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This 4 ingredient potato soup is comforting, satisfying, and deceptively easy to make! It’s ready in under 20 minutes.
Making a delicious heartwarming dinner shouldn’t be hard and expensive. We love simple and easy soup recipes and this potato one ticks all the boxes.
Although this potato soup calls for just a few ingredients, it never tastes bland. It is good on its own, but can be jazzed up in a plethora of ways!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 4 ingredients. You need only four ingredients to make this soup–potatoes, half-and-half, green onions, and shredded cheese.
- Easy to make. It takes less than 20 minutes to make and requires minimal prep work and effort.
- Creamy and delicious. Half-and-half makes this potato soup extra creamy while the cheese and green onion create a deep flavor.
- Budget-friendly. Calling for only four simple ingredients, this potato soup is very cost-effective.
- Perfect make-ahead meal. This cream of potato soup is good for up 4 days. You can make it on Monday and enjoy it for the rest of the workweek.
What we love about this recipe is just how easy it is to customize. Use hash browns instead of potatoes, add some leftover veggies to it, or change the seasonings- the possibilities are endless!
Ingredients needed
I love this potato soup recipe specifically because I have all ingredients at home nearly at all times. If not, these are basic staples that can be found at any grocery store. Here is what you’ll need:
- Potatoes. I prefer using russet potatoes for this soup as they are high in starch and yield perfectly creamy results. You can also use Yukon Gold and Idaho potatoes.
- Half-and-half. Half-and-half provides the creamy base of the soup. If you don’t have it, use milk or cream instead.
- Green onion. There is always a risk of ending up with bland-tasting potato soup. To prevent this, I use the white parts of green onion for the base of the soup and the green parts as a garnish.
- Cheese. Cheese in creamy soups is always a good idea. Cheddar and gruyere are great picks.
Optional ingredients:
- Bacon. If you don’t have any diet restrictions, I highly recommend you add crispy bacon on top of the soup to add an extra flavor punch.
- Sour cream. Sour cream is one of the best toppings for soups and baked potatoes, so a combination of the two is a given. It adds refreshing creamy acidity to it.
How to make an easy potato soup
As you’d imagine, making this soup is very simple. Here’s what you should do.
Step 1- Cook the bacon
Add the chopped bacon into a preheated soup pot and cook until golden and crispy. Once cooked, remove the bacon from the pot and place it on a plate lined with paper towels.
Step 2- Sauté the onions
Slice the white parts of the green onions and add them into the pot that still has the bacon grease. Sauté the onions until fragrant.
Step 3- Cook the potatoes
Add water and cubed russet potatoes into the pot. Cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the half-and-half, add salt and pepper to taste, and bring the soup to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are soft.
Step 4- Blend and serve
Remove the soup pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the potatoes into a creamy smooth consistency.
Once blended, ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with bacon, chopped green onions, shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream, and serve.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Season generously with salt and pepper. Add as much as you need to achieve a balanced flavor.
- Use sharp cheddar cheese for a deeper flavor.
- If the soup is too thin, you can thicken it with mashed potato flakes or a dash of cornstarch.
- Add more water, milk, or broth to the soup if it turns out too thick.
Storage Info
The best way to store leftover potato soup is to transfer it into an airtight glass container or jar and store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing potato soup is not a good idea as it becomes dry and grainy.
When it’s time to reheat potato soup, transfer it into a pan and place it on medium heat. Add a small amount of milk, cream, or water to the soup to restore its creamy consistency.
Flavor variations
- Use chicken stock instead of water. Substituting water with stock is an easy way to elevate the flavor of this minimalistic potato soup.
- Add herbs. Dried rosemary, fresh basil, and parsley will make this creamy potato soup aromatic and more flavorful.
- Use onions and celery for the base. If you have extra time and ingredients, chop some onions and celery sticks for the base of the soup.
- Add protein. For a more balanced soup, stir through some chopped chicken breast, chicken thigh, or some sliced steak.
More soup recipes to try
- Taco soup
- Broccoli cheese soup
- Chicken soup
- Pumpkin curry soup
- French onion soup
- Albondigas
- Pickle Soup
- Vegetable beef and barley soup
Frequently asked questions
Yes, this potato soup is suitable for celiacs. With this said, triple-check the half-and-half and cheese labels to make sure that they are gluten-free as they may be manufactured in a facility where gluten-containing products are processed.
Cut the potatoes into larger cubes if you want to prevent the soup from becoming gummy. The more finely you chop the potatoes, the more starch it releases into the soup. As a result, it becomes overly gooey.
Garlic bread, cornbread, and flaky buttermilk biscuits are some of the best bread options to go with this soup, as they soak it all up beautifully and are more flavorful.
Yes, you can use pre-mashed potatoes to make this soup. In fact, it is one of the best ways to use leftover mashed potatoes.
4 Ingredient Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes cubed
- 3 cups half and half
- 6 green onions whites and greens separated
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 slices bacon optional
Instructions
- Start by cooking the bacon in a soup pot until golden and crispy. Once cooked, place it on a paper towel to soak up excess oil.
- Add the white part of the green onions to the pot and sauté in the bacon grease until fragrant. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the half-and- half, salt, and pepper, and bring it to a simmer. Continue cooking until the potatoes have softened.
- Remove the soup pan off the heat and using an immersion blender, blend the potatoes until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowls, sprinkle with bacon and add extra cheese.
This was excellent! I highly recommend making this soup.