Silky, savory, and simple, this recipe for creamy potato soup is a go-to for hosting a crowd. Add on any of our favorite toppings and satisfy all of your comfort food cravings at once.
What Potatoes Are Best for Soup?
There are a ton of different potatoes to choose from, but not all are created equal when it comes to making soup. Simply put, the higher the starch content of the potato, the thicker the soup is. If you love a creamy bowl of soup, don’t forget to try our broccoli cheddar.
- Red: Red potatoes have a low starch content and are great if you like a thinner potato soup.
- Yukon Gold: Yukon Gold potatoes are our favorites for potato soup — they’re mildly starchy and have a beautiful golden color. These potatoes make for the best broth consistency.
- Russet: Russet potatoes are the starchiest potatoes. Tread lightly with these, as they create an extremely thick soup.
Hot tip: Feel free to mix and match the potatoes you use. If you have several varieties hanging out in your pantry, use them! The different levels of starchiness balance out and create a great texture in the potato soup.
How to Make This Creamy Potato Soup
Before turning on the stove to make this potato soup, consider familiarizing yourself with the steps to make the process as smooth as the soup.
- Prep the ingredients: Chop the baked potatoes and cooked bacon into small chunks and dice the onions into tiny pieces.
- Make the roux: Preheat a pot with butter over medium heat, then add the onions. Sauté until they caramelize, then stir the flour in.
- Combine the ingredients: Pour the milk and water into the pot. When it starts to simmer, add in the potatoes and Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base. Add salt if needed (keep in mind the toppings may also be salty).
- Simmer the soup: Allow the soup to simmer until it is creamy — about 10 minutes. Once finished, garnish with your favorite toppings.
Hot tip: Make the soup creamier by pureeing part of it with an immersion blender. Blend until it reaches your desired consistency. Then, add it back into the pot and top the soup with your favorite toppings.
Toppings for Potato Soup
If you’re making potato soup for a crowd, what better way to please everyone’s taste buds than by encouraging them customize their own bowls with a topping bar! Add on all the toppings and you have a “loaded baked potato soup!”
- Bacon bits
- Cheese (pepper jack, colby jack, or sharp cheddar cheese)
- Garlic croutons
- Chopped green onions
- Fresh dill
- Dollop of sour cream
- Lightly fried prosciutto or pancetta bits
- Parmesan crisps
- Chives
Tips From The Kitchen
Flavor and texture are the two most important parts of a good soup. Follow these tips to ensure the best potato soup each time.
- Peel the potato: For the smoothest, creamiest soup, peel the potatoes. However, if you enjoy small bits of potato skin in your soup, feel free to keep the skins on.
- Avoid overcooking the potatoes: Allow the potatoes to become tender, but not mushy. Overcooked potatoes lead to a watery soup.
- Season it to taste: For even more flavor, toss in your favorite spices like salt, pepper, garlic or onion powder, and/or paprika. Add in red pepper flakes for extra heat!
- Pour in an acid: When/if the soup taste bland, add in an acidic ingredient instead of only salt. A splash of lime or lemon juice does the trick!
- Add more veggies: If you need to use up a few veggies in the fridge, or simply add more vegetables to your meal, sauté diced carrots, celery, and/or onions until they’re tender, then add them into the broth.
Hot tip: For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth instead! For a gluten-free version, use cornstarch instead of flour to thicken the soup.
What To Serve With Potato Soup
What’s a better pairing than soup and salad? For a classic salad, make this garden salad. If you want to be a bit more unique, serve our quinoa kale salad or berry spinach salad.
The only thing left to add to the spread is a fresh slice of warm bread. Focaccia bread is a great option for a rich-flavored, filling bread, but these garlic knots are a kid favorite. If you can’t resist more cheese, this cheesy bread is a delicious accompaniment!
Storing & Reheating
Potato soup is great when enjoyed fresh from the pot, but in case you have leftovers, store them in the fridge and reheat with your preferred warming method.
- Refrigerator: To store for up to five days, place soup into an airtight container in the fridge.
- Reheating: To reheat one bowl of soup, use the microwave. Microwave a minute at a time, stirring at each minute to keep the soup from bursting and getting your microwave dirty. To reheat a large portion, place the soup into a pot and warm over medium heat on the stove, stirring frequently. If the soup appears too thick, add a splash of milk to thin it.
Storage tip: It is best to avoid freezing potato soup, as potatoes often become gummy once frozen and defrosted.
FAQ
How can I add more flavor to potato soup?
For more flavor in potato soup, consider adding your favorite spices (salt, pepper, paprika, onion/garlic powder, etc.) or a splash of an acid (lemon or lime juice).
What ingredients are in potato soup?
Potato soup is typically made with diced potatoes, onion, a roux made from butter and flour, and milk. The soup can also be topped with a variety of toppings ranging from bacon to sour cream.
How do I thicken potato soup?
If the potato soup is watery, take two tablespoons of cornstarch and mix with ¼ cup of cool water. Mix until the starch dissolves, then add in the mixture slowly and simmer the soup until the soup reaches the thickness you desire.
More Soup Recipes
- Easy Rice Noodle Soup — Beef soup similar to Vietnamese Phở
- Meat Dumpling Soup — Made with traditional Slavic pelmeni (dumplings)
- Vegetable Soup— Loaded with veggies
- Split Pea Soup— My grandma’s recipe for this classic soup
- Shurpa – A cozy, central Asian stew
Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cooked potatoes (pre-cook potatoes by boiling or baking them)
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 cups hot water
- 1 tbsp chicken Better Than Bouillon base
Toppings
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup bacon crisps
- 1/2 cup diced green onions
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients for the soup: dice the onions, pre-cook & chop potatoes, and prepare all toppings (cheese, bacon crisps, green onion).
- Preheat a large pot with butter, then add onions and cook until they are caramelized. Stir in the flour and mix well.
- Add milk & hot water into the pot. When it starts simmering, add in potatoes and Better Than Bouillon chicken base. If necessary, season the soup with salt, but keep in mind that the toppings (cheese and bacon) tend to be salty.
- Let the soup simmer until creamy, for about 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings (cheese, bacon, green onions).
I usually just throw things in, love to sautee a few celery stalks along with the onion and also add a carrot or two or chopped red pepper for color. But yum, potato soup is one of the most delicious things ever! Must be the Belarussian in me 😉
I love the idea of adding other vegies. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Natasha for great recipe! Just made it, it's a very simple and good soup:)
Thanks Luba! I am happy you loved it, I want to make it next week. 🙂
How many slices of bacon is half a cup ?
Depending on the brand you use, it's about 3-4 slices.
My type of soup... will try
I really hope you love it! But tell me how you like it ?