Creamy Potato Soup
Thickened by mashing part of the pot rather than by flour, and finished off the boil so the dairy holds.
Total: 45 minYield: 6 servingsMethod: Stovetop
In this recipe
How the texture is built
There are two common ways to thicken potato soup and both have a cost. A flour roux gives body but mutes the potato flavor. A stick blender gives a smooth soup but takes away the reason to eat it with a spoon rather than drink it.
Mashing about a third of the potatoes in the pot does the job without either problem. The crushed starch thickens the broth, and the remaining cubes keep the soup substantial enough to be dinner.
Cues to watch
- Potato donenessA cube should crush against the side of the pot under light pressure. Undercooked potato will not release the starch that thickens the soup, and no amount of extra simmering after the dairy goes in will fix it.
- The dairy stageOnce milk and cream are in, the surface should barely move. A rolling boil curdles it, and once it has split there is no way back.
- The cheeseOff the heat, a handful at a time. Cheddar dropped into a simmering pot separates into strings and grease.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The soup is grainy or split | It boiled after the milk and cream went in. | Keep it below a simmer from that point. There is no reliable rescue once it splits, so prevention is the whole game. |
| It is too thin | Not enough potato was mashed, or the potatoes were undercooked. | Mash more of what is in the pot, or stir in a slurry of 1 tsp cornstarch in 2 tsp cold water. |
| It is too thick | Russets released more starch than expected. | Loosen with warm broth 2 to 3 tbsp at a time. Cold liquid dulls the whole pot. |
| The cheese is stringy | It was added over direct heat. | Pull the pot off the burner and stir the cheese in gradually. |
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container. It thickens considerably as it cools — that is the potato starch setting, not a fault.
Reheat gently on the stovetop to 165°F (74°C), the USDA safe temperature for leftovers, stirring and loosening with a splash of milk or broth. Do not reheat at high heat; the same dairy that splits during cooking will split on the second pass.
This soup does not freeze well. The potato pieces turn mealy and the dairy separates on thawing.
Creamy Potato Soup
Russet potatoes simmered in stock, part-mashed rather than fully blended, and finished with milk and cream off the boil so the dairy never splits.
- Beef
- Main Dish
- Stovetop
Cook’s checkpoint
- Frying oil
- 350°F / 175°C
- Chicken, thickest part
- 165°F / 74°C
Use a food thermometer. Color and time alone don’t confirm poultry is done.
Ingredients
For the soup
To finish
Instructions
Notes
- Russets break down more and thicken the soup; Yukon Golds hold their shape and stay creamier. Both work.
- Save the bacon until serving — stirred in early it goes soft.
Cooking Mode
Questions
- Can I make it without bacon?
- Yes. Start with 2 tbsp butter or olive oil in place of the drippings. You lose some savoury depth, so taste carefully at the end and consider a little extra salt.
- Russet or Yukon Gold?
- Russets break down more and give a thicker, fluffier soup. Yukon Golds hold their shape and taste slightly sweeter. Either works; they simply give you different soups.
- Can I use milk instead of cream?
- You can, and the soup will be lighter and thinner. Because there is less fat to protect it, be even more careful to keep the pot below a simmer.
