Anytime I make a potato soup recipe, I’m instantly taken back to my days of waitressing at various steakhouses in my 20s—probably because I ate a cup of potato soup at least four times a week before, after or during my shift. It wasn’t just an affordable option for a college student (like these other budget-friendly soup recipes), it was a filling and tasty one too.
This easy potato soup recipe is just like one you’d find on a steakhouse menu. Its rich and velvety base is loaded with cubes of tender potato, pieces of salty bacon, a healthy dose of melty cheese and a final flourish of green onions for color. Once you learn how to make this potato soup, it will become your go-to comfort food dinner anytime the weather is chilly or you’re feeling a little under the weather.
Potato Soup Ingredients
- Bacon: Smoky and salty bacon infuses this recipe for potato soup with tons of umami flavor. Here are the best bacon brands to mix in.
- Potatoes: You can use just about any type of potato for the homemade potato soup recipe, depending on the taste, texture and consistency you are hoping to achieve. For chunky potato soups like this one, a red or white waxy potato is best. They’re lower in starch so they hold their shape well throughout the cooking process. For a creamy, pureed potato soup recipe, opt for russets. Their high starch content and low moisture allow them to break down easily and puree super smooth. For the best of both worlds, Yukon Gold potatoes are what you want. They have more moisture than russets, so they’re ideal if you want a potato that will mash easily to thicken the soup while leaving the rest in chunks for texture.
- Aromatics: Like many other homemade soups, a simple combination of carrots and chopped onion makes a base and gives the easy potato soup some depth.
- Herbs and spices: Parsley provides freshness and color, celery seed lends savoriness and black pepper adds a little bite. Add the salt to taste, depending on how much you like.
- Chicken broth: You can use homemade chicken broth if you have some, or buy your favorite chicken broth brand from the store.
- Flour: Working with the potatoes, the flour thickens the soup. Here are some of our other favorite ways to thicken sauces, which will also work to thicken soups.
- Milk: Use 2% milk to add richness and creaminess to this recipe for potato soup.
- Velveeta: If you don’t have Velveeta, cheddar or Colby Jack are good substitutes.
- Green onions: Crisp green onions add a light onion flavor that complements the creaminess.
Directions
Step 1: Cook the bacon, aromatics and potatoes
In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Drain off any excess drippings.
Add the vegetables, seasonings and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2: Thicken with flour and milk
Whisk together the flour and milk until smooth, then stir it into the soup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, about two minutes.
Editor’s Tip: Always whisk the flour and milk together before adding them to the soup (it creates a makeshift roux). Adding dry flour directly to the pot will cause it to clump and will lead to a lumpy potato soup that will not thicken correctly.
Step 3: Add cheese and serve
Stir in the cheese until melted. Garnish servings with green onions if desired.
Editor’s Tip: If you wish, load your homemade potato soup with more tasty toppings. Extra crumbled cooked bacon, shredded cheddar cheese or a dollop of sour cream would be wonderful additions. Basically anything you’d put on a baked potato recipe can work here.
Recipe Variations
- Try it vegetarian: For a vegetarian potato soup recipe, omit the bacon from the recipe and opt for vegetable broth. For smokiness, you can add vegetarian bacon crumbles or add a little smoked cheddar or Gouda to the recipe.
- Make it gluten-free: For a gluten-free potato soup, try thickening the soup with cornstarch instead of flour. Start by making a slurry of 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 4 tablespoons water and add it during Step 2 of the potato soup recipe.
- Add more seasonings: To jazz up the flavor, you can add other herbs and spices to this soup. Dried thyme, basil or oregano would add lovely herbaceous flavor. For a Cajun potato soup, add 1 to 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, or add a pinch of cayenne pepper or crushed red chili flakes.
How to Store Potato Soup
Easy potato soup may be kept refrigerated in an airtight food storage container for four to five days.
Can you freeze potato soup?
While many soups freeze well, homemade potato soup isn’t one of them. Soups containing potatoes and dairy tend to get grainy and to separate once frozen, thawed and reheated. So, we do not recommend freezing potato soup unless this textural change doesn’t bother you. Here are more tips for freezing soup.
How do you reheat potato soup?
The best way to reheat this recipe for potato soup is to do so gently in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat until heated through. Warming the soup slowly will help prevent the dairy in the soup from curdling. Heating soup recipes that contain milk and cheese too quickly over high heat is a common mistake in soup making and reheating.
Potato Soup Tips
How can you thicken potato soup?
If you want to learn how to make potato soup thicker, you can add an additional tablespoon of flour or substitute whole milk or heavy cream for some of the 2% milk. A dollop or two of sour cream or Greek yogurt are also lovely ways to thicken potato soup while also adding a little tang. If you have leftover mashed potatoes on hand, toss them in! They’ll also work wonders at giving this soup a little extra body.
What can you serve with potato soup?
There’s nothing like oven-fresh bread to go with homemade potato soup! Check out this Italian bread, these homemade Parker House rolls or any of our other bread recipes. Then, counter the indulgence of this homemade potato soup recipe with one of these garden salad recipes.
