Broccoli Cheddar and Ham Soup

A white bowl of Broccoli Ham Soup with Cheddar Cheese.

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Broccoli Cheddar and Ham Soup

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!

Prep Time5

Cook Time40

Total Time45

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 914kcal

Author: Meryl Downing

Ingredients

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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