6-Ingredient Crock Pot Ham And Sweet Potato Soup
Fall just arrived at your doorstep. Fork-tender sweet potatoes, smoky bites of ham, and a broth that has been simmering all day – that’s what you get with this Crock Pot ham and sweet potato soup. I cook this often, and it’s a favorite anytime of year, but it sure warms things up in the fall and winter. It’s also a six-ingredient dinner, which is my kind of plan. And yes, my two hungry boys will absolutely ask, “Is there more?” when they smell the cinnamon and brown sugar.
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Servings | Prep Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 7 hours 30 minutes | 4 | Beginner + |
A Quick Note On The Ham
This recipe works best with cooked ham that’s already savory, like leftover holiday ham, ham steak, or even diced ham from the deli. I bought Smithfield ham, diced it up, and used that in the soup. If your ham is heavily glazed or very sweet, the soup can tip too sweet once the brown sugar is in there.
If that’s what you’ve got, it’s not the end of the world. It will still taste good. Just know it’ll lean more “sweet and smoky” than “savory and smoky.”
If you use leftover cooked ham, just add it the same time as the instructions state.
How To Make Crock Pot Ham And Sweet Potato Soup
I’m going to walk you through it exactly the way I make it.
Dice up the sweet potatoes and add them to the Crock Pot. Next, sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar over the potatoes. Pour in the broth and add the pat of butter. Cover and cook on the low temperature for 7 hours or until the potatoes are tender.
After 7 hours, add the diced ham and let it cook for another 20 minutes or so, to heat up the ham.
Optional: Use a fork to mash some of the sweet potatoes to thicken the soup, or use an immersion blender (be careful not to scratch the cooker).
Why The Timing Matters (And How To Control The Texture)
Sweet potatoes soften beautifully when they cook low and slow, and they’re the built-in thickener for this soup. Ham is different. It’s already cooked, and it doesn’t need hours in the slow cooker. When you add the ham at the end, it stays flavorful, and you still get those nice, smoky bites. If you cook it all day, it can turn a little stringy, and it can also make the whole pot taste more “hammy” than balanced. And it would dry out the ham.
Potato Cut Size Matters
Cube the sweet potatoes into pieces that are close in size, about 3/4-inch to 1-inch. If they’re too large, they can stay firm in the center. If they’re tiny, they’ll break down so much that you’ll end up with more of a puree (which is fine if that’s what you want).
Low Heat Gives You The Best Sweet Potato Texture
Cooking on low gives the sweet potatoes time to get tender without breaking up too early. It also helps the cinnamon and brown sugar melt into the broth instead of tasting like two separate things.
Tips For The Best Soup
These are the little details that make it come out the way you want.
For A Thicker Soup
Mash a portion of the sweet potatoes right in the slow cooker with a fork. I usually mash along the sides and bottom first, then stir it back in. You still get chunks, but the broth turns silky. If you use an immersion blender, keep it near the center and don’t scrape the bottom (speaking from experience). Slow cooker inserts scratch easier than you’d think. And they suction to the bottom fast, so be prepared.
For A More “Brothy” Bowl
Don’t mash anything. Just stir and serve as-is. You’ll get tender cubes of sweet potato in a lightly sweet, buttery broth.
If Your Sweet Potatoes Aren’t Tender
Slow cookers cook differently. If you open the lid a lot, it adds time (more than you’d think). If they aren’t tender at 7 hours, just keep cooking on low until they mash easily with a fork.
A Few Questions I Get About This Soup
I’m not going to tack on a big list of generic questions, but these are the ones that actually come up with ham and sweet potatoes.
Do I have to peel the sweet potatoes?
I haven’t tried it without peeling, but the peel can add a little texture that some people love and some people don’t. If you’ve got some picky eaters (I live with one, so I get it), peeling keeps it much smoother.
Can I cook it on high instead of low?
I stick with low for 7 hours because it gives you tender sweet potatoes without them turning to total mush too early. If you need to speed it up, you can cook on high, but the texture changes faster, and you’ll want to keep an eye on it near the end.
What if I want it thicker but don’t want to blend it?
Mash a few sweet potato cubes against the side of the slow cooker with a fork and stir. That thickens the broth without making it completely smooth.
6-Ingredient Crock Pot Ham And Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced cooked ham
- 3 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Add the sweet potatoes, chicken broth, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter to the slow cooker and stir well.
- Cover and cook on the low temperature for 7 hours until the sweet potatoes are tender.
- Add the diced ham and cook until it is warmed through (20 minutes).
- Optional: Use a fork to mash some of the sweet potatoes to thicken the soup, or use an immersion blender (be careful not to scratch the cooker).
Video
Nutrition
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