Cream of Potato Soup (Print Version)

Velvety potato soup with cream, vegetables, and herbs. A comforting winter warmer ready in 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

→ Liquids

06 - 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 0.5 cup heavy cream

→ Fats and Seasonings

09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional

→ Garnishes

13 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley
14 - Cooked crumbled bacon, optional
15 - Shredded cheddar cheese, optional

# Steps:

01 - In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onions, celery, carrot, and minced garlic. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Add diced potatoes, broth, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
03 - Remove pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth or leave slightly chunky according to preference.
04 - Stir in whole milk and heavy cream. Return pot to low heat and warm through, stirring occasionally. Do not allow soup to boil after adding dairy.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chives, bacon, or cheese as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can have a restaurant-quality meal on a random Tuesday without the stress.
  • The texture is pure comfort—creamy without being heavy, and your immersion blender does all the hard work for you.
  • It's endlessly customizable, so you can make it your way whether you're cooking for yourself or feeding a crowd.
02 -
  • Don't skip the sautéing step—those 5 to 7 minutes of softening vegetables in butter build the flavor in a way that makes the whole soup taste deeper and more intentional.
  • If your soup breaks or looks curdled after the cream goes in, it usually means the heat was too high; lower it immediately and stir gently, and it will often come back together.
  • The texture of the final blend is entirely up to you—smooth is elegant, but a little chunkiness is actually more forgiving and lets people taste the potatoes themselves.
03 -
  • Use an immersion blender instead of a regular blender—it's safer, easier, and you control the texture in real time without transferring hot liquid.
  • If your broth is unseasoned or weak, taste it before you start; good broth is half the battle, and it's worth using one you actually enjoy on its own.
  • Don't crowd your pan when sautéing the vegetables; give them room to soften properly and develop flavor instead of steaming in their own moisture.
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