My Grandmother’s Potato Soup Recipe makes an old-fashioned, easy, comforting soup recipe. Made with 5 ingredients and no heavy cream! Instant Pot instructions included.
Soup always makes one of my favorite meals. Like our favorite vegetable soup and chicken and dumplings, this is one of the soups that I grew up loving the most. Before there was such a thing as loading a potato soup with bacon, cheese, and onions, my Grandmother Verdie made her potato soup very simply – with potatoes, milk, butter, and salt and pepper. If my sister Wendy and I knew that Grandmother made this soup for supper, we’d beg to be able to eat supper with her. With one bite, it is so easy to understand why!
The Best Potato Soup Recipe
You could add all sorts of things to this soup if you’d like, but I recommend starting with this simple, basic recipe and go from there. Most times, we would rather stick with this version than add a lot of other ingredients, like leeks, onions, and whatnot.
Simple really is best most of the time, isn’t it?
How to Make The Best Potato Soup Recipe
To make Grandmother’s easy potato soup recipe, you’ll only need a few ingredients and to follow a few steps.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- Potatoes – I prefer to use russets. You’ll need 2 pounds, about six medium. You can also use Yukon gold potatoes.
- Water – You will need enough fresh, clean water to cover the potatoes.
- Milk – I use whole milk in my potato soup. You can also use your favorite dairy-free milk substitute.
- Butter – the butter adds so much flavor to this soup.
- Salt and Pepper – add salt and pepper to taste for seasoning.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep potatoes. begin by scrubbing your potatoes clean, peeling, and then cutting them into about 2-inch chunks. Place the potatoes into a large soup pot (I use my Dutch oven), cover it with clean water, and stir.
- Cook. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain away the water from the potatoes. Add your whole milk and butter to the potatoes and place back on medium heat. Allow the milk to bubble slightly around the edges of the soup pot, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Season. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Creamy Potato Soup Recipe Without Adding Flour
To customize the consistency and texture of this soup recipe, you can serve it as shown with tender chunks of potatoes or you can make a smooth and creamy soup by using an immersion blender in your soup pot until it reaches the consistency you prefer. No need to add flour or make a slurry with this simple trick! Naturally gluten-free! But really, the chunkiness is simply perfect and I definitely recommend that you give it a try!
If you like a smoother textured soup with all the trimmings (think sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions), you may want to check out my creamy Loaded Potato Soup Recipe as well.
Dairy-Free Potato Soup
To make this soup dairy-free, replace the milk and butter called for in the recipe with dairy-free substitutes. A delicious option for dairy-free milk for this soup is coconut milk. I prefer to use the canned version for the added creamy texture. For the butter, there is plant-based butter readily available. Use your favorites!
Can You Make Potato Soup Ahead?
Allow your soup to cool completely and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat and serve.
How to Make Potato Soup Recipe in the Instant Pot
This easy soup recipe is so easy to make in the Instant Pot.
- Rather than cooking in the Dutch oven, add the water, potatoes, butter, salt, and pepper to the Instant Pot. Place the lid onto the Instant Pot and turn the vent to seal it. Cook on the manual setting at high pressure for 10 minutes, then use the quick-release feature.
- Remove the lid to the Instant Pot and set the cook setting to saute. Stir in the milk and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot and serve. If you prefer a smooth and loaded potato soup, use an immersion blender to blend the soup and serve it with your favorite toppings.
Other Favorite Soup Recipes:
Here’s Grandmother’s Potato Soup Recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (about 6 medium) Russet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and chopped
- water
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cover potatoes with water in a large soup pot.
- Cook over medium heat until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
- Add milk and butter to the potatoes. Place back on medium heat and allow milk to bubble slightly around the edges of the soup pot, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and ladle into soup bowls.
- Serve with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Storage Tips
To store leftovers and make ahead. Allow your soup to cool completely and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat and serve.Recipe Variations
Dairy-Free Potato Soup: Replace the butter with plant-based butter and use your favorite milk substitute. Vegetarian Potato Soup: This recipe is vegetarian as written. Vegan Potato Soup: Use the replacements for dairy-free soup. Loaded Potato Soup: See my full recipe for Loaded Potato Soup for ingredient measurements and instructions.How to Make Potato Soup in the Instant Pot
Rather than cooking in the Dutch oven, add the water, potatoes, butter, salt, and pepper to the Instant Pot. Place the lid onto the Instant Pot and turn the vent to seal it. Cook on the manual setting at high pressure for 10 minutes, then use the quick-release feature. Remove the lid to the Instant Pot and set the cook setting to saute. Drain any water remaining in the Instant Pot. Stir in the milk and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot and serve. If you prefer a smooth and loaded potato soup, use an immersion blender to blend the soup and serve it with your favorite toppings.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Orignally published 2011.
Just like I make! My Mom & Grandma taught me. 💜 mine has evolved over the years & I make an awesome chowder starting with the basic recipe. I also always make what my Grandma called “riddles” which are little dumpling like things. Mmmmm!
I love the memories as much as I love the foods my grandmother and mother always made, Debbi. We are so lucky they taught us how to make their recipes.
I made this for my husband after he had throat surgery and the kids destroyed it. So now I’m making another pot of soup for the 2nd day in a row. It’s easy and the only thing I add is onion and cheese.
I hope your husband recovers well from his surgery, Arnecia, and loves his soup.
My siblings tasked me a couple of years ago with recreating my mother and grandmother’s potato soup, which they’d never written down. What I came up with was pretty much identical to yours, but with onion and celery added like they did. So simple, so good–and it’s not just nostalgia–I’ve served it to friends who just raved. You are right, the old recipes are the best.
Thanks so much, Jan. I love those old recipes of my grandmother’s.
Looks like a really good recipe.
Excellent! This is the way my mother made potato soup when I was kid. The only thing different was she added some onion to it. I don’t know if she drained the potatoes and onions afterwards or not though. I may try partially draining it next time. The simplicity of it is awesome but yet so tasty. Thank you.
Thanks, Stefen. I always loved this soup when my grandmother made it when I was growing up.
Growing up my mom would make this soup, it was so good. We grew up calling it German Potato Soup. Sometimes we would have ham in it, or believe it or not Spam. I know I know, but don’t knock it till you try it.
Thanks, Bobby. I have never tried Spam in it but you never know til you try it, just like you said.
I have used the same recipe since the 60’s. The only thing different is I add boil onion and potatoes at the same time in a small amount of water, just enough to cover. I don’t drain the water because it takes on extra flavor. The past year I have had to cut sodium so I use unsalted butter and more pepper. Still good!
Thanks, Fran. I haven’t tried the soup without draining the water. I may have to try that sometime.
Love this old fashion recipe!
Thanks, Cliff.
Love your recipes!
Thanks, Donna!
I love this simple potato soup recipe. It is the soup my Mom and grandmother made. Simple and delicious. I added a bit of Italian seasoning and fresh Garlic. I have also made it adding shredded cheese. It is so versatile. Thank you so much.
Thanks, Dave. I love these old recipes our grandmothers and mothers made, don’t you?
Hi! Have you tried substituting the milk for any plant based milks? Did it taste just as good if so? And what type of milk would you suggest other than whole milk!?
Meghan, I have made this soup with So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk. I could not tell much difference. It was delicious.
This recipe really is so simple and basic; it hits the spot with little effort involved! It is so delicious! I added a little bit of onion powder and garlic powder to “spice” it up; it was perfection!
This, with a little onion added, is the potato soup I grew up eating. I like it just this way, with no fancy extras added. Thank you for sharing it.
Thanks, Jackie!