Hearty Potato Soup

Total Time

Prep: 20 min. Cook: 30 min.

Makes

10 servings (about 2-1/2 quarts)

Updated: Dec. 19, 2023
Having grown up on a dairy farm in Holland, I love our country life here in Idaho's "potato country." My favorite recipe for potato soup originally called for heavy cream and bacon fat, but I've trimmed down the recipe. —Gladys DeBoer, Castleford, Idaho

Ingredients

  • 6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 6 celery ribs, chopped
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 6 tablespoons butter, cubed
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1-1/2 cups 2% milk

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven, cook the potatoes, carrots and celery in water until tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid and setting vegetables aside.
  2. In the same pan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Gently stir in cooked vegetables. Add 1 cup or more of reserved cooking liquid until soup is desired consistency.

Test Kitchen Tips
  • For the ultimate flavor, use fresh produce when it’s in season. In spring, that means asparagus, peas, artichokes and fennel. In summer, eggplant, arugula, summer squash and tomatoes shine. Fall’s finest? Butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and carrots, to name a few.
  • Give limp celery a second chance to season entrees, soups and stews. Cut the ends from the limp celery stalks and place the stalks in a glass of cold water in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. You’ll be surprised how refreshed the celery will be.
  • Try 70 other classic homemade soups.
  • Nutrition Facts

    1 cup: 208 calories, 8g fat (5g saturated fat), 21mg cholesterol, 344mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 4g fiber), 5g protein.