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 made this and it was delicious. I substituted pepper jack for the cheese and added a little more chicken stock. But by far the best potato soup ever tasted
This was fantastic, my guests crushed it! I didn’t find it unpleasantly thick. Doubled the recipe with no problems.
This really is the best potato soup!! I have tried many potato soup recipes and none have measured up. They have been either too thick, too thin, too bland, or too heavy. This one is perfect. Great texture, flavor, and not too heavy. I have made this twice in one week ( per my husband’s request). The first time I followed the recipe exactly. The second time I left out the garlic ( I felt it wasn’t needed), and added 2 ribs of sailed celery that I sautéed with the onion. It was perfect!! There was plenty of flavor without the garlic. This will be my go to recipe for potato soup. Thanks for sharing it
Could I used almond milk and vegan cheese to make this dairy free?
Made this yesterday and let sit in the frig overnight. Potatoes soak up the flavor. Yummy! Anyone figure the calories for this recipe?
About a gazillion. But who cares? It is going in my stomach tonight!!!
We love this soup! Easy to make and tasty. This time I made a double batch.
I fallowed the recipe to the letter. Don’t skip the bacon fat as it’s needed flavor. plus I did add a Tbs of butter.
I did blend the potato’s for a creamier texture before adding the bacon, cheese, sour cream…
Will definitely continue to make this potato soup. Next time I will try it with some Cajun seasonings.
Also freezes very well. I had it a couple of months later and tasted as good. Thanks for sharing!
It was a hit in my home, my kids were still thanking me the next morning! However mine was a tad thick but my husband said he liked it that way also. I’m sure you could add a little extra warm milk if you prefer. It’s a recipe I’m keeping and will be making again. Thank you
I LOVE soup but since I don’t like the texture of chunks of potatoes I always use mashed potatoes in my potato soup. I also add diced carrots that I saute with the onion. Other than those changes I followed the recipe and this potato soup is truly delicious and oh my goodness so comforting and warming. I’m keeping this in my soup rotation.
I have made this soup many times and it’s a hit with my kids every time! It’s super easy to make the ingredients are simple. I save time and use precooked bacon crumbles, packaged shredded cheddar (no issues with it melting in the soup) and don’t warm the milk. Turns out great every time. I’ve basically memorized this recipe, it’s SO delicious!
Itrrrs this that I needed right now. Thanks for sharing this blog