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.
So so freaking good!!! My whole family loved it!!!
I made this today, but just covered the potatoes with water while boiling. I turned it down to a simmer and added half and half instead of milk. it is delicious!
my husband wanted this i didnt have milk so i sub in 2 cups of cream to one cup water with chicken Boulton. then spiced it with onions we needed to do something with and Italian hrebs and a pinch of dill. he loved it. i wanted noodles so made some thin spaghetti and added in my bowl the soup acted like Alfredo which was awsome super filling.
Easy to prepare…Delicious…add a bit of salt to water while cooking. When done, added pepper to taste…GOOD…I did add green onion & cheese to upgrade it (very good). Enjoyable meal in cold weather.
Next time I will hold out a bit of whole milk…to use with flour to thicken broth slightly. Looking forward to making this again.
I’m so glad you like this soup, Carole. You can also thicken the soup by using an immersion blender in the soup pot and blend a few of the potatoes. No need for flour.
Making it now at work can’t wait to see what everyone thinks !
I hope everyone enjoys the soup, Randy.
This is a solid recipe, the only thing my granny taught me was to leave the skins on the taters.
My grandmother always peeled her potatoes but you could leave the skin on if you want.
My favorite kind of potato soup! This is how my mom always made it but she would add 1/2 onion to the potatoes while they’re cooking. I’ve been missing Mom’s potato soup.
Perfect soup on a cold and snowy night. Delicious. Happy New Year!
first time making this soup so as soon as it’s done I will make another review… I love me some good soup on a cold day
I hope you enjoy the soup, Teri!
Why do you need to drain the potatoes isn’t the juice good?
It makes a creamier soup when you drain the excess water and add milk.
I don’t see where she recommends draining the water before adding milk. Seems like that would make for very watery soup. If you have made this without draining, please comment. It’s really cold here in middle Tennessee & the back roads are ice, so….. thought some potato soup in my Instant Pot sounds good. I have a 3 qt and a 6 qt😊
Annette, it makes a creamier soup when you drain the excess water and add milk. Step 2 of the instructions: Remove from heat and drain. Of course, you can leave the water and just add milk if you want. Hope you stay safe and warm during this cold weather and enjoy your soup.
This soup is my go to recipe for when groceries are low in the house! I’ll thicken it up with flour just to make it seem more filling! And I can always throw in any extra veggies or protein that I have left over!
Thanks, Bryanna. I’m so glad you love my grandmother’s soup recipe.