Broccoli Cheddar and Ham Soup brings together two favorite comfort foods, Mac & Cheese and Broccoli Cheese Soup, all in one deliciously creamy bowl! It's the perfect way to use up leftover holiday ham, even if you have it frozen. This simple stovetop soup comes together in under 45 minutes!
- Soup all Winter! - We never run out of favorite soups to make in the winter, cozy, hearty and always comforting! This one starts with the classic broccoli cheese soup but adds leftover holiday ham and bowtie pasta for a hearty satisfying meal!
- For a Vegetarian Variation, try my Cheesy Broccoli Zucchini Soup too!
- Leftover Holiday Ham? - Whether is just after the holidays or you froze the leftover ham for later, try my Split Pea Soup with Ham and this Potato Ham and Leek Soup.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
This simple one-pot soup uses basic ingredients, lots of vegetables, and leftover ham which adds lots of flavor! It's rich and comforting with the addition of cream, pasta and cheese!
- Butter and Flour - What seems like a lot of butter to saute the veggies gets combined with the flour to form a roux. This is the thickening agent for the soup, so don't skimp on it!
- Onion, Broccoli, and Garlic - The base layers of flavor, this soup is full of healthy veggies to balance all it's comforting ingredients!
- Salt and Pepper - The seasoning here are a pretty small amount of just salt and pepper. Lots of flavor (and salt) comes from the ham.
- Ham - This soup is perfect for using up leftover holiday ham, but you can also use really any ham, any time of year. This could be cut up ham steak, even extra deli ham. You could add the ham bone to the soup as it simmers, or substitute the chicken stock with ham stock if you made your own from the bone.
- Chicken Stock - We love to make Homemade Chicken Stock from Bones and Veggie Scraps and keep it in the freezer for soup making. You could also use vegetable stock. You need 5 cups of liquid, but if you want to just use 1 quart box, which is 4 cups, you can use water for the additional cup.
- Pasta - Dry pasta simmers right in the soup and gives this soup a mac & cheese feel! You could substitute the bowtie pasta for small or medium shells, macaroni, ditalini, or any similar short pasta shape.
- Cream - Adding the cream at the end allows you to fully cook the pasta without worrying that the cream will get too hot and separate. Heavy cream makes this soup rich and velvety, but you could also use half & half or whole milk. You could even do 4 cups of stock and 2 cups of milk, totally 6 cups of liquid. Keep the burner of low and don't boil the soup once you've added dairy.
- Cheddar Cheese - Use a block of cheddar cheese shredded yourself for the best quality. Pre-shredded bags of cheese have anti-clumping preservatives and don't melt as nicely into a pot of soup.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This one-pot broccoli ham soup is built in layers on the stovetop, and comes together quick and easy!
Step 1 - In a soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the onion.
Let it get a head start while you chop the broccoli.
Step 2 - Wash broccoli well and discard the bottom couple inches of the stem. Chop the broccoli into small pieces, the stem can be chopped small and used.
Add broccoli to cook along with the onion, season with salt and pepper, about 5 minutes.
Step 3 - Add the chopped ham and continue to cook another 5 minutes.
The ham is already cooked but this will give it some color and caramelization for more flavor.
Step 4 - Sprinkle in the garlic and flour and stir for a minute or so.
It won't look like it, but the butter and flour are creating a roux, which will later thicken the liquid.
Step 5 - Add the chicken stock, water and dry pasta.
Simmer the soup about 20 minutes, adjusting the heat down as you go to keep it at a gentle bubble.
Step 6 - Taste a noodle to see if it's done. It should be al dente, with a bit of bite to it and not mushy.
If the pasta is ready, you can add the cream and cheese. If not, keep simmering another few minutes and check again.
Step 7 - Stir the cream and the cheese into the soup to melt, keeping it over a low burner for a few more minutes.
The soup is done and ready to eat. Don't let it keep simmering much longer or it will overcook the pasta!
Notes & Helpful Tips
- It's Ready when the Pasta is Ready - This isn't the type of soup that should simmer all afternoon, that will overcook the pasta! Once the pasta is done, add the cream and cheese and eat!
- Shred your own Cheese - The cheese is really a big flavor and texture component of this soup and shredding your own is definitely better quality. Pre-shredded cheese bags don't melt as nicely because of anti-caking preservatives.
- Variation and Adjustments - This soup can be customized to your liking! You can use more or less ham, maybe depending on what you have leftover from the holiday. You could also substitute bacon or leave it vegetarian. You could add shredded carrot or zucchini with the onion if you want to increase the veggies. The pasta could be left out, or substituted with a different shape. The recipe only serves 4 and could be doubled.
- What to Serve it With - Soup is always great with a few crackers or bread to dip like my Overnight Dutch Oven Bread. The kids especially like to top theirs with Cheddar Bunnies, which are the perfect flavor, along with extra shredded cheese. A big green salad is a nice addition to make soup night a bigger meal. Try my Italian Mixed Greens Salad or my Blue Cheese Apple Walnut Bacon Salad.
- Storage and Freezing - This soup can be made a day in advance and can be stored in the fridge for 3 days. The pasta may not freeze very well. If you want to freeze the soup, you could omit the pasta and boil some to add when you thaw and reheat.
Recipe FAQs
Broccoli Ham Soup is thickened with a roux made of butter and flour. The starchy pasta adds a bit more thickness as it cooks in the soup. If your soup becomes too thick, you can always add a splash of water, stock or milk to thin it out. If it's too thin, just allow it to simmer over a low burner a little longer, stirring frequently so steam can escape. Don't let the soup boil after you've added the cream and cheese.
Yes, if you've chopped and frozen ham from the holidays, its perfect for this soup. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge. Or if you forget to thaw it, you can just add it right in frozen with the broccoli. The ham is already cooked, so you are just getting a little brown color to enhance the flavor.
Yes, Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Soup can be made with fresh or frozen broccoli. No need to thaw, just add the frozen broccoli in with the onion as instructed.
More Soups to Try!
If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear how you liked it! Be sure to leave a star rating by clicking the stars in the recipe card, or leave a comment below!
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Broccoli Cheddar and Ham Soup
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Print Pin RateIngredients
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion chopped (about ¾ cup)
- 4 cups broccoli chopped (about 1 pound)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 grinds fresh black pepper
- 2 cups ham chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 5 cups chicken stock (or 4 cups stock, 1 cup water)
- 1 cup bowtie pasta (or other short pasta such as medium shells, ditalini or macaroni, measured dry)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onions to saute.
- Wash the broccoli well, discard the bottom inch or two of the stem and chop into bite sized pieces. The stem can be chopped small and used. Add broccoli to the cooking onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook together about 5 minutes.
- Add the ham and continue to saute, allowing the ham to get a little color, another 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and flour and stir for a minute to incorporate.
- Add the chicken stock (water) and pasta and simmer about 20 minutes or until the pasta is al dente (cooked through but still with a bite and not mushy). Adjust the heat down to keep it at a gentle bubble as needed.
- Add the cream and shredded cheese and simmer a few more minutes on LOW to melt and thicken. Serve right away!
Notes
- Don't Overcook the Pasta - When the pasta is ready, add the cream and cheese and the soup is ready to eat. It should not simmer on the stovetop all afternoon. Once you've added the dairy, keep the burner low and don't cook for much longer.
- Broccoli - Fresh or frozen broccoli can be used, no need to thaw.
- Ham - Fresh or frozen leftover chopped holiday ham works best for this recipe, but you could also use chopped ham steak or even deli ham.
- Heavy Cream Alternatives - You can substitute the heavy cream with half & half or whole milk. If substituting, consider using 2 cups of half & half or milk and omitting the cup of water, so you are still totaling 6 cups of liquid.
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