It’s so chilly now that I am all bundled up with a warm jacket, a thick blanket and wooly socks! My son says I look like the abominable snowman when I walk haha! I’m enjoying the view at our living room, staring out the window at the thick blanket of snow, and admiring the Christmas tree that we put up a few weeks ago. As I admire the wonderful view, I have a bowl of creamy soup and a slice of sourdough bread to keep me warm.
I found this ham and cheddar soup recipe online and decided to tweak it with the ingredients that I already have. Remember that creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup that I made last time? They are almost similar with just a difference in the veggies and the addition of ham. We had this for dinner along with some fried chicken and I decided to have more because it was so chilly.
Time to Make Creamy Soup for Chilly Nights!
The original recipe calls for some frozen peas but we’ve already used them up. I decided to use broccoli instead. You can also make this creamy soup after Christmas and use your leftover ham.
Garlic bread or sourdough bread? I have them both in stock so I served them both! What I did with the garlic bread was to slice them into cubes so they also doubled as croutons. I like to dip my sourdough bread on the hot soup — seems more adventurous!
Benefits of a Warm Bowl of Soup
Remember when you got sick and your mom or grandma would bring you a hot bowl of chicken soup? Have you ever wondered why it makes you feel better? Well, I’ve also wondered that. I came to realize that it’s not so much about the ingredients but because the warmth of the soup gives us that warm feeling and helps us perspire. When we sweat, our body cools and our fever goes down.
When we have colds, the warmth of the soup also breaks the nasal congestion and makes us feel better. The warmth of the soup also soothes a sore throat. Studies also show that a hot bowl of chicken soup, or any soup, has anti-inflammatory properties and helps reduce the movement of white blood cells in the upper respiratory tract (1).
Conclusion
What are you waiting for? Make a bowl of this warm and creamy soup with ham and cheddar for a heartwarming dish! Don’t forget to share this with others!
Creamy Ham and Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup carrots diced
- 1/4 cup onion chopped
- 1/4 cup butter cubed
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 1/2 cups cooked ham cubed
- 1 cup broccoli florets or frozen peas
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, add water, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the veggies are tender.
- While the veggies are cooking, melt some butter in another saucepan. Whisk in the flour and stir until smooth.
- Slowly add the milk, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and stir until melted.
- Add the milk mixture into the potato mixture. Add the ham and broccoli (or peas) and cook until warmed through.
1 thought on “Creamy Cheddar and Ham Soup for Your Holiday Nightcap”
Great soup! I substituted chicken broth for the water. It had such a nice flavor and the family loved it. Everyone enjoyed every spoonful.