This Easy Potato Soup is creamy and delicious. The easiest comfort food soup you’ll ever make with only 4 ingredients needed! This luscious, delectable soup will have your family thinking it’s been simmering all day – but it only takes 30 minutes to cook!
Jump to:
Easiest Potato Soup Recipe Ever
When the weather starts to get chilly, all I want is a delicious, comforting soup. This creamy, warm potato soup is full of mouthwateringly delicious ingredients that are sure to warm you up inside!
With only four ingredients, creamy potatoes are blended with onion, butter, and milk – optionally topped with cheese, bacon, and green onions - and dinner is served!
The best part about this recipe is how simple it is! This recipe has just 4 main ingredients and 4 steps, so there’s no hassle in making this soup! You can add any or all the optional toppings, so everyone is eating something they love!
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy to Prepare! My potato soup recipe is just so easy! Just 10 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to cook is all it takes to make a bowl of soup that tastes incredible!
- So Customizable! This delicious soup has optional toppings listed – your family can mix or match toppings to make this soup their favorite!
- Full of Classic Flavor! Who doesn’t love twice-baked potatoes or loaded potato skins? This recipe has all those classic savory flavors without any fuss!
🥘 The 4 Ingredients Needed
My filling, comforting 4 ingredient potato soup is the easiest soup you’ll make! Cheddar cheese and bacon are optional, but make it even more delicious!
- Butter – 6 tablespoons of butter. You’ll divide this butter into two portions – 1 tablespoon that’ll be used to sauté the onions and then 5 tablespoons to be added to the soup!
- Onion – 1 small onion. Here, you can use white or yellow onion – whatever you prefer! It needs to be finely diced for the soup.
- Russet Potatoes – 3 pounds of potatoes. Russets are the classic potato to use for this dish! These should be peeled, rinsed, and diced into 1-inch pieces. (See Tips & Recipe Notes)
- Water – Just enough to cover the diced potatoes with 1 inch over as they boil for the soup.
- Salt & Pepper – The seasoning base for your soup. You can keep it simple with these or add any of your favorite seasonings too.
- Cheddar Cheese (optional) – 1 cup of cheddar cheese. One of the optional but recommended toppings for the soup! Grated cheddar cheese will add a beautiful color and delicious cheesy flavor that perfectly complements potatoes.
- Bacon (optional) – 2 strips of cooked bacon. Who doesn’t love crispy, crumbled bacon on top of a loaded potato soup? Well, some don’t – so this is optional! If you do love bacon, though, crisp your favorite bacon and crumble or chop when finished.
- Green Onions (optional) – 2 green onions, chopped. Optional, but also recommended! I love how green onions add that fresh, zesty bite and lots of color to the soup. You only need the green parts for this recipe!
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make 4 Ingredient Potato Soup
My wonderful potato soup will be a new favorite in your family! Make sure this soup has the perfect texture by leaving a little of that starch water in the pot after draining the potatoes!
This recipe makes 6 hearty servings of soup.
- Sauté the onion. In a large stockpot, melt the first 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of butter and add 1 finely diced onion. Sauté the diced onion until it’s tender and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- Boil the potatoes. In the same stockpot, add 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) of peeled and diced russet potatoes, then add enough water to cover the potatoes with about an inch of excess water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Make the soup. Drain off most of the water once the potatoes are tender, leaving about ½ inch of water in the pot with the potatoes. Return the sautéed onion, then add the remaining 5 tablespoons (70 grams) of butter, 2 cups (473 milliliters) of milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently mash the cooked potatoes.
- Finish and serve. Continue cooking on low heat for about 5 minutes before serving. If desired, top each bowl with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and/or chopped green onion.
🍲 What To Serve With Potato Soup
My creamy, four ingredient potato soup, is served perfectly for lunch or dinner with a side of crusty bread or a roll. You can also pair this with my perfect air fryer grilled cheese or my delicious turkey chef salad to make it more filling! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- If you’re dicing your potatoes ahead of time, keep them in a bowl of cold water! Keeping peeled potatoes in a bowl of cold water will prevent them from turning brown too quickly! They can sit in a container of water for up to 24 hours!
- Want to make this amazingly delicious soup in an Instant Pot? I can help! To sauté the onion, use the Sauté function on your Instant Pot and add the butter and onion, sautéing until translucent. Add the potatoes and water, then seal and lock the lid, set it to manual, high pressure, and cook for 8 minutes. When finished, quickly release the pressure. Then, drain the excess water, add the remaining ingredients, and then return to the Sauté function. Add the remaining ingredients, mash the potatoes, and let the soup simmer for 5 minutes before serving.
- I like 2% milk for this recipe, but you can use your preference! 1%, skim milk, and unsweetened dairy alternatives work beautifully in this soup!
- If you’re using bacon, try sautéing the onion in bacon grease instead of butter! This will add loads of extra flavor to the soup! You’ll love it!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
This potato soup can be stored ideally in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing
Did you know you can freeze soup? Transfer the soup to either a freezer-safe airtight container or a freezer-safe storage bag, and can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months for the best quality.
For best results, defrost in the fridge the night before serving to ensure it thaws properly!
Reheating
Place the leftover soup into a saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat and reheat until hot and bubbling. You can also place the soup into bowls, cover it with a paper towel, and microwave for 1-minute intervals until hot, stirring in between!
When ready, top with leftover toppings and enjoy!
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ Recipe FAQs
If you want a finer, smoother potato soup consistency, you can certainly blend it! Simply use an immersion blender in the stockpot with the soup and blend until it reaches the desired consistency. Alternatively, you can carefully transfer it to a blender, cover the lid with a kitchen towel, and pulse until blended. Make sure you keep your hand on the lid to prevent any accidents in the kitchen!
Sure! You can try Yukon gold potatoes instead of Russet for this soup if you prefer! Red-skinned potatoes will also work wonderfully.
However, the starch consistency in russet potatoes creates the perfectly creamy potato soup base for all of your potato soups!
Other great toppings for this soup include sour cream, finely diced red onion or chives (instead of green onion), croutons, sliced avocado, or even some fresh spinach for a little added green!
🥣 😋 More Delicious Soup Recipes
- Tomato Rice Soup - A classic comforting soup that is perfect for lunch or dinner!
- Spanish Garlic Soup - Toasted bread soaks up all the flavors in this wonderful soup and will have you savoring every bite!
- Corn Soup - Corn soup is creamy, savory, and ever so subtly sweet!
- Broccoli Cauliflower Soup - It's almost hard to believe this rich and savory soup is loaded with vegetables!
- Instant Pot Chicken Soup - Richly flavorful chicken soup with veggies you can make in your pressure cooker!
- Vegetable Beef Soup - A hearty beef soup with lots of tender veggies to enjoy.
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📖 Recipe Card
4 Ingredient Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon butter (divided, 1 tablespoon and 5 tablespoon portion)
- 1 small onion (white or yellow onion, finely diced)
- 3 lbs russet potatoes (peeled, rinsed, and diced into 1-inch cubes)
- water (enough to cover the diced potatoes with 1 inch over)
- 2 cups milk
- each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (optional - grated)
- 2 strips bacon (optional - crisped then crumbled or chopped)
- 2 green onions (optional - green parts only, chopped)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a large stockpot melt the first 1 tablespoon portion of butter and saute the diced onion until tender and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add the diced potatoes and enough water to cover the potatoes with about an inch of excess water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Drain off most of the water once the potatoes are tender, leaving about ½-inch of water in the pot with the potatoes. Return the sauteed onion.
- Then add the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper, and milk.
- Gently mash the cooked potatoes.
- Continue cooking on low heat for 5 minutes before serving.
- Remove from heat. Top with cheese, bacon, and green onion if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use an immersion blender for a finer potato soup consistency.
- Saute the onion in bacon grease (if crisping with the soup) while the potatoes cook.
- I like 2% milk best in this soup, however, 1%, skim milk, and unsweetened dairy alternatives also work exceptionally well.
- To Store: My wonderful 4 ingredient potato soup will store perfectly in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: Did you know you can freeze soup? Transfer the soup to either a freezer-safe airtight container or a freezer-safe storage bag, and it will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months for the best quality. For best results, defrost in the fridge the night before serving to ensure it thaws properly!
- To Reheat: Place the soup in a saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat and reheat until hot and bubbling. You can also place the soup into bowls, cover it with a paper towel, and microwave for 1-minute intervals until hot, stirring in between!
Manon Sheiman says
I prefer leaks to onions in my potato soup. My sister made hers with evaporated milk and it was good. But the leaks are the secret for me
Chris P says
Easy to make, lots of choices for additions, very tasty, loved it!
Sara says
So easy, I did add bacon crumbles to my potato soup...Brillant!
Karl O. says
OMG super good!!!
Adelaide says
So yummy, I printed this out so I could make it again and again, thank you for the recipe.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Happy to share! So glad you enjoyed the potato soup recipe!!
Leanna Briggs says
Just perfection I added chopped bacon and chives to mine!
Anonymous says
So simple and so delicious. My hubby loved it! My favorite part was only 4 ingredients. I had a can of cream of celery soup in cabinet, so added that to to my milk. Used bacon bits, shredded cheese when I served it.
Amanda Parker says
Loved it was simple and delicious