American
Potato Soup
Potatoes, onion, and broth simmer into a thick soup finished with a little milk. Part of the potatoes get mashed so the bowl is creamy without a heavy pour of cream.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Potatoes thicken themselves when you mash some of them into the broth.
- Milk at the end is enough. You do not need a cup of cream.
- One pot covers peel, simmer, and serve.
- It is a full bowl from a bag of potatoes and an onion.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- 2
Add the potatoes, broth, salt, pepper, and thyme. The broth should just cover the potatoes. Add a splash of water if it does not.
- 3
Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook 18 to 22 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced.
- 4
Mash about a third of the potatoes against the side of the pot so the soup turns thick but still has chunks.
- 5
Stir in the milk and heat gently for 2 minutes. Do not boil hard after the milk is in. Taste and add salt if the broth needs it.
- 6
Ladle into bowls and top with chives.
Pro tips
- Dice the potatoes a similar size so they finish together.
- Russets break down and make a thicker soup than waxy potatoes.
- If the soup is thicker than you want the next day, loosen it with milk or broth when you reheat it.
Easy substitutions
- Milk
- Unsweetened oat milk or extra broth for a dairy-free bowl.
- Thyme
- 1 bay leaf, removed before mashing.
- Chives
- Sliced green onions.
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days. It thickens as it cools.
Reheating
Warm in a pot over medium-low, stirring and adding a splash of broth or milk until hot and spoonable.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 223
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Budget friendly · One Pan, Stovetop
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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