Potato soup is a reoccuring guest at my family table.
This recipe is super simple to throw together, and makes a great main course for lunch or a filling dinner side dish.
We like to top ours with crispy fried onions, crackers, shredded cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, and green onions or chives.
Potato soup recipes leave a lot of room for creativity. Chopping up some leftover ham is a classic addition, but you can also add browned and seasoned ground beef and call it Cheeseburger Potato Soup, slices of smoked sausage for a Sausage Potato Soup, or add some cooked chorizo and top it with some fresh avocado, salsa, and sour cream for a Mexican Potato Soup…I’m sure you could think of some other ways to add some flavor, and if you do, please share your variation in the comments below so we can all try it!
Classic Potato Soup
Delicious easy recipe for thick, creamy Classic Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Peel and chop potatoes into large chunks-about 3-4 medium potatoes.
- In a pot large enough to hold 10 cups, combine the potatoes, salt, and chicken broth and simmer covered until potatoes are fork tender. If you're using leftover potatoes that are already cooked, add the potatoes and once they are warm they will be soft enough to move to the next step.
- With a potato masher or spatula, break up the cooked potatoes in the broth. You want to leave some small chunks. Stir well. The potatoes will help thicken the broth.
- In a separate sauce pan, make a thickening agent for the soup called a roux-pronounced ROO: melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add 4 tablespoons flour and continue whisking until it's bubbly and no longer smells like raw flour. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of milk and add 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Simmer, whisking constantly until thickened. You're looking for a really thick gravy-like consistency. If it's too thick (like cookie dough) take it off the heat and add a splash or 2 of milk to get the right thickness.
- Gently add the roux to the potato and broth pot and stir to combine.
- Taste before serving and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.
- Soup may thicken upon standing or when reheated the next day-so just splash some milk in and stir. Taste and adjust salt and pepper accordingly.
Notes
Optional toppings:
shredded cheese
bacon bits
crispy fried onions
crackers
sour cream
chives
Optional additions:
diced ham
chopped smoked sausage
browned & seasoned ground beef
cooked chorizo
