Potato soup does not need flour, a roux, cream cheese, or heavy cream to get a thick base. Part of the cooked potatoes can do that job without adding another ingredient.
This five-ingredient version cooks russet potatoes in broth until fork-tender, adds milk, then mashes part of the potatoes in the same pot. Some pieces stay intact while the mashed portion thickens the liquid around them.
Russet Potatoes Bring More Than the Chunks
Russets work well here because of their starch content. Peel and dice four to five medium potatoes, keeping the pieces close in size so they reach the tender stage at the same time.
Yukon Gold potatoes can replace russets, but the finished texture can differ. Russets suit the recipe when the goal is to use part of the potato as the thickener.
Cook the Onion Before Adding the Potatoes
Melt two tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add one chopped onion and cook for four to five minutes, until the pieces soften.
Add the diced potatoes and two cups of chicken broth. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. The potatoes need to reach the point where a fork passes through them before the next step.
Add Milk After the Potatoes Are Tender
Pour two cups of milk into the cooked potatoes and broth. Whole milk adds more fat, while 2% milk can also work.
Heat the soup without returning it to a hard boil. High heat after the milk goes in can scald the dairy, so the goal is to bring the soup back up to serving temperature without a strong boil.
Mash Some Potatoes Right in the Pot
Use a potato masher to break down part of the cooked potatoes while leaving the rest in chunks. The mashed potato blends into the broth and milk, creating a thicker base without flour.
How much you mash controls the final texture. Mash more for a smoother, thicker bowl, or stop sooner when you want distinct potato pieces throughout the soup.
Skip the Roux and Heavy Cream
Traditional thickening can mean cooking flour with fat before adding liquid. This recipe skips that step because the potatoes are already in position to provide body.
No heavy cream or cream cheese enters the pot either. Butter, broth, milk, potatoes, and onion form the soup, with salt and pepper added to taste.
Add Milk When Leftovers Get Too Thick
Potato soup can thicken more after a night in the refrigerator. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days, then add a splash of milk during reheating if the soup has become thicker than you want.
Heat leftovers over the stove without a hard boil. The same potatoes that thicken the first bowl continue to take up moisture as the soup sits.
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