This homemade, creamy, cozy, comfort food will warm you up on the chilliest, dreariest day. It's one of my favorite soup recipes.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Ultimate comfort food, just like grandma made
- Inexpensive and budget friendly
- Quick and easy
Old fashioned potato soup is so simple that you can have it on the table in less than 30 minutes! Be sure to read the tips for cutting the fat without losing flavor.
🧾 Ingredients
It's amazing how a few simple ingredients can come together to make something so delicious, isn't it?
📚 Variations
There aren't a lot of fancy ingredients in this old fashioned recipe - it's a plain potato soup. Don't let that fool you into thinking that this isn't a dish full of flavor.
It's simple comfort food; a foundational recipe that you can use as is or build on.
- diced ham
- crumbled cooked bacon - sprinkle on top
- chipotle - stir in chipotle powder or mashed chipotle just before serving.
- celery - saute and add to the soup with the onions
- cheese -either stir it in to the soup just before serving or serve it with cheese on top
- sour cream - stir into the soup just before serving or put a dollop on top of the soup when serving
- cream cheese - warm it in the microwave until it's soft and then stir into the soup until well blended
- cooked ground beef
- cumin - mix into the broth
- clams
- jalapenos - saute with the onions
- garlic - saute as above
- cooked chicken
- leftover cooked vegetables - stir in just before serving
- chives - sprinkle on the soup just before serving
- butter - I like to serve it with a pat of butter melting on top
🔪 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.
- Clean, peel, and dice potatoes. Cook, drain, and add back to the pot.
- Saute the onion in 1 tablespoon of the butter.
- Add the cooked onion, butter, milk, seasonings, and cream to the potatoes. Remove some of the soup, blend, and stir back into the soup.
- Serve this creamy potato soup in shallow bowls with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of parsley or green onions on top.
🥫 Storage
Homemade potato soup does not freeze well. The potatoes get a weird texture and the creamy broth gets grainy and watery.
It's easy to make and will last a good 4 days in your refrigerator if it's tightly covered with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and kept cold.
🎥 Video
Click on the image to watch me make this recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).
💭 Tips
Expert Tip: Never boil creamy soups. Bring just to a simmer and heat slowly or you run the risk of the milk curdling.
- Any type of potato (including Idaho russet) is fine for this recipe; however I like to use thin skinned potatoes like red potatoes or Yukon Gold so I don't have to peel them!
- Any kind of milk (dairy or non-dairy) will work. Using evaporated milk is an old fashioned technique that make it extra creamy!
- You can omit the cream and use all milk if you like.
- Try to keep the diced potatoes the same size so that they will cook evenly.
- Make this easy soup recipe even faster by using canned, diced potatoes and frozen onions.
Don't forget the crackers! They're definitely a must with soup and you'll love this homemade saltine crackers recipe.
🥗 How to lower the fat
I prefer a homemade potato soup with heavy cream but there are several ways to lower the fat in this recipe if you'd like to.
Try them all and see which one you like best.
- Use all whole milk instead of milk and cream
- Use half and half instead of heavy cream
- Adjust the amount of butter to your liking
- Use 2% or fat free milk, and double the potatoes. Blend about half the cooked potatoes up in a blender with some of the hot milk. Pour it back into the pot. The blended potatoes will thicken the soup and make it creamy without the fat. You may even need to thin it out with a little more milk
- Use chicken stock for part of the liquid
🥔 What are the best potatoes to use
| Type | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Russet | Starchy. Helps thicken the soup. | You have to peel them |
| Red | No peeling. | Red flecks from the peel in white soup. Not as starchy as russets. |
| Yukon Gold | Creamy texture. No peeling. These are my favorite for potato soup. | Not as starchy as russets. |
| Purple Potatoes | Pretty, unique. Look best cubed in soup. High in antioxidants. Fun. | They can put people off because they're unusual. |
| Round White Potatoes | Creamy texture. Soup stays very white. Hold shape after cooking. No peeling. | Very low starch. |
👩🍳 FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this easy potato soup recipe.
You can add a cup or so of the soup to a blender and blend it smooth then add it back to the soup. That will thicken it up and you won't lose any creaminess or flavor. An immersion blender makes it super easy. You can also use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes right in the pot.
You sure can! Use about a teaspoon and a half of instant potato flakes and add it to the soup, stirring it in well. Wait a minute or two and repeat the process until you have the consistency you desire.
You can substitute milk for all or part of the cream, adjust the amount of butter (or leave it out), and cut back on the salt, depending on your tastes and dietary needs. Blending some of the cooked potatoes with the milk helps to thicken it and make it creamy without flour or extra fat.
What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness! Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!
Related recipes
If you're looking for a cheesy potato soup you've GOT to check out this recipe from my friend Deb, at Bowl Me Over!!
More hearty soup recipes!
🍽️ Serve with...
I love serving this simple meal with homemade cloverleaf rolls and some oatmeal cookies for dessert.
📞 The last word
When I was growing up there were a couple of dinners that would make me get home fast. Cabbage rolls and this creamy potato soup recipe!
My mom made the best potato soup ever - and this is the recipe I grew up on. Whenever something is going on in my life that's difficult this is what I I want.
Especially with a layer of crispy bacon on top!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Potato Soup Recipe
Print Pin Recipe SaveEquipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 pound potatoes, washed - peeled if desired or if you're using russets.
- 1 cup onion, diced
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 cups evaporated milk, or whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream, (whipping) cream or half and half
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, optional
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons green onions, or parsley - finely chopped
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Instructions
- Dice the potatoes to desired size.
- Bring water to a boil in a pot and add the diced potatoes.
- Simmer until tender.
- Meanwhile, slowly cook the onion in 1 tablespoon of the butter.
- Drain the potatoes and add them back to the pot.
- Add the cooked onion, butter, milk, and cream.
- Taste and add salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to taste.
- Serve in shallow bowls with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of parsley on top.
Notes
- Never boil creamy soups. Bring just to a simmer and heat slowly or you run the risk of the milk curdling.
- If you use Yukon gold or other thin skinned potato you won't have to peel them but Russets are fine.
- Try to keep the diced potatoes the same size so that they will cook evenly.
- Make this even faster by using canned, diced potatoes and frozen onions.
- Just before serving add a splash of cream even if you are doing a low fat version. It makes the soup richer and more flavorful.
- Use all whole milk instead of milk and cream
- Use half and half instead of heavy cream
- Adjust the amount of butter to your liking
- Use 2% or fat free milk, and double the potatoes. Blend about half the potatoes up in a blender with some of the hot milk. Pour it back into the pot. The blended potatoes will thicken the soup and make it creamy without the fat. You may even need to thin it out with a little more milk
- Use chicken stock for part of the liquid
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.Originally Published: March 9, 2011 Last Updated: June 22, 2023 to add helpful information and to make editorial improvements.
Melanie C
I wanted to make Homemade potato soup and came across your recipe. It was as good as it sounded - even better. Thanks for sharing Marye.
Becky Mansfield
This potato soup recipe is going to be perfect for a fall meal. Our daughter loves potato soup, so when I showed her the recipe, she told me to save it for her. LOL! I just bookmarked it, and I know I'll be back again & again to grab the recipe.
Cindy
I LOVE this potato soup! It is the perfect balance of simple to make and tasty to eat - thank you!
Rita Joy
Thank you for this potato soup recipe. Potato soup is definitely a comfort food recipe for me, and this homemade potato soup looks just like what my mom used to make. I can't wait to try it.
Julie Evink
I love that this soup is so easy to make. There's nothing like a bowl of this potato soup recipe when the nights are cooler! I liked to serve it with a hearty bread and side salad.
Alyssa
I've never tried making homemade potato soup. The ones I've tried from the store just aren't that good. I can't wait to try out this recipe.
One Crazy House
Homemade potato soup is my FAVORITE!!! I have been eating cleaner and have been sad about not having it this fall and winter. I cannot wait to try your lower fat tips!!!