Cream of Potato Soup (Printable)

Velvety smooth potato soup with vegetables and cream, ready in 45 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

→ Liquids

06 - 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Fats & Seasonings

09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional

→ Garnishes

13 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley, optional
14 - Cooked crumbled bacon, optional
15 - Shredded cheddar cheese, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrot, and garlic. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
02 - Add the diced potatoes, broth, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are very tender.
03 - Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth or leave slightly chunky if preferred.
04 - Stir in the milk and heavy cream. Return the pot to low heat and warm through, stirring occasionally. Do not let the soup boil after adding dairy.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The velvety texture achieves that perfect balance between creamy and substantial without being heavy or gluey like some potato soups can be.
  • It works beautifully as a canvas for toppings, allowing everyone at your table to personalize their bowl exactly how they want it.
02 -
  • Never boil the soup after adding dairy or youll risk the cream breaking and giving your soup a grainy texture instead of that silky finish youre after.
  • Pureeing just three quarters of the soup and leaving some potato chunks whole creates a more interesting texture than completely smooth soup, which I discovered by happy accident when my blender died mid recipe.
03 -
  • Save potato cooking water if boiling potatoes for another dish and use it in place of some of the broth for an even more intense potato flavor, something I learned from my grandmother who never wasted flavor opportunities.
  • For the absolute silkiest texture, pass the soup through a fine mesh sieve after blending, pressing gently with the back of a ladle to extract all the goodness while leaving any fibrous bits behind.
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