A smooth, filling potato soup recipe that will keep you coming back for more and more! Made with just 4 ingredients, this potato soup is made in the crockpot—perfect for a busy day when you need to “dump and go.”
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I sure do love a good potato soup. Growing up, a favorite of mine was a potato-leek soup that my mom always made.
Whenever I’m at a potluck and I see any kind of potato soup, I head straight for it.
And when I need some comfort food on a cold winter day, my go-to choice is, you guessed it! Potato soup.
Today I want to share a simple, velvety-smooth potato soup recipe that is perfect when you need the comfort of soup without a lot of extra time and ingredients!
Plain Potato Soup: 4 Main Ingredients
That’s right, you will only need 4 main ingredients to make this potato soup (or 3 if you want it to be dairy-free!)
- Potatoes: Obviously! I used about 3 pounds in this recipe and it was perfect. I recommend russet potatoes as these are great for soups, but you could try other varieties as well.
- Onion: I used one small yellow onion. This is the perfect type of onion for this soup, but if you only have a white onion that should do just fine. I wouldn’t recommend using red onion, however.
- Chicken stock: I used homemade. This really aids the overall flavor of the soup, so I definitely recommend it if you have some. If not though, store bought broth will do just fine.
- Cheddar cheese: Tilamook’s medium cheddar is my favorite. We’ll shred 1 cup and stir it in AFTER cooking in the crockpot. (If you want this soup to be dairy free, see the next section!)
So those are the 4 base ingredients for a good, healthy potato soup. However, you can also add some other things in to make it even BETTER:
- Spices: you’ll definitely want salt and pepper. I didn’t include these in the main ingredient list simply because everyone has them and they’re just a given in almost every recipe. There are other spices that will make the soup even better too. I used a 1/4 tsp of paprika and a sprinkle of garlic powder. This will only make the flavor better!
- Leftover ham or crispy bacon: adding these as toppings afterward will definitely elevate your soup (but totally optional!)
- Green onions: use just the green part, and sprinkle on as a topping as well, if desired.
Creamy Dairy-Free Potato Soup
Now, let’s talk about that cheese. If you are dairy-free or vegan, you might be looking for a potato soup recipe that is still good without it!
The best part about this recipe is that the cheese isn’t even necessary for a creamy, deliciously smooth soup. It is added at the end of cooking (not put in the crockpot at the beginning).
I tried the soup before I added the cheese, and the texture was just as good! The taste will be slightly different but still just as yummy (especially if you add the bacon and green onions on top!)
As for other dairy ingredients – there is NO cream or milk in this potato soup. So if you’re looking for a potato onion soup without cream, this recipe will be just what you need!
Other Dietary Information
- Gluten-free: you’re good to go with this soup! No flour is used to thicken it at all.
- Keto & AIP: This soup is not for you if you are on either of these diets. Regular white potatoes are not allowed, so you would have to try a sweet potato version instead.
- Paleo: If you are on this diet, simply omit the cheese!
How can I add flavor to potato soup?
First of all, you’ll definitely want onions in your soup! Using just potatoes and broth would be pretty bland, but the onions liven things up. You can also try adding garlic and other spices (I used paprika).
Can I freeze potato soup?
You bet! This potato soup is extra easy to freeze because it does not have any cream or grain starches (like cornstarch or flour). If potato soup has these ingredients, you run the risk of the cream separating, or the starches causing the soup to separate into a dry sponge.
But with this simple potato soup, you don’t need to worry because we do not use those ingredients! While potatoes are starch, they are pureed in this recipe which makes it easier to freeze. (The only downside to freezing this recipe is that the leftover chunks of potato may dissolve into the soup when reheated).
Here is what I recommend doing if you want to freeze this soup:
- Make it ahead in the crockpot with the potatoes, onions, chicken stock and spices
- Puree the soup and set aside what you would like to freeze BEFORE adding the cheese. Put this in a tight-lid container and freeze.
- When you’re ready to reheat the soup, thaw it in the fridge overnight, and then reheat on the stovetop. Once the soup becomes warm (but not too hot) add the cheese.
Now, IF for some reason you’re reading this and you already added the cheese, go ahead and try freezing anyway. So long as you used cheddar cheese, you should be fine as this is a hard cheese that reheats decently.
How do you thicken potato soup?
Potato soup can be thickened in a variety of ways. Some recipes use flour or other starches, which is a traditional way to thicken many types of soups (specifically by making a roux). While these thickening agents are great, they aren’t necessary…
What I LOVE about potato soup is that due to the texture of cooked potatoes, you can actually use the potatoes themselves to thicken the soup. Just puree with some of the broth and you have a lovely creamy soup. No gluten OR dairy needed.
Will milk thicken it?
Not generally. Adding milk to your potato soup that is already runny will unfortunately only make it MORE runny. You can add cream if you really want dairy in it, or you can simply puree more potatoes and/or take out some of the broth.
(Learn more about thickening crockpot soup in general here!)
How to Make 4 Ingredient Potato Soup
This soup is not hard to make at all, but just in case you need some help, here are the steps to take, with photos!
Step 1:
Weight your potatoes. The “3 pounds” I refer to in the recipe is weighed before peeling and cutting. This doesn’t have to be an exact measurement, but don’t go too much less or more than 3 pounds or it will mess with the texture of the soup when pureed with the stock.
Step 2:
Chop your onion and peel and chop your potatoes. Add to the crockpot with the chicken stock.
Step 3:
Add salt, pepper, and any additional spices you want to flavor the soup. Set the temperature to low and set a timer for 5 hours.
Step 4
Take about half of the potatoes out of the crockpot and ALL of the broth. Put into the blender. Blend on high until smooth. Note: you can do this is two sittings if you’d like. Just make sure to leave enough potatoes out so that you still have some nice chunks in the soup (unless you like pure blended soups, in which case you can add all of the potatoes!)
Step 5
Add the puree back to the crockpot. After the soup cools for 10-15 minutes, add the grated cheese slowly, a little at a time. You don’t want the soup to be too hot because the cheese can end up stringy. By waiting a little bit and adding it in slowly, it should melt into the soup perfectly.
Ready to print out this recipe and make it yourself? See below!
4-Ingredient Potato Soup: Easy Crockpot Recipe
A velvety smooth potato soup recipe that calls for just 4 main ingredients! Perfect for a busy day when you need to dump and go using the crockpot.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 hours hrs
Total Time 5 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 424 kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes,
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 small yellow onion,
- 1 cup medium cheddar cheese, (omit if dairy free)
- 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)
Additional Ingredients (optional)
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- Sprinkle of garlic powder
- Chopped leftover ham or crumbled bacon
- Green onions
Instructions
Dice your onion and add it to the crockpot.
Wash and peel your potatoes. Cut into cubes and add to the crockpot along with 4 cups of chicken stock.
Add salt, pepper, and additional spices (if desired) and stir.
Cover crockpot and cook on high for 5-6 hours, or low for 6-7 hours, or until potatoes are nice and tender (test with a fork to make sure they are done before proceeding!)
When potatoes are done, take out all the broth and about half of the potatoes and onions, and add to the blender. (If your blender is small, you can also do this in two sittings, just make sure to leave out some extra potato chunks). Blend on high until smooth. Add pureed soup back to the crockpot with the remaining potatoes and onions. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.
Let the soup cool off for a few minutes, then add 1 cup of cheese. Do not add the cheese all at once, but in little bits at a time. Stir gently until melted, then add more until the whole cup is incorporated.
Serve immediately, with additional toppings like green onions and ham/bacon if desired!
Video
Notes
- If you are dairy free, simply leave out the cheese at the end. You’ll still have a flavorful, velvety smooth soup without it!
- Use homemade chicken stock for the best overall flavor, but feel free to substitute for store-bought broth if that’s all you have on hand.
- Cooking time for the potatoes will depend on how big you cut them. If you need this soup to be ready faster, you can also cook on high for a shorter amount of time. Just check periodically to see if the potatoes are fully done.
- If you want to freeze this soup, I recommend setting some aside before adding the cheese. Then, when you reheat the soup you can stir in freshly grated cheese. Should last in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 424kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Conclusion
Potato soup is a wonderful thing—it is such a smooth, delicious comfort food that you can keep coming back to! When you need a dump and go dinner, 4 ingredient potato soup is a great option. You don’t need anything fancy, yet you still end up with a delicious dinner your family will love!
More Recipes to Try:
- Smoky Glazed Carrots
- 3 Ingredient Peach Smoothie
- Best Pot Roast Side Dishes
