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.
This is how my Grammy made this ! I grew up in Tennessee and this is a true taste of home ! Love this ! Finally the right recipe with no onion or celery ! Love love love this ! Thank you ! Delish
I love potato soup. My mother is gone now, but if she was here, I’d love to make this soup for her. (and me too of course)
This is exactly the soup my mom used to make. I was thrilled to find the recipe. Thank you
I’m so glad that I have my grandmother’s recipe, Debi. So happy you found it since it was the soup your mom made, too.
I add cooked dice onions,cooked sliced carrots and celery with fresh chives
Is this soup good for freezing? Love it, but live alone so I like having individual servings to freeze. Thank you!
I haven’t frozen this soup, Janice, but you should be able to. Allow the soup to cool thoroughly. Place into individual freezer safe containers, leaving at least 1 inch headspace. Freeze up to 6 months.
A new favorite. I make this all the time. Its easy to just whip up a small batch even. I don’t puree or anything and its wonderful. Simple and easy too! Thank you for sharing your recipe. Perfect for picky eaters too, who would have otherwise had to pick stuff out. And I like not having to have other stuff on hand but I can still make something yummy. And love less chopping and prep. 10 stars!!!
Thanks so much, Carrie. I love that this soup is so simple and full of flavor, too.
This is the potato soup I grew up with. There is nothing like simple delicious food. I make it for myself and it takes me back to my childhood. Simply delicious.
Judy, I love to hear from so many people that grew up like I did eating this soup just like my grandmother made. Thank you.
The perfect potato soup recipe. I was so excited when I found this recipe a few years ago. I was skeptical about how it would taste and then amazed by its simple deliciousness. It’s going to snow here today, so I’m making a batch right now. Thanks so much for sharing this simple yet brilliant recipe.
This should be perfect with the cold weather and snow outside. So glad you enjoy this soup!
This recipe brings back fond memories to my dad’s potato soup. He would also add some bacon and onion. Loved it!! Still do.
This is almost my grandmas soup recipe. The only difference is do not drain the water from the potatoes. Instead of whole milk add 2 cans of evaporated milk to the water. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of onion powder. Delicious.