• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

RecipeTin Eats

Fast Prep, Big Flavours

Small book

My cookbook "Dinner" now available!

  • My RecipeTin
  • My cookbook!
  • Recipes
  • Recipes By Category
    • Christmas ⭐️
      • Starters
      • Mains
      • Sides: Warm & Hearty
      • Sides: Light & Fresh
      • Desserts
      • Breads
      • Christmas Leftovers
    • Iconic + cult classics
    • Mains
      • Chicken
        • Chicken mince
      • Beef Recipes
        • Ground Beef (Mince)
      • Pork
      • Lamb
      • Turkey
      • Shrimp / Prawns
      • Salmon
      • Fish recipes
      • Salad Meals
    • Quick and Easy
    • Soups
    • One Pot
    • Stews
    • Slow Cooker
    • Sides
      • All
      • Salads & veg
      • Show Off Salads
      • Rice (all)
      • Fried rice recipes
      • Rice (plain)
      • Potato
    • Pasta
      • All
      • Pasta bakes
      • Pasta salads
    • Sweet
      • Cakes
      • Candy
      • Cheesecakes
      • Cupcakes & Muffins
      • Cookies
      • Puddings & Cosy Desserts
      • Bite Size
      • Pies
      • Slices & Bars
      • Frosting & Icing
      • Ice cream
    • Cuisine
      • Asian
        • All
        • Stir fries
        • Noodles
        • Soups
        • Chinese
        • Japanese
        • Korean
        • Thai
        • Vietnamese
      • French
      • Greek
      • Indian
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
      • Middle Eastern
      • South American
    • Dietary
      • Gluten Free
      • Low Calorie
      • Vegetarian
    • Other Categories
      • BBQ
      • Breakfast
      • Burgers
      • Cocktails
      • Party Foods
      • Rice Recipes
      • Roasts
      • Sandwiches & Sliders
    • Cookbook recipes
  • Collections
  • About
    • Me
    • RecipeTin Meals
    • Free Recipe Books
    • Contact
    • Nitty Gritty
      • Policy: Use of Recipes & Images
      • Privacy & Disclosure
Home Soups

Ham and Corn Chowder with Potato

By:Nagi
Published:27 Dec '14Updated:30 Jan '19
130 Comments
Recipe v

This Ham and Corn Chowder is wonderful comfort food! A creamy soup broth, soft potato, juicy sweet corn and pops of golden brown ham is utterly irresistible and will warm your soul. Imagine coming home to this!

Ham and Corn Chowder in a French casserole pot being ladled out for serving.

It’s Saturday 27 December, 2 days after Christmas, so I bet there are millions (billions??) of households around the world having ham for lunch. Sure, you could throw together a ham sandwich with fresh bread (yay, shops are open today!), or a frittata using other leftovers from your Christmas Day feast.

Or you could do something a little different and make this chowder. 🙂

“You could make yet another grilled ham and cheese sandwich to use up all that leftover ham…..or you could make this hearty, creamy soup!”

Ham Potato & Corn Chowder - who needs bacon when you have ham? Super creamy, but made without cream!

Ham and Corn Chowder in small white soup bowls, ready to be eaten.

I’m a firm believer that for a soup to be a meal, it needs to be gutsy. And this soup is off the charts when it comes to oomph factor. It’s thick and chunky, creamy (without cream!!) and is one of those soups that is perfect for filling out even more with the addition of more vegetables (frozen diced vegetables are great!) or other leftover meats (think leftover turkey and chicken!).

Ham and Corn Chowder in a French casserole pot, ready to be served.

I bet you thought it was bacon when you first saw the photo! Nope, not a shred of bacon in sight. Honestly, when you fry up the ham and cook it nice and crispy like you would with bacon, it will make you wonder why you don’t cook with ham more often. All the flavour but so much healthier!

To finish things off, I have a rather sad announcement to make…..I have run out of leftover Christmas ham!!! I felt a bit of a pang when I used up the last scraps for this recipe because it seems to signify the end of Christmas….and having to wait another 363 days until the next one.

Soup Dippers

Quick Cheesy Garlic Bread • Better-Than-Dominos Garlic Bread • Soft No Knead Dinner Rolls

Bread Soup Dippers - Cheesy Garlic Bread, Garlic Bread better than Dominos and Soft NO KNEAD Dinner Rolls

For those of you who are lucky enough to still have a stash of Christmas Ham, here are some more suggestions for things you can make with it!

MORE THINGS TO MAKE WITH LEFTOVER HAM

Croque Madame Toastie Cups (Muffin Tin) – the best grilled ham and cheese you will ever have….

Croque Madame Muffin Tin Toastie Cup (French Ham Egg Cheese)

Ham and Cheese French Toastie Roll Ups – French Toast you can eat with your fingers!

Ham and Cheese Fresh Toast Roll Up 3

No Washing Up Egg, Ham and Cheese Bread Bowls – yes, you read that right, there is no washing up at all!

No Washing Up Ham Egg Cheese Bread Bowls 1

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Ham and Corn Chowder in a French casserole pot being ladled out for serving.

Ham and Corn Chowder with Potato

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 20 minutes mins
Total: 25 minutes mins
Soup
4.93 from 38 votes
Servings3
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 1612
A hearty, creamy soup made using leftover Christmas ham (or store bought leg ham). Refer to Note 5 for a shortcut way of making this soup which will let you get this soup on the table in just 15 minutes. Make this a more complete meal by adding extra vegetables! I often add frozen diced vegetables - just add it when you add the corn into the soup. This serves 3 normal people or 2 very hungry people. It is a very filling soup!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups ham , roughly chopped (Note 1)
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 garlic clove , minced
  • 1 small onion , diced (or half large onion) (yellow, brown or white)
  • 2 potatoes , peeled and diced into 8mm / 1/3" cubes (Note 2)
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn (or drained canned corn)
  • 5 tbsp flour
  • 2 cups milk (I use low fat but full fat will work too)
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 - 2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme), plus extra for garnish
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Do not let the onion brown.
  • Add the flour and whisk until mixed through the butter. Pour 1 cup of milk in and whisk until it starts to thicken (around 1 1/2 minutes), then pour the remaining cup of milk in. Whisk until it thickens - around 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Then add the chicken stock, and 1 1/2 cups of water and whisk until combined.
  • Increase heat to medium high and add the potatoes into the soup. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes (Note 3), whisking fairly regularly to ensure the soup doesn't stick to the bottom of the saucepan. The soup will thicken as it cooks. Use the remaining 1/2 cup of water if the soup gets too thick before the potato has finished cooking.
  • Just before the potato has finished cooking, add the corn in (just to heat it through).
  • While the potato is cooking, heat olive oil in a small fry pan over high heat. Add the ham and sauté for 1 - 2 minutes until nicely browned. Remove fry pan from the heat and set aside. (Note 4)
  • When the potato is cooked (tender but still holding its shape), remove the soup from the stove and stir through most of the thyme and ham (reserve a bit for garnish).
  • If the soup is too thick for your liking, use water (or milk) to get the soup to your desired consistency. Add the salt and 5 grinds of black pepper, then do a taste test and adjust the saltiness if required.
  • Serve, garnished with remaining thyme leaves and ham.

Recipe Notes:

1. I used leftover Christmas leg ham. You can easily substitute with store bought ham. Use thick sliced ham - shaved ham will be difficult to pan fry.
2. Use potatoes around the size of a tennis ball. Any potatoes will work for this recipe. I am in Australia and I use the potatoes you buy that have dirt on them (Sebago). Russet is a good all rounder in the US that is perfect for this.
3. Small diced potatoes would only take a couple of minutes to cook in water. They take much longer in this soup because they are being cooked in soup that has been thickened with flour.
See Note 5 for a faster way to make this soup.
4. You could brown the ham in the saucepan before you sauté the onion. You will need to wipe the saucepan clean after cooking the ham otherwise your soup will end up with a brownish tinge from the brown bits stuck on the saucepan from cooking the ham. When I am feeling particularly lazy and I want a one-pot soup, I will make the soup this way.
5. Alternative Method: A much faster way of making this is to "par boil" the potatoes in the microwave. Just place scrubbed (but not peeled) whole potatoes in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, then turn over and microwave for a further 2 minutes. Use oven mitts or a dishcloth to remove the potatoes from the microwave, then peel and dice.
You can then omit most of the water from the recipe because when you add the potato into the soup, it only needs a couple of minutes to cook instead of 10 minutes (so you don't need the water to thin the soup out which then thickens in the time it takes to cook the potato). Just use a bit of water to get the soup to the consistency you want.
6. The soup thickens ALOT and quickly when it cools. Use water or milk to achieve your desired consistency when reheating.
7. Nutrition per serving.
Ham Corn Potato Chowder Nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 687gCalories: 463cal (23%)Carbohydrates: 60.3g (20%)Protein: 19.9g (40%)Fat: 16.9g (26%)Saturated Fat: 9.4g (59%)Cholesterol: 39mg (13%)Sodium: 1389mg (60%)Potassium: 1067mg (30%)Fiber: 6.3g (26%)Sugar: 14.3g (16%)Vitamin A: 700IU (14%)Vitamin C: 49.5mg (60%)Calcium: 230mg (23%)Iron: 4.1mg (23%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

 

Previous Post
Muffin Tin Breakfast – Croque Madame Toastie Cups
Next Post
Cheese Truffles (Mini Cheese Balls)

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Related Posts

Eating Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup

Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup

Pot of freshly made Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup

Dunking bread into Hungarian Goulash

Hungarian Goulash (beef stew-soup)

More Soups

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cooked this? Rate this recipe!




130 Comments

  1. Yaiza says

    September 19, 2023 at 6:55 am

    5 stars
    This tastes awesome! It’s a very comforting meal.
    However my potatoes took way longer to cook, about 25 minutes.

    Reply
  2. Sarah says

    July 31, 2023 at 10:45 am

    5 stars
    Made this recipe last night and it is absolutely delicious!! A bit thick for me but just added extra milk and it was perfect!!

    Reply
  3. Scarlet says

    September 27, 2022 at 7:56 am

    4 stars
    Super easy and yummy!

    Reply
  4. Averil says

    June 12, 2022 at 3:30 pm

    5 stars
    This was absolutely perfect for a thundery grey day’s lunch here in NZ. Delicious! Made just as written other than using a stick blender to whizz up just some of the potato before adding the corn. Thick, creamy, filling, just yum. Thanks Nagi for another winner for the repertoire!!

    Reply
  5. Cynde says

    May 19, 2022 at 9:33 am

    5 stars
    Easy and delicious. I doubled the potatoes and ham, and added an extra cup of broth to get the consistency I like; otherwise followed the recipe as written. Will definitely make this again.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 19, 2022 at 3:57 pm

      That’s fantastic Cynde! I am happy that you liked it so much! N x

      Reply
  6. Tamarah says

    April 23, 2022 at 8:30 am

    5 stars
    Just made this! Yummy

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 24, 2022 at 6:26 pm

      Woo hoo Tamara! I’m glad you liked it!! N x

      Reply
  7. J says

    January 15, 2022 at 4:05 am

    Hi Nagi,
    Planning to make this 2 days from now, is these easy to double or triple without any problem? Also how many pounds of potatoes? Thank you so much.

    Reply
  8. Samantha says

    January 12, 2022 at 1:13 pm

    5 stars
    I made this today with leftover Christmas ham and it is delicious! Another easy and tasty recipe. Thanks Nagi!

    Reply
  9. Billie says

    January 11, 2022 at 1:41 am

    Why is the iron level so high in this recipe? 23%. 4.1mg.

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      March 1, 2023 at 2:34 am

      Possibly the ham. Ham has more iron than poultry or fish. Levels can also be different on how the ham is cured.

      Reply
  10. Valeria says

    January 8, 2022 at 1:59 pm

    This chowder is scrumptious! I did use heavy cream instead of milk, drained can corn (had no frozen), 1/4 C flour, and 1/2 tsp thyme. I tend not to measure vegetables and meats, eyeballing instead, so chowder was very chunky, but that’s how we like it. I will definitely make this again. Loved it!!

    Reply
  11. Sandi Q Beach says

    January 7, 2022 at 12:50 am

    Making this today. I have everything but the thyme so I’m going to sub for similar. I especially like that this recipe doesn’t make a huge amount. Using up what’s on hand and I can’t go wrong with Nagi’s recipes! Budget friendly using up my ham and potatoes. I normally make potato leek soup. Leeks are so expensive here at beach in my small beach town in FL. Bacon crazy expensive. The crispy chopped ham is something I thought up and then e.. I knew I had to try! Thx Nagi!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 7, 2022 at 3:27 pm

      Nice one Sandi! N x

      Reply
  12. Julie says

    January 5, 2022 at 7:59 pm

    5 stars
    Damn good, as usual Nagi! Only about 1/3 of the Xmas ham left. More of your great recipes to try. My Myrtle (Blue Heeler) is hanging out for the scraps! 🙂

    Reply
  13. J.C. says

    January 2, 2022 at 2:49 am

    Would the recipe change very much if I want to make it lactose/ dairy-free? I’m wondering if I can make it with oat milk or macadamia nut milk?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 5, 2022 at 1:49 pm

      I haven’t tried that JC, sorry! N x

      Reply
  14. Thom says

    December 28, 2021 at 6:00 am

    5 stars
    Made this today with our leftover Christmas ham and Cheesy Mini Potato Gratin Stacks. The cheese from the stacks added a nice flavor to the soup.

    Reply
  15. Kelly says

    January 3, 2021 at 11:47 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! I made your ham for New Years, and used the leftovers for this soup. Both were amazing 🤩

    Reply
  16. Janette Buchanan says

    December 24, 2020 at 3:38 am

    5 stars
    This is fabulous!

    Reply
  17. Daphne Schreiber says

    April 27, 2020 at 2:56 am

    C An this soup be frozen?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 27, 2020 at 10:19 am

      Hi Daphne, yes it can! N x

      Reply
  18. Anne P says

    January 6, 2020 at 8:50 am

    5 stars
    So I made this today with our leftover Maple Glazed Ham from New Years Day. The flavour was amazing and so easy to put together. I added a diced carrot for some colour. Thanks Nagi for another wonderful recipe!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 6, 2020 at 10:26 am

      Sounds absolutely divine Anne!

      Reply
  19. Elizabeth Psihos says

    December 30, 2019 at 6:20 am

    This looks so delicious! I’m wondering if I can make it gluten free with corn starch instead of flour, but I’m not exactly sure how to do that?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 30, 2019 at 12:32 pm

      Hi Elizabeth, you sure can, just replace the flour with 2.5 tbls corn flour – N x

      Reply
      • Elizabeth Psihos says

        December 30, 2019 at 1:20 pm

        Thank you!!

        Reply
  20. PeggyB says

    December 29, 2019 at 4:11 am

    We love this soup so much that I make a double recipe after Christmas every year. I do have one comment. It would be helpful to have a weight given with the potatoes. I have some small Yukon golds and don’t know how many of those to use without a weight.

    Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Meet Dozer

Official taste tester of RecipeTin Eats! Meet Dozer
As Featured On
  • Goodfood
  • Food Network
  • Better Homes Gardens
  • Taste
  • Nine
  • Network 10
  • BuzzFeed
  • Daily Telegraph
  • Women's Day

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe to my newsletter and receive 3 FREE ebooks!

Subscribe
Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • By Category
  • Collections
About
  • About Nagi
  • About Dozer
  • RecipeTin Meals
Related
  • RecipeTin Japan
  • Food Bloggers Central
Help
  • Contact
  • Image Use Policy
© RecipeTin Eats 2023
  • Privacy Policy & Terms
Site Credits
Maintained by Zao Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
All Rights Reserved

Subscribe to my newsletter

Sign up and receive 3 FREE EBOOKS!