3 Ingredient Potato Soup
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3 ingredient potato soup is made with fresh potatoes, yellow onions and heavy cream. It’s a thick, comforting soup with a short shopping list and no canned soup or packet mix required.
I love making a pot of hot soup on a cold winter day, and this is one of the easiest I’ve found. I like leaving a few soft potato chunks in mine instead of making it completely smooth, but you can do either.
3 Ingredient Potato Soup at a Glance
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Main ingredients: Potatoes, yellow onions and heavy cream
Cooking method: Stovetop simmering and hand mashing
Storage: Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days; freezing can affect the texture
Why You’ll Love It
- A short shopping list: You only need 3 main ingredients, plus water and salt and pepper to taste.
- No separate thickener: Mashing some of the cooked potatoes thickens the soup without flour.
- No blender needed: You can mash it right in the pot and leave as many potato chunks as you like.
3 Ingredient Potato Soup Ingredients
The complete ingredients list and quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Potatoes: Weigh them after peeling because “large” potatoes vary considerably. Cut them into roughly even pieces so they become tender together.
- Yellow onions: Peel and chop them before adding them to the pot. They cook with the potatoes, so there’s no separate frying step or oil in the base recipe.
- Heavy cream (double cream): Add it after mashing the potatoes. I really like how it enriches the soup, but you don’t need extra cream just to adjust the thickness.
- Water and seasoning: Water is the cooking liquid. Salt and black pepper are optional pantry seasonings and aren’t included in the 3 main ingredients; any toppings are extras too. I like snipped chives on mine.
How to Make 3 Ingredient Potato Soup
The full instructions with weights and measurements are in the recipe card below.
Simmer the potatoes and onions in water until the onions are translucent and the potatoes mash easily. Keep the cooking liquid in the pot, mash some of the potatoes and stir in the cream. Warm through, then season to taste.
Getting the Thickness Right
Keep the water just below the potatoes and onions at the start. Don’t drain the pot before mashing: that cooking water is part of the soup.
For a thicker soup, mash more of the potatoes. If it’s too thick after adding the cream, stir in hot water a little at a time until you’re happy with it. More cream adds richness as well as liquid, so water gives you better control over the finished soup.
Substitutions and Optional Add-Ins
- Potato soup with milk: You can use whole milk instead of heavy cream, although the soup won’t be as rich. Add it gradually after mashing and check the consistency before adding extra water.
- Dairy-free or vegan: Choose an unsweetened dairy-free cooking cream and check its label for allergens.
- Gluten-free: There’s no flour or other gluten-containing ingredients in the recipe. Check the labels on packaged alternatives and toppings if needed.
- Celery: Add chopped celery with the potatoes and onions so it has time to soften.
- Cooked ham or bacon: Stir in cooked ham near the end and heat it through, or sprinkle crisp cooked bacon over individual servings.
- Cheese and herbs: Add shredded cheddar off the heat, or finish with chopped chives.
Handy Equipment
- Large pot with a lid: Choose a pot with room to stir and mash without splashing.
- Potato masher: Mash the cooked potatoes directly in the pot.
- Kitchen scale: Weigh the peeled potatoes.
- Vegetable peeler: Peel the potatoes.
- Cutting board: Prepare the vegetables.
- Kitchen knife: Cut the potatoes into roughly 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces.
- Liquid measuring cups: Measure the water and cream.
- Cooking spoon: Stir in the cream and adjust the consistency.
- Food thermometer: Check reheated portions.
What to Serve with Potato Soup
Fresh bread or biscuits are good for dipping, and a small sandwich on the side makes it a heartier meal.
How to Store
Divide leftovers into shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Keep them refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. You can prepare the soup ahead within that storage window.
Reheat only the portion you need in a saucepan, stirring frequently. Add a splash of water if it has thickened, bring it to a boil and check that it reaches 165°F (74°C) throughout. If microwaving, cover loosely, stir during heating and check several spots for the same temperature.
This potato-and-cream soup is best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated because freezing can affect its texture. If you freeze leftovers, portion them into freezer-safe containers with room for expansion, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above. Stir thoroughly, but don’t expect exactly the same texture as freshly made soup.
Easy Potato Soup FAQs
No. The base recipe is made with water, so broth isn’t required. If you do want to make it with broth though, use it instead of some or all of the cooking water and taste before adding salt.
You don’t need to blend this soup. A potato masher lets you leave some tender chunks without transferring hot soup to another appliance. You can blend it if you want, though!
Possibly, but check your soup maker’s instructions and capacity first. This recipe may be too large for one batch. If your machine allows these ingredients, cook the potatoes and onions with the water, then stir in the cream after the cooking cycle finishes.
The potatoes need to be fork-tender so they’ll mash easily. Uneven or larger pieces may take longer, so check them before adding the cream and simmer longer if needed.
3 Ingredient Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 pounds 5 ounces (1.5kg) potatoes, weighed after peeling, cut into roughly 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces (about 6 large potatoes)
- 1 ½ medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream (double cream)
- 5 cups (1.2 liters) water to start, adjusted to the level described below, plus hot water as needed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh herbs, for garnish
Equipment
- Large pot with a lid
- Potato masher
- Kitchen scale
- Vegetable peeler or paring knife
- Cutting board
- Kitchen knife
- Measuring jug
- Spoon
- Food thermometer For reheating
Method
- Put the potatoes and onions in a large pot. Start with 5 cups (1.2 liters) water, adjusting the amount so it reaches just below the potatoes and onions.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender enough to mash easily.
- Keep the cooking water in the pot. Use a potato masher to break up some of the potatoes.
- Stir in the cream and warm through over low heat, stirring.
- Taste and add salt and black pepper if you want, then serve hot.
Notes
- Water and optional salt and pepper aren’t counted as main ingredients.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days.
A Comforting Cold-Weather Lunch
A rich potato soup doesn’t need a long shopping list to be satisfying. This is the kind of familiar, warming lunch I enjoy when the weather’s miserable and a sandwich just doesn’t appeal. My potato pierogi are another way to cook with potatoes, and creamy potato salad with bacon is a delicious chilled side dish.
Other Soup Recipes to Try
- My Cullen skink is a Scottish soup with smoked fish and potatoes!
- For a different vegetable soup, try this carrot and chestnut soup.
- British onion soup with cider is another warming lunch option.
- You might enjoy the seafood in this delicious seafood chowder.
- Or try my potato and leek soup with bacon or vegetable stew with potato rosti.
