For as long as I can remember, my Mom has served a ham on Christmas Day. Don’t you just love holiday traditions? It’s fun to anticipate certain treats that we might not otherwise enjoy throughout the year, and a ham (with Dad’s homemade biscuits) is definitely one of those fond childhood memories that I have continued with my own family. Even better, since Mom knows how much we enjoy the ham, we almost always come home with plenty of leftovers to stash in the freezer, to use on sandwiches, or to toss into a Slow Cooker Farmhouse Ham and Cheddar Soup!
If you’re lucky enough to have some extra ham in your kitchen after the holidays, then this is an absolute MUST-MAKE recipe! And if you don’t have any leftover ham, that’s fine too…just buy a ham steak at the grocery store and you’ll be good to go!
This soup appeals to kids and adults alike, thanks to the rich, creamy, and cheesy broth. It’s similar to Broccoli Cheddar Soup, but I’ve added plenty of extra goodies into the mix for a more filling and satisfying bowl.
Best of all, this Slow Cooker Farmhouse Ham and Cheddar Soup is an easy Crock Pot dinner that only requires about 10 minutes of prep! Loaded with veggies, potatoes, ham, and cheese, it’s a true one-pot meal that the entire family enjoys!
So go ahead…kick off your shoes, cozy up on the couch, and snuggle under a blanket while you watch a great movie with the kids. Your dinner will cook itself as you recover from the holidays!
Slow Cooker Farmhouse Ham and Cheddar Soup
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 15 cups
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen broccoli florets
- 1 whole medium onion, Diced
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
- 2 whole carrots, diced
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 cans cream of celery soup (NOT diluted)*
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 2 cups grated mild Cheddar cheese
- 12 ounces (about 2 cups) diced cooked ham**
Instructions
- Place broccoli, onion, potato, carrots, chicken broth, water, cream of celery soup, salt, and pepper into a slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for about 6-8 hours or on HIGH for about 3 hours.
- Use an immersion blender to puree a portion of the soup. You still want plenty of chunks of potatoes and veggies, so only puree some of it. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can put a cup or two of soup in a regular blender to puree (and then return back to the slow cooker when done).
- Add Velveeta, Cheddar, and ham to the slow cooker. Stir, and then place the lid back on the slow cooker and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Stir it again to make sure that the cheese is completely melted and smooth.
- Give it taste, and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve warm, or keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
*I used Campbell’s Healthy Request.**If you don’t have leftover ham, you can purchase smoked ham steaks at the grocery store.
My family usually has ham sliced for sandwiches on Christmas day, but I’m loving your ham and cheddar soup! I think this would be perfect, especially for this year, since we’ve already had negative temps. And I love that you made this in the slow cooker, too! Looks just perfect, Blair!
Thank you, Gayle! It’s a great use for that leftover Christmas ham, and a good way to warm up at this time of year! 🙂
Hiya Blair,
I’m always so surprised by how many people in the US have ham and roast beef for Christmas. We’re all about turkey in Canada but then again, we had our Thanksgiving turkey way back in October so we’re ready for it again 🙂
This looks so fabulous and your photos are so beautiful! I’m imagining all those delicious flavours and I bet this doesn’t last long in your house.
Happy Holidays, friend. I’m sure I’ve said that a few times now but I am sincere in wishing you the best of times! xo
Hi, Robyn! Thank you for your kind words and I hope that you have a wonderful holiday as well — enjoy that turkey!!! 🙂
Hey Blair,
I’m astonished to see the soup recipe , and thinking that how time you give to prepare the tasty recipe. It’s not only the matter of time but also the thinking of ingredients are making me puzzled !
Hey Blair,
I’m astonished to see the soup recipe , and thinking that how time you give to prepare the tasty recipe. It’s not only the matter of time but also the thinking of ingredients are making me puzzled !
What a delicious recipe! This would be such a great way to use up leftover ham!
Exactly! Thanks, Kristy!
The soup sounds delicious. However I’m not a huge fan of Velveeta, with the exception of queso. Is there anything I can use as a substitute? Maybe a mixture of other cheeses?
Hey, Courtney! Kind of like when you make queso, the Velveeta just melts differently than a regular cheese. I don’t care for Velveeta on its own, but I think it’s kind of necessary in this particular soup. If you want to experiment with using other cheeses, I would go with a mild cheddar cheese. I have heard the tip of shaking the shredded cheddar in a bag with some flour to coat it a bit before adding it to the hot sauce or soup to help it melt smoother, but I’ve never tried that myself. You might also need to add some additional cream or butter to the soup if the texture doesn’t seem right. Sorry that I can’t be more helpful…I just stick with what I know works. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by, and let me know if you give it a try!
This looks amazing! I have it cooking now! One question, when does the water go into the crockpot? I see it listed in the recipe but not in the instructions.
Cant wait for the hours to pass so we can eat it!
Thanks
Hey Carol! Thanks for noticing that typo in the recipe! The water goes into the slow cooker at the same time as the broth. I will update the recipe to fix that as soon as I can get to my computer!?
Love that you have combined cheddar with the other ingredients, Blair. This must be very delicious!
Thanks, Agness! It’s SO good! 🙂
This is one FANTASTIC recipe. I know the “velvetta” throws some people off, but PLEASE TRY THIS RECIPE. It is the BEST. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve made this soup AND how many people have asked me for the recipe. And thank you Blair for creating AND sharing your delicious soup recipe. You have a wonderful and artistic site. 🤗
Thank you, Arleen! I appreciate the positive feedback and I’m SO glad that you and your friends have enjoyed the soup. The Velveeta is definitely key to getting that creamy texture!
Take care, and have a great weekend!