Easy Potato Soup Recipe | The Gracious Pantry | Healthy Soup Recipes (2024)

ByTiffany McCauley

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This easy potato soup recipe is delicious for a chilly evening at home.

I have to thank my Mom for this delicious bowl of soup! You see, Mom and I were a lot alike. We both loved to cook (and bake) and we both tended to cook our meals without using a recipe. I believe they call it, “instinctual cooking”. A pinch of this, a dash of that, and before you know it, you’ve got a bowl of something truly yummy to eat!

Easy Potato Soup Recipe | The Gracious Pantry | Healthy Soup Recipes (1)

Mom has been gone now for a few years, but her style of instinctual cooking has stayed with me. This is how I cook every day. I keep adding things until I get a tasty result. Then I simply write down what I’ve done and pass it on to you! It might not be the most scientific method, but so far, it seems to be working out okay.

I remember the day she put this pot of potato soup under my nose. She just quietly set it down in front of me at the table without saying a word. I scarfed down a whole bowl, and really had to fight myself to avoid having a second helping.

Mom’s version was slightly different then this one. How could it not be? She never measured much of anything. But I got as close as I could to what she did and I have to say it turned out pretty much exactly like what she made.

HOW TO MAKE POTATO SOUP

Making potato soup is pretty easy stuff. There are two approaches you can take. This recipe uses the second method.

Cook the potatoes first.

In one method, the main thing is to get your potatoes cooked well. It doesn’t really matter how you get them cooked. You can cook them in an instant pot, bake them in the oven or boil them on the stove. Anything that gets the job done in a manner that easiest for you. Once you have that done, it’s just a matter of mashing them up while they are still hot and stirring in other ingredients. In fact, you can make it super easy by using a potato masher. I would avoid using a stick blender because the potatoes seem to get really fibrous and it makes your soup much thicker than you’d like. If you do choose to use a stick blender, just be aware you’ll need extra liquid and seasonings to adjust the recipe.

Cut the potatoes first.

In the case of this soup, I chose to cut the potatoes into small pieces first which makes them cook much faster. With this second method, you can cook other ingredients along with potatoes and “get two birds with one stone”, as they say. This also allows the flavors to meld more during cooking.

MORE HEALTHY SOUP RECIPES

  • Clean Eating Chicken And Rice Soup (Can also be Chicken Noodle!)
  • Clean Eating Minestrone

Enjoy!

EASY POTATO SOUP RECIPE:

Easy Potato Soup Recipe | The Gracious Pantry | Healthy Soup Recipes (3)

Easy Potato Soup

A delicious, tummy-warming soup for a chilly evening.

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 221kcal

Author: Tiffany McCauley

Ingredients

  • 8 medium russet potatoes (cut into small pieces)
  • 2 medium leeks (cleaned and chopped)
  • 8 cups chicken broth (low sodium is best)
  • 1 cube vegetable bouillon (Optional - I used the Rapunzel brand)
  • 2 tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder
  • 2 tsp. herbs de provence (found in the spice aisle)
  • 1 tsp. dried marjoram
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Saute' the leeks in the olive oil until they become very soft and a little translucent.

  • In a large soup pot, combine the cooked leeks, chopped potatoes, chicken broth, bouillon cube, onion powder, garlic powder, herbs de provence and marjoram.

  • Bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat to medium. Stir frequently.

  • Cook until the potatoes are completely soft and mushy. (As if you were making mashed potatoes)

  • Remove the pot from heat.

  • Blend the entire thing until smooth, using a hand blender (this is the cleanest and easiest method), or by transferring everything from the pot to a blender.

  • NOTE: This is a thick soup. If you want a thinner soup, simply add more chicken stock.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 960mg | Potassium: 1154mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 30.4mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 4.6mg

Recipe from the Gracious Pantry archives, originally posted 2/24/11.

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  1. Beer Cheese Soup!!! Well, it was my favorite before I became a clean eater. I also love broccoli cheese soup….you can’t ever go wrong with that choice 🙂

    Reply

    1. Ali – BEER Cheese Soup?? I’ve never heard of it! But then, I tend to live under a culinary rock. So that’s not saying much. I can just imagine how good that could be! (Which is why I won’t even look up a recipe for it. lol)

      Reply

    1. Carly – I never would have thought to put nutmeg with tomato bisque. Interesting! Maybe I need to do a second tomato soup recipe! 😉

      Reply

  2. ONE of my favorites (hard to pick just one favorite) is minestrone, yum! There’s got to be a way to clean it up!

    Reply

    1. Laura – Yep! There is! Here you go: https://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-minestrone-soup/

      Reply

  3. I love Pampered Chef’s lazy lasagna chili soup and French onion!!

    Reply

    1. Kimberly – I’ve never had them! That first one sounds amazing!

      Reply

  4. Italian Wedding Soup!!!…with hot cibatta rolls 😉 Yum!!!

    Reply

    1. Becca – Oh yum! I’ve never had either, but you bet I’ll be looking into that!

      Reply

  5. Tortilla soup is my favorite soup 🙂 thanks for all the great recipes.

    Reply

    1. Jennifer – Yum! That’s another one I’ve never had. I’ll have to do a clean recipe of my own for that. Thanks for the idea!!

      Reply

  6. Thanks for the recipe! I LOVE me some potato soup! So cool that you include Munchkin Helper tips. My 1yo loves to add ingredients for Mommy!

    Reply

    1. MJ – That’s great! It’s soooo important to get the little ones into the kitchen. Good for you. Enjoy the soup!

      Reply

  7. I love my Curried Cauliflower Soup.
    It’s basically a whole cooked cauliflower, sometimes I add cooked carrots for colour. A little bit of garlic, a little bit of curry, salt and pepper to taste. Put it in the blender, and serve. Sometimes a little dollop of plain yogurt on top too. Also sometimes I save a few flowerettes to “chunk” it up a bit.

    Reply

    1. Sue – Oh yum! That does sound good!

      Reply

  8. Potato soup is my favorite, followed by Cheese soup! Can you make that one healthy? 😀

    I have never put leeks in my soup though, that sounds good!

    Reply

    1. Jenn – I wish. Sadly, I can’t have dairy anymore. So I can’t even make the attempt! You HAVE to try potato soup with leeks. They just simply go together!

      Reply

  9. Do you think it would effect the flavor to much to change the chicken stock to veggie? I was considering doing this tonight for our ‘meatless monday’

    Reply

    1. Jasmine – Yes, it would definitely change the flavor, but I don’t think it would be in a bad way. It would just be different.

      Reply

  10. Easier version: Dice and cook your potatoes until tender. Brown your leeks or onions in some canola oil. Add flour/cornstarch to onions and cook a bit. Pour in almond milk and cook until thickened. Dump in cooked potatoes and salt and pepper to taste.

    Reply

    1. Melissa – Thanks for sharing your version. Sounds yummy!

      Reply

    2. Melissa, Are you adding the almond milk mixture to a pot of potatoes cooked in chicken stock or cooked In water?

      Reply

  11. Katy – That’s great!! I may try that the next time I make this. Thanks!

    Reply

  12. Heidi – Whatever your preference is. I peeled mine.

    Reply

  13. Tina – Fantastic!

    Reply

  14. Awesome!! 🙂

    Reply

  15. Yum!

    Reply

  16. I love the term instinctual cooking.. that is how i learned to cook and why I never make the same dish twice. I always use what is on hand, and spice it up according to how I feel that day! I pinch of this and a palmful of that is how I learned to measure. Even my grandmothers recipes were a “palmful” of oregano or “cook the tomato paste until the “red” comes out”. Love it!

    Reply

  17. Making this for dinner but added a little leftover ham from christmas. yum yum. Thanks for the clean recipes, all the ones I have tried have been great!

    Reply

  18. I just made this for dinner for my family. Everyone really enjoyed it. I added carrots and celery to it, simply because I had some leftover from a different meal. I also blended about 3/4 of the soup in my blender, strained out the liquid from the other fourth, and mixed the remaining chunks of potato, celery, and carrots to the thickened part. It was really good and I enjoyed the extra chunkiness this gave. Thanks for all the recipes! 🙂

    Reply

    1. Samantha – My pleasure! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it! 😀

      Reply

  19. This is a easy and delicious soup

    Reply

    1. Angeline P – I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply

Easy Potato Soup Recipe | The Gracious Pantry | Healthy Soup Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What gives soup the best flavor? ›

Herbs and spices add aroma, flavor, and intensity to soup broth. "Use fresh or dried basil in tomato-based recipes or fresh parsley to add freshness to clear broth soups," says Sofia Norton, RD. You can also go with more heat and spices.

How can I make my potato soup taste better? ›

Once the potatoes are nice and soft, stir in the cheddar cheese and Greek yogurt (or sour cream), salt, pepper and cooked bacon bits. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, if needed.

What can I add to potato soup for flavor without? ›

Use plenty of cream combined with milk, lots of cheddar cheese, garlic, ground black pepper, salt to taste, creamery butter and parsley. Don't forget the potatoes boiled than baked into the soup.

Why isn't my potato soup creamy? ›

One trick to make your potato soup a little less grainy is to add some form of dairy –- cream, milk, or even cheese. Because dairy is generally creamy in texture, that characteristic will carry over into your soup.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What are the secrets to flavorful soup? ›

To make sure that every spoonful of soup is richly flavored, with juicy meat and/or tender vegetables, follow these kitchen-tested tips.
  1. Use a Sturdy Pot. ...
  2. Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  3. Start with Good Broth. ...
  4. Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  5. Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  6. Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  7. Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

How do you doctor up bland potato soup? ›

To serve it up, sprinkle on a little extra parsley before adding some of the grated cheese… And—you'd better believe it—some of the crispy bacon. You can also add sliced green onions, a dollop of sour cream—anything you want! This soup will warm your ever-loving heart and soul.

Why does my potato soup taste bland? ›

Not Adding Acid

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl.

How do you make potato soup less bland? ›

Wine, cider, beer, or juice may be used, and each adds its own flavor while also helping to release the tasty brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Adding an acid like vinegar or lemon juice and incorporating fresh herbs can also help add flavor to a potato soup.

What is a good thickener for potato soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Why aren't my potatoes getting soft in my potato soup? ›

It's best to use fresh, firm potatoes. Acidic Ingredients: If your soup contained highly acidic ingredients (e.g., tomatoes), it could have affected the texture of the potatoes. Acidic ingredients can slow down the softening process of potatoes.

How can I make my soup more creamy? ›

The best options for thickening soup are cream or half and half. Plain yogurt or even freshly grated cheese works well and adds an extra layer of tangy, salty flavor. Add the dairy at the end and avoid bringing the soup to a boil since this can cause yogurt, cheese, or cream to split.

Will cream cheese thicken potato soup? ›

Cream cheese can be a delicious and tangy thickener for mashed potatoes so it stands to reason that it can also be used to add body to your favorite silky potato soup recipes — right? The answer is yes. It only works well if you do it carefully, though.

Why is potato soup gluey? ›

If you've ever tried potato leek soup and found it to have a gluey texture, it's because the potatoes released too much starch from being over handled. This is unfortunately easy to do with a food processor or blender (heck, it can even happen when making mashed potatoes, which is why I avoid using an electric mixer).

What ingredients add flavor to soup? ›

You can extract a clean, strong broth from a combination of water and several pantry ingredients. It's all about layering powerful flavor-enhancers that you probably already have on hand—bacon, tomato paste, herbs, peppercorns, a Parmesan rind, and, of course, kosher salt.

What spices add flavor to soup? ›

To season it, we recommend starting with our Vegetable Soup Mix. It contains celery salt, parsley flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, summer savory, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, turmeric and sage, which are all excellent with root vegetables, so you can incorporate things like carrots or potatoes into the soup.

Why does my soup have no flavor? ›

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl. Start with the basics. Ensure you've added enough salt and black pepper.

What can I add to my vegetable soup to give it more flavor? ›

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.

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