This potato soup recipe is simple, made with pantry ingredients, and so comforting. It's truly one of my favorite things to eat. And the best part about it? It's so quick and easy. You can definitely complicate it for more complex flavor, but we're going back to basics with this one (although I have some suggestions below if you want to take it up a notch!)
This is one of those recipes that you always want to have on hand. It's perfect for those weeknights (or weekends) where you just need something simple and foolproof. It comes together in one pot, and you can make it on the stovetop or in your Instant Pot or crockpot. We'll go over all of it below.
This easy potato soup recipe is quick, satisfying and comforting. You probably have all the ingredients you need in your pantry right now.
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Why You're Going to Love this Recipe
- Listen, sometimes, you just need to take it back to basics. This potato soup recipe checks all the boxes: it's simple, quick, comforting, and you likely don't need to run out to get groceries to make it.
- You can personalize it to your taste: add as many, or as few toppings as you want. Make it velvety smooth or super chunky. The world is your oyster!
- You can also use it as a jumping off point for something more elegant (i.e. I love adding a bit of truffle oil, black pepper, and parmesan cheese for a different flavor profile).
- You can make it however you want: on the stovetop, in a Crockpot, or in an Instant Pot or other multi-cooker. The instructions for each are below!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but it's not recommended. The potatoes tend to dry out and take on a grainy texture. Plus the dairy in it doesn't freeze well either.
Yes, you can make it up to a day ahead. But, to reheat it, definitely make sure you have some extra milk or chicken stock on hand so you can thin it out a bit.
It depends. When it's made with a cream base, rather than milk or chicken stock, it can definitely be high in calories and fat. You can rectify this by making it with low-sodium chicken broth, or skim milk!
The easiest way is in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove. Add a little extra liquid (like milk or chicken stock), to loosen the soup up to your desired thickness.
Ingredients
We're going back to basics here, so the ingredient list is pretty short!
- Potatoes: I used russet for this recipe, as they're my favorite for soups. You can use whatever you have on hand though.
- Onion and garlic: the flavor base for the soup.
- Chicken stock: to make the soup itself. You can use water here if you want, but honestly, the chicken stock adds a LOT of flavor, I very much prefer it this way. You can also use veggie stock if you want.
- Milk: Helping to give the soup a silky, creamy texture.
- Oil, salt and pepper: the basics. You really want to go for it with the seasoning here, it brings the whole soup to life. It's super easy for this to be bland, so don't skimp on the salt and pepper!
- Toppings: there are tons of topping options to add a bit of extra zest (see below for the full list), but the classics are cheddar cheese, green onion (or chives), and bacon. That's what I garnished with here.
How to Make Potato Soup: Step-By-Step
On the Stove
Heat up a heavy bottomed soup pot (I love a Dutch oven for this) over medium heat. Add your oil. Add the onions, and let them sweat for 5-6 minutes. Add your garlic cloves and cook for another few minutes.
Hint: you don't need to finely chop or mince anything in this recipe, since we're going to be blending it later.
Once the garlic and onion have gotten to know each other, add the potatoes (these should be cut to about ½"-1" pieces, just to cut down on cooking time).
Add the broth, salt and pepper, and then bring to a rolling boil.
Turn the heat back down to a simmer, and cover, cooking 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
Cook your garlic and onions. Also, please don't mind my pot, it's very well loved, and not dirty. Add your potatoes and stock, and simmer for 25 minutes. Once simmered, get in there with a blender.
Using an immersion blender or a stand blender, puree the soup until smooth and silky. If you like some chunks in your soup, no problem, just blend it a little less.
Add your milk, and stir occasionally until everything is heated through. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary. If the soup is looking a bit thick, add a little more milk until it's to your liking.
Garnish with your favorite toppings, and serve.
In the Instant Pot
Add the oil, garlic and onion to the Instant Pot on the sauté setting. Cook for about five minutes so the flavors have time to mingle.
Add the broth, the salt and the pepper. Cancel the sauté setting, and then cover and seal. Cook the soup for eight minutes on the pressure cook setting. Quick release after that.
Using an immersion blender or a stand blender, puree the soup until smooth and silky. If you like some chunks in your soup, no problem, just blend it a little less.
Stir in the milk, and taste for seasonings. If it's taking too long to heat up, you can switch the IP back to the sauté function, which will speed it up.
Garnish and enjoy!
In a Slow Cooker
Throw the garlic, onion, potatoes, broth and salt and pepper in a slow cooker. Cook for 4 hours on high, or 8 hours on low.
Using an immersion blender or a stand blender, puree the soup until smooth and silky. If you like some chunks in your soup, no problem, just blend it a little less.
Add your milk, and taste for seasoning. Let the soup hang out for another 30 minutes to warm everything up.
Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Make it For a Crowd
My favorite way to make this for a big crowd is in the Instant Pot - but it should be a big one if you're going to try it (the 8-quart size). I would double this recipe, but cut back on the chicken broth by 1 cup (so it would be 4-5 cups total for a double batch).
The one thing you have to make sure of is that the recipe fits below the max fill line. As long as you're not going over that, you're good.
Plus, the IP has that handy keep warm setting, so you can make it a bit ahead of time, and serve it when you're ready.
Awesome Toppings
Potato is such a versatile ingredient that takes to other flavors so well. Here's just a few topping ideas:
- Bacon
- Cheddar cheese
- Green onion
- Chives
- Sour cream
- Crème fraiche
- Truffle oil (don't hate me, it's so good. Just a drizzle).
- Sharp cheddar
- Smoked gouda
- Fresh thyme
- Cayenne pepper
- Roasted red pepper
Honestly the list goes on. Don't be afraid to get creative!
Variations
- Make it dairy free by subbing the milk for only chicken broth.
- Swap the milk for half-and-half (or heavy cream), add ¾ teaspoon of truffle oil and 1 C of parmesan cheese (plus a whole bunch of freshly cracked pepper.
- Add herbs like thyme and rosemary while the soup is cooking - it adds amazing flavor complexity.
- To add a little zing, add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Use skim milk and opt for no cheese for a healthier version.
- Try different kinds of cheese: cheddar is great obviously, but so is smoked gouda, gruyere, or even brie! For an extra smooth and luxurious sauce, add 4 oz of cream cheese.
Tips and Tricks
- I'm begging you, don't skip (or go easy) on the salt. And make sure you're testing it to see if you've seasoned the soup properly. If the soup is tasting bland, I'm guessing this might be the culprit.
- Don't add the milk while the potatoes are cooking. Dairy has a tendency to separate, so we're just going to avoid that by adding the milk later and heating it through.
- Add toppings: this is a basic, easy soup recipe. The toppings will really help it shine.
- Remember you can adjust the thickness of the soup at the end - if you want to start by adding less milk for a thicker texture, that's totally cool. On the reverse, if the soup is too thick, just add a little more.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some fun ideas on what to serve with this potato soup recipe:
- Sweet potato fries with awesome dipping sauce
- Parmesan truffle fries
- Easy broiled asparagus
- Caesar salad
More Great Soup Recipes
📖 Recipe
Easy Potato Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Soup pot or
- Instant Pot or
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 6-7 medium potatoes peeled and chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 C milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Topping Options
- 3 slices bacon crumbled
- 1 C cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoon chives diced
- 2 green onions sliced
- ¼ C sour cream
Instructions
For the Stove Top
- Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, and cook until softened and translucent (about five minutes). Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant (about one minute).
- Add the potatoes and broth. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then turn heat down to medium low (you want a gentle simmer at this point). Cover the potatoes and cook until very soft (about 20-25 minutes).
- Blend the potatoes using an immersion blender, or a standing blender (just be careful as you transfer the soup to the blender!). You can make it as chunky or smooth as you wish.
- Add the milk and stir occasionally until heated through. Add the salt and pepper, taste, and the adjust seasoning as necessary. If the soup is too thick, add a little more milk.
- Serve with desired toppings.
For the Instant Pot
- Set the pot to sauté function. Heat oil, then add onions, sautéing until soft. Add the garlic, cook for one minute.
- Add the potatoes and broth. Set IP to pressure cook on high, and then cook for 8 minutes.
- Quick release the valve once the timer has gone off.
- Blend the potatoes using an immersion blender, or a standing blender (just be careful as you transfer the soup to the blender!). You can make it as chunky or smooth as you wish.
- At this point, the "keep warm function" should be on - this is great, keep it there. Add the milk and stir occasionally until heated through (if it's taking too much time on keep warm, then you can switch it back to sauté). Add the salt and pepper, taste, and the adjust seasoning as necessary. If the soup is too thick, add a little more milk.
- Serve with desired toppings.
For the Slow Cooker
- Add the potatoes, onion, garlic and broth to the slow cooker. Cook on high for three hours, or low for 6 hours.
- Blend the potatoes using an immersion blender, or a standing blender (just be careful as you transfer the soup to the blender!). You can make it as chunky or smooth as you wish.
- Add the milk and stir occasionally until heated through. Add the salt and pepper, taste, and the adjust seasoning as necessary. If the soup is too thick, add a little more milk.
- Serve with desired toppings.
Video
Notes
- I'm begging you, don't skip (or go easy) on the salt. And make sure you're testing it to see if you've seasoned the soup properly. If the soup is tasting bland, I'm guessing this might be the culprit.
- Don't add the milk while the potatoes are cooking. Dairy has a tendency to separate, so we're just going to avoid that by adding the milk later and heating it through.
- Add toppings: this is a basic, easy soup recipe. The toppings will really help it shine.
- Remember you can adjust the thickness of the soup at the end - if you want to start by adding less milk for a thicker texture, that's totally cool. On the reverse, if the soup is too thick, just add a little more.
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Cara! I'm a food writer, journalist, and recipe developer. I'm obsessed good food, good wine, good cocktails and entertaining. I've picked up a few tips over the years, and love sharing them with others.
kushigalu says
This soup recipe is simple and delicious. Thanks for sharing
Cara says
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Beth says
Potato soup is one of my favorite dishes to make in the fall and winter. It's so hearty and delicious. I can't wait to try your version!
Cara says
Thanks so much Beth!
Katherine says
What a great easy, hearty soup!
Cara says
Thanks Katherine!
Tara says
Such a fantastic and comforting soup! I love how easily it comes together with pantry staples too.
Cara says
Thank you Tara!
Kelley says
This was full of flavor! Comfort food at it's finest. Thank you so much for sharing!
Cara says
Hi Kelley, thank you so much!
Ned says
I love that I can make this delicious soup in my slow cooker! Thank you for the recipe!
Cara says
No problem Ned, so glad you liked it!
Sandra says
This soup is delicoius and hearty. I loved all of the suggestions for toppings! Perfect for a cold winter day!
Cara says
Awesome, thank you so much Sandra! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Colleen says
This potato soup is so easy to make and it's delicious and hearty. True comfort food!
Cara says
Thanks Colleen - glad you enjoyed it!
Kathleen says
This potato soup looks so creamy, smooth and yummy! Can't wait to dig into a big bowl of deliciousness.
Cara says
Thanks so much Kathleen!
Janessa says
This was the perfect warm soup for a cold winter supper last night. So tasty.
Cara says
Thank you Janessa!
Jill says
Simply delicious potato soup recipe. And you are right, a little truffle oil on top is fantastic!!
Cara says
So glad you tried that Jill - it's totally my favorite way to eat it!
Colleen says
This potato soup is super easy to make and turned out delicious. It was a hit and I'll make it again.
Cara says
Thanks Colleen, so glad you liked it!
Sharon says
Easy and excellent!
Cara says
Thanks so much Sharon! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 <3