Step 1

First begin your prep. Cube your ham and potatoes into small pieces. Dice your onion, carrot, and celery. Mince your garlic cloves, and slice the green onion.

Step 2

Heat a large heavy pot on medium. Add a drizzle of oil and the cubed ham. Cook for a couple minutes on each side until the ham has browned a bit. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Step 3

Next add the butter, onion, carrot, and celery. This is called a mirepoix and will help establish a base of flavour for the soup. Cook for a few minutes until slightly softened, scraping any browned bits from the bottom.

Step 4

Next add the garlic and potatoes. Mix in and cook for another 1-2 minutes before sprinkling over the flour. Mix this well.

Step 5

Now add the chicken broth and milk. Bring this to a gentle simmer on medium heat stirring occasionally for 15-25 minutes until your potatoes are fork tender. Be sure to test a potato with a fork to determine doneness.

Step 6

Once potatoes are cooked add the ham back in (reserve some for garnishing if you'd like), Italian seasoning, salt & pepper to taste, and heavy cream.

Step 7

Shut off the heat and stir in the shredded cheese bits at a time to avoid splitting the soup. Taste test and add more seasonings to your preference.

Step 8

Serve up with more shredded cheese, reserved fried ham, red pepper flakes, and green onion. Enjoy!