Hammy Mac & Cheese Soup
There are times when a soup can make you feel like a kid again. I think this Mac & Cheese Soup just might be one of them. With the creamy, cheesy noodles of a macaroni and cheese dish, along with ham and broccoli – this soup will be perfect for both the little kids and the big ones.
This creamy soup isn’t a slow cooker recipe, but it whips up in about a half hour or so, making it both delicious and fast. This will quickly become a family favorite.
To begin, cook 1/2 cup of diced onion in a Dutch oven with 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook this over medium low heat until tender. Then add in 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook for another minute.
While those are cooking, you’ll cook 1 1/2 cup of elbow macaroni. Look at your package’s instructions, and only cook them for half of the time shown. If your cook time is 10 minutes, only cook them for 5. Then drain the noodles and set them aside.
When the onion and garlic have cooked together for a minute, add in 3 cups of chicken broth.
You’ll also add in 2 cups of half & half. Now I had some heavy whipping cream left over from Thanksgiving, so I just added a cup of that, and a cup of milk instead.
Stir in a tablespoon of country style Dijon mustard.
Then add in 4 ounces (half of a standard block) of light cream cheese.
Toss in 1 1/2 – 2 cups of diced cooked ham. This is a great recipe to make with leftover holiday ham.
Let those all cook together over medium heat, until the cream cheese is completely melted in. You will need to stir this soup frequently as it cooks. Once the cream cheese is completely melted in, and in 10 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Add in 2 cups of frozen broccoli florets and your semi-cooked macaroni. Finally stir in 1/16 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Let this cook together until the broccoli and noodles are just done, about 4-5 minutes.
That’s it! Enjoy.
Hammy Mac & Cheese Soup
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main
Ingredients
- 1/2 c diced onion
- 2 Tb butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 c uncooked elbow macaroni (cook to half the package instruction time)
- 3 c chicken broth
- 2 c half & half
- 1 Tb country style Dijon mustard
- 4 ounces light cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 – 2 c diced, cooked ham
- 10 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 c frozen broccoli florets
- 1/16 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- To begin, cook the diced onion in a Dutch oven with the butter. Cook this over medium low heat until tender. Then add in the minced garlic. Cook for another minute.
- While those are cooking, you’ll cook the elbow macaroni. Look at your package’s instructions, and only cook them for half of the time shown. If your cook time is 10 minutes, only cook them for 5. Then drain the noodles and set them aside.
- When the onion and garlic have cooked together for a minute, add in the chicken broth, half & half, mustard, cream cheese and ham.
- Let those all cook together over medium heat, until the cream cheese is completely melted in. You will need to stir this soup frequently as it cooks. Once the cream cheese is completely melted in, and in the shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
- Add in the frozen broccoli florets, your semi-cooked macaroni, the turmeric and black pepper. Let this cook together until the broccoli and noodles are just done, about 4-5 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Oh my goodness. This looks great and I have all the ingredients in the house! Win-win!