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
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 –8 servings 1x
Description
This easy potato soup recipe is creamy, comforting, and always a favorite for chilly nights.
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.
This soup is amazing! But a little more work than I thought. I always add way more time. Prep work & chopping and dishes since I don’t have a dishwasher. Hubby better like it.
We hope you both enjoy it Danette! :D
Can you freeze this?
Hi Josilyn, we wouldn’t recommend it, since dairy-based soups don’t freeze very well (the texture and consistency will change).
Usually these “easy” recipes turn out to be just okay, but this really was an amazing soup! I couldn’t wait for my boyfriend to come home and taste it. I will definitely be making it again! I’m so glad I found this!
We’re so happy to hear you and your boyfriend enjoyed this Alex!
Have you ever frozen the leftovers? I meal prep dinners because of different schedules of my family. Will it get runny if reheated?
Hi Michel, we haven’t, as soups with a lot of dairy typically don’t freeze well (they tend to separate and the texture gets weird). Sorry! :(
Can I make this in the crockpot?
Hi Brooke, we haven’t tried this, and creamy soups with more dairy are typically better made on the stovetop. However, we have seen a good amount of similar recipes made in the crockpot, these dairy ones are just a little fussier than other crockpot soups. That being said, here is what we’d try: You won’t need to dice your potatoes, just cut them into 1/4-inch chunks or slices. Coat your slow cooker with cooking spray, then follow the first step of this recipe, and then the second step (cook the onions longer if you want them more brown/caramelized). Don’t add the flour or chicken stock to them afterwards though. Add the potatoes, onion and chicken stock to the crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until the potatoes are tender. Mash the mixture with a potato masher, then add the milk, cheese, Greek yogurt/sour cream and salt and pepper, and turn the temperature to high. Cook on high for about 20 minutes. Taste the soup and add more salt, pepper and/or cheese if you’d like. Ladle into bowls and top with the listed toppings if desired. We hope this helps and that you enjoy – if you try it this way, definitely let us know how it is! :)
This potato soup is by far the best I have ever made! And I have made plenty! Super easy and so tasty!!
Thanks so much Linda, what a nice compliment – we’re happy you enjoyed it!
Made this last night and I’m making it again tonight since its all gone. It was so easy and good.
Thanks Felicia, we’re so glad you enjoy the recipe!
I can’t wait to make this soup for my family! Where are those blue soup bowls from? Thank you!
Awesome potato soup!! I added leeks instead of onions!!! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Thanks Brenda, we’re happy you liked this (and we love leeks, good thinking)! :)
Would like this to be wheat free. Can I use a different kind of flour and it turn out fine?
Hi Jana, we haven’t tried it with a different type of flour, but we imagine a gluten-free blend would probably work fine. We hope you enjoy!