This easy potato soup recipe is creamy, comforting, and always a crowd favorite.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this delicious, creamy potato soup! It’s simple and easy to make and so perfect on a chilly, damp day.”
– Katrina
Like A Warm Hug In A Bowl
Love a cozy bowl of homemade potato soup. ♡
It’s the kind of comfort food I grew up eating on chilly Midwestern nights — simple, hearty, and always so nostalgic. I spent years tweaking this recipe, and it’s now a forever favorite in our house. And after tens of thousands of you have made it (and raved about it!) over the past decade, I’d say it’s officially a reader favorite here too!
This homemade potato soup recipe is wonderfully creamy (without needing heavy cream), layered with cozy garlic and cheddar flavor, and easy to customize to your taste. Even better? It’s quick and unfussy and ready to go in just 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights or lazy Sunday dinners or anytime you’re craving a cozy bowl of soup. One batch never lasts long in our house!
So if you’ve been searching for a tried-and-true potato soup recipe to keep on repeat, this is it!
Cheers,
Potato Soup Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Potato Soup Tips
Before you get cooking, here are a few simple tips to help your potato soup turn out extra creamy and delicious:
- Dice potatoes evenly: Smaller, uniform pieces will cook more quickly and evenly.
- Warm your milk: This helps prevent curdling and keeps the soup smooth.
- Grate cheese by hand: Pre-shredded cheese is often coated with anti-caking agents that can make the soup grainy — freshly grated melts much creamier.
- Add cheese slowly: Stir it in a handful at a time off the heat to avoid clumping.
- Storage tip: Cool leftovers before refrigerating in a sealed container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently to keep the texture creamy.
Recipe Variations
This homemade potato soup recipe is endlessly flexible, so feel free to try one of these fun twists:
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the bacon and use butter or olive oil instead of bacon grease. For extra flavor, stir in 2–3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning.
- Make it gluten-free: Omit the flour and instead whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch into the cold milk before adding it to the soup. Or skip thickener altogether and simply puree half the soup to create a naturally creamy base.
- Lighten it up: Reduce the grease/butter by 2 tablespoons, skip the flour, and puree half the soup to thicken. Use skim milk and turkey bacon (adding a drizzle of olive oil or butter for sautéing if needed).
- Add extra seasoning: Stir in 1 tablespoon of your favorite blend for a new twist — Cajun, Italian, za’atar, or taco seasoning all work great here.
- Mix up the potatoes: Try a blend of Yukon gold and sweet potatoes for a sweet-savory spin.
- Add more veggies: Toss in chopped cauliflower and/or broccoli with the potatoes for extra nutrition and texture.
More Potato Soup Recipes To Try
Love a cozy bowl of potato soup? Here are a few other reader favorites you might enjoy next:
The BEST Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon, diced
- 3 tablespoons (reserved) bacon grease or butter
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 2 cups milk, warmed
- 1.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, diced
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- optional toppings: thinly-sliced green onions or chives, extra shredded cheese, extra bacon, sour cream
Instructions
- Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally. Transfer the bacon to a separate plate, using a slotted spoon, reserving about 3 tablespoons of bacon grease in the stockpot. (Discard any extra grease, or you can substitute butter in place of the 3 tablespoons of bacon grease. Also, if you are short on time, you can dice the potatoes and onion while the bacon cooks to save time.)
- Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Stir in the garlic and sauté for an extra 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Stir the flour into the mixture and sauté for an additional 1 minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally. Then stir in the stock until combined, followed by the milk and potatoes.
- Continue cooking until the mixture just reaches a simmer, before it begins to boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft, being sure to stir the soup every few minutes so that the bottom does not burn. (The smaller you dice your potatoes, the faster your soup will cook.)
- Once the potatoes are nice and soft, stir in the cheddar cheese and Greek yogurt (or sour cream), salt, pepper and cooked bacon bits. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve warm, garnished with desired toppings. Or, transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Be sure to also check out our Slow Cooker Potato Soup recipe too — made easy in the crock pot!
- This recipe was originally shared here in December 2014.
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
I just made this. It is so good, and super easy. Thanks!
Awesome Jennifer, we’re happy to hear that! :)
I can’t wait to make this for the exact reason you came up with this recipe, too much cream or half and half in every recipe I found. Can you tell me which milk you used, 1%, 2% or whole.
Thank you!!!
Hi Laura! I used 2% in this recipe, but any would work. (The higher milkfat, the creamier it will be.) :) Enjoy!
My daughter made this on saturday and loved it so much that I decided to give it a try. I added spinach, just because I add spinach to everything, and it was great. I saw in an earlier post that someone added carrots. I may try that next time because there will a next time!!! Thanks for a great recipe!!!
That’s great to hear Lynn, thanks for sharing with us! :)
I made this tonight and it’s delicious! Added garlic with the onion and mashed the potatoes when they were soft. Omgggggt
Thanks Jamie, we’re so glad you liked it! :)
Made this for the first time last night for my husband and I, and it is AMAZING! So easy to make, hearty and delicious. I added some sweet kernel corn just to get an extra veggie in there. Thanks for posting!
Thanks Emily, we’re so happy you and your husband enjoyed it! :)
This is fantastic!! I made extra up to the point of adding dairy, and put some in the freezer. Having that much made and frozen for a future meal is a great time-saver, and it doesn’t take much time to thaw overnight, add the dairy and heat it. When freezing for future, time-saving meals, a little compromise goes a long way. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!!
Awesome idea Dawn, and thanks for sharing with us — we’re happy you like the soup! :)
Delicious! Whole family had seconds. Used evap milk with 2% which is what I had on hand.
Awesome, so glad you all enjoyed it!
This soup is soooo delicious. I added some frozen corn and since I made baled ham the other night I diced some up and added that too.
Sounds delicious! So glad you enjoyed it!
Hands down, the BEST potato soup (with or without heavy cream). So simple and comes together in little time! I’ve tried so many recipes throughout the years and this one is perfection. I always use what I have on hand (russets) and don’t always peel the potatoes. I’ve even used onion powder in place of onion (if I’m out), and it’s still awesome. And we always top it with hot sauce! Thanks for the wonderful recipe
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed it. :)
Cannot get chicken stock in my hometown. What can I use instead? Is broth the same as stock?
Broth would be close enough! The only real difference is a stock is more rich and flavorful. If you can find broth, or a bouillon cube, you’ll be fine! We hope you enjoy the recipe! :)