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!
Hey Ali…. Thank you sooo much, this soup should be illegal. I have made it about 5 times now, and when I make soup it is typically 40 portions (beef barley, 80)…. I’m thinking the good Lord is softening me up to start a soup kitchen some day. So delicious… I thought I figured out to put in creole spice on my own, but you had that covered to. The Tony Chacheres (avail at Wallyworld) just adds a nice touch of heat and flavor. Thanks again, blessings. Tom, Blackwater, Ontario.
Thank You! My stomach is growling just reading the recipe b4 I indulge myself in this Most Perfect Dinner for this cool Early Fall evening! I’m just wondering about what type of bread goes well with this recipe????✋️Corn bread with butter and honey?, I’ll even add a unblemished jalapeño thinly sliced to add in to this bread, sound good? I’ll post the outcome later on!?
Just wanted to say THANKS Again for sharing your so close to my own recipe for potato soup! In the past, I’ve made my soup different each time! I tried sautéing til light crisp my cubed potatoes before emmursing into fluid! I add hickory smoke(just a tad), a pinch of cayenne pepper, and a dash of tobacco sauce! I use Knorr chicken stock (the msg best!??, and I always try to incorporate a protein like sausage or gr. Beef saluted like a mini meatball, chicken (leftover), bacon, pastrami, turkey, fish like cod or tilapia, (actually I’ve never tried fish b4, but doesn’t that sound yummy??, and a cube of butter! Lots of butter!! My hubby and I can afford it! We both lost over 50 lbs each from going on a no food diet! Not by choice of course! We just enjoy our beverages ;)
Top it off with cheddar cheese, darker onions And fresh Parsleor scallions ! White wine pairs extremely well on the side or inside the bowl!
Lol…Bon Appetite!
Oh yes, there was a question…what do you think about making this in a Pressure cooker or Hot Pot? Ya think it might come out gluey/pasty? I’ll stick to tradition?
This soup was DELICIOUS on a cold fall day ❤️ I followed the recipe but added some celery and a jalapeño which gave it the perfect amount of heat. I will definitely be making this again!
Amazing! I added a pound of shredded chicken breast to it for added protein (and an extra cup of milk).. redicoulously good!
Excellent! Came a little thick but just added a little water. Really delicious
I threw Old Bay in as the seasoning and it’s lovely (but do that before salting it for sure). Great recipe!!
I loved it but I’m not sure what I did wrong but it came out super thick. I added a bit of heavy whipping cream and it helped a little bit.
Asking like others. Do you peel potatoes.
I typically do not peel my potatoes, but feel free to peel yours if you prefer. :)
Made this recipe last night, and it turned out perfectly. I had duck stock, so I used that in place of chicken. I think the duck stock added depth to the flavor profile. Great recipe!
Best potato soup ever. I used russet potatoes, skim milk, greek yogurt and mexican pre shredded cheese (because that’s what I had on hand) and followed the rest of the recipe exactly and it came out so creamy and rich! I will definitely make this again.
I’ve made it twice in a week! So so good! I worried about simmering milk but it did fine. Better than pioneer woman even.
What? Better than Pioneer Woman? That’s sacrilege!
I’ll give it a try and get back to you.
I love your recipe! I’ve been craving good potato soup but hadn’t made it in years. This was the perfect combination of ingredients and came out better than any restaurant. The only thing I’ll do different next time (because there WILL Be a next time very soon lol) is chop the potatoes a little smaller And mash a few of them up for the broth. Thank you for sharing!