My easy potato soup is made with 4 ingredients making it ideal for weeknight dinners with my family. I use simple ingredients to get a creamy and hearty potato taste for the ultimate comfort food.
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My Favorite Creamy Potato Soup
I love a good potato soup, but I am just not a fan of the canned version. And, while I love homemade soups, I found the typical potato soup takes too much time. I decided to make this easy potato soup so I could make it on weeknights paired with a crusty loaf of bread.
To make things even easier, I often peel and chop the potatoes the night before, then place them in a bowl full of water, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it. When I’m ready to make dinner, I drain the potatoes and they are ready to cook!
I like to do this on a Sunday night when I have a little more time so our busy Monday is a little easier after school and sports with my kids.
My husband Ben tries to keep his sodium intake down so this homemade version is so much healthier than the canned stuff and tastes better too!
And, if you love a good soup recipe, try my recipes for tortellini soup, navy bean soup, pot roast, white chicken chili, beef stew, and beef chili.
Homemade Potato Soup Ingredients
- Olive oil — I’ve also used vegetable oil and extra virgin olive oil
- Onion — a yellow or sweet onion will work fine
- Russet potatoes — I find these help thicken the soup best
- Vegetable broth — chicken broth can be used in place of this too
- Heavy cream — I often use whole milk in place of the heavy cream if I don’t have it on hand
How to Make Potato Soup
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat some olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the chopped onion and saute them for 5 minutes, until soft and slightly translucent.
STEP TWO: Add in the chopped potatoes and season them with the salt and pepper. Add the vegetable broth so that it covers the potatoes and bring everything to a boil.
Reduce the heat and cover. Let it simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender when poked with a fork. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the milk or heavy cream.
STEP THREE: Use an immersion blender to blend the soup to the desired consistency. For extra creamy potato soup, blend until smooth.
Tips to Make This Easy Potato Soup Recipe
- Sautée the onions before adding in the potatoes to add a caramelized flavor to the soup. I’ve made my recipe with raw onions and the sauteed ones bring in extra flavor.
- Use Russet potatoes for the best texture. I use these potatoes because they’re high in starch and allow the soup to thicken without extra ingredients like flour or cornstarch.
- Use an immersion blender to get a nice creamy texture. I’ve also used a hand masher and this gives the soup a chunkier texture, which is still great, but the immersion blender is what will make the soup smooth.
- Use vegetable broth to bring in some flavor. Chicken broth also works, but I’ve tried using water, and I miss the added flavor the broth gives.
- Garnish the soup with bacon bits and cheese! Sometimes I will air fry some bacon and crumble it into pieces or just use the store-bought version when I’m in a true pinch for time.
Simple Potato Soup Recipe Variations
- Add more shredded sharp cheddar cheese directly into the soup after blending it for a cheesy variation. My kids are huge cheese lovers and love the extra cheese.
- Incorporate some Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and a bit of unsalted butter to create a rich and savory garlic-Parmesan twist.
- Spice it up by adding some cumin, chili powder, and a squeeze of lime juice. I love to top this version with diced avocado, cilantro, and sour cream!
- Add in some extra chunks of potatoes and only blend half of them for a more chunky version. I’ve done this by adding some pieces of carrots, too.
What to Serve with Potato Soup
I love to top this soup with bacon bits, sharp cheddar cheese, and green onions or chives. I also serve it with some air fryer garlic bread so I can dip it right in the soup!
When I want a little heartier dinner and have some extra time, I will serve this on the side with a protein like chicken cordon bleu, London broil, air fryer chicken, or smothered pork chops.
Easy Potato Soup FAQs
Do I need Flour to Make This Basic Potato Soup Recipe?
I do not use any flour in my homemade potato soup. The potatoes hold enough starch to give the soup enough substance that it doesn’t need a thickener.
The Best Potatoes for Easy Potato Soup
I recommend using Russet potatoes for my potato soup recipe. Russet potatoes are filled with starch and help thicken up the soup without the use of any flour. I’ve also tried my recipe with Yukon gold potatoes and it works well.
How to cut potatoes for 4 Ingredient Potato Soup
I chop the potatoes into as even pieces as possible so they end up cooking evenly and blend without being too mushy or hard. I usually cut them around 1-inch in size.
How to Thicken Potato Soup
My soup recipe uses Russet potatoes, so it thickens without needing a thickener, like flour or cornstarch. If I need to thicken a soup, I just mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and water together, then add it to the soup while it’s still cooking.
How to store Homemade Potato Soup
I store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, reheating it in the microwave for fastest results.
Can you freeze Potato Soup?
I don’t recommend freezing potato soup since the texture of potatoes changes when thawed. My soup tastes the best when it’s fresh those first four days.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Tuna salad
- Chicken spaghetti recipe
- Air fryer chicken tenders
- London broil marinade
- Air fryer meatloaf
- Garlic Parmesan chicken and pasta
- Velveeta mac and cheese
Easy Potato Soup (4 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 pounds russet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream or whole milk
Optional
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
Topping options
- Bacon bits
- Cheddar cheese
- Green onions chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the peeled, chopped potatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add broth to just cover the potatoes and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the milk (or cream).
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Stir in any additional optional ingredients until well combined, and serve with desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
This is a good start. Sautéing celery-3-4 ribs sliced with 1 cup chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic & add your liquids (milk,cream, vegetable broth) add 2 whole bay leaves to simmer till you serve then remove bay. Potato soup is good anytime. Making mine today. Been rough week! Our winter is in North Port, FL. Hurricane Ian & 19.4” of rain. We’re preparing to go down for cleanup. Have a great Sunday!