove the pot from the heat, and allow the soup to sit for 5 minutes. Top the soup with the reserved crispy bacon before serving.
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