Homemade Potato Soup 101

By Fran Miller
@TchrLdy71

Creamy Potato Soup... One of the best comfort foods ever! No matter if you like yours thin or thick, this basic recipe will get you started on bowls of deliciousness. Play with the recipe ingredients until you find the perfect combination for your family. Don't forget to share your favorite options with us, too! =^..^=

Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆ 0 votes

Serves:

Prep:

15 Min

Cook:

35 Min

Method:

Stove Top

Ingredients

1-2: stalks of celery, sliced thin
1/2: small onion, diced
4-5: large potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 c: milk
1: heaping tablespoon cornstarch (or flour)
some: butter or margarine
some: salt & pepper
some: shredded cheese
some: cooked & crumbled bacon
some: sliced scallions
some: sour cream
some: crackers
some: cubed ham

How to Make Homemade Potato Soup 101

Step-by-Step

1In a medium saucepan, bring the celery & onions to a boil in about 2 1/2 inches of water. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the celery starts to soften, about 15 minutes or so.
2Add the cubed potatoes, cover, and cook for another 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

At this point, some people, like my mother-in-law, prefer to mash some of the potatoes. (She used an old-fashioned potato masher.) Others wait until the soup is totally done and use an immersion (or stick) blender. Yet others, like me, just leave the potatoes as they are. Your choice. =^..^=
3Cornstarch or flour? Either can be used, but cornstarch is easier to blend (no lumps!) and thickens quicker. So whatever you have will work.

Add the cornstarch to the milk...
4...and stir well to mix. Add to the potatoes and other vegetables.
5Cook, stirring constantly, until the milky broth reaches the thickness you prefer. Add butter and stir to melt right before the soup is done.

If the soup is a little too thick, you can thin it with a little milk or water. If the soup isn't thick enough, cook it a little longer.
6Ladle the soup into bowls and top with your favorite options. Enjoy! =^..^=
7BAKED POTATO SOUP: Bake the potatoes in the oven until tender. (This recipe is also great for using up leftover baked potatoes!) Some people choose to leave the skins on the potatoes while they cube them and add to the cooked vegetables in Step #2. Strictly your choice. Since the potatoes are already cooked, just heat them up and go on to Step #3.
8Thinner Potato Soup: This is the soup my Mom preferred. She cooked the vegetables, then just added milk with no thickener, heated it up, added the butter, and served it with lots of crackers.
9Shortcut Version: Instead of using raw celery, use a can of condensed Cream of Celery soup. This takes care of the thickener, too. Cook the onions and potatoes as listed above. Add the milk and the can of condensed soup. Once it is all heated, add the butter and serve.