Stove Top Potato Soup

The spoon should glide through a potato cube without the whole pot turning to mash. That’s the texture I look for in stove top potato soup: a creamy, thick broth with enough tender pieces left to make each spoonful feel hearty. Cutting the russets evenly matters more than it might seem, especially when the soup cooks in one pot and the potatoes are doing double duty as both chunks and part of the thickener.

I build the base with softened onion and celery, then stir flour into the butter before whisking in the broth. That gives the soup body before the potatoes go in, and mashing some of them against the side of the pot thickens it further without needing cream or a blender. Whole milk goes in at the end, where gentle heat warms it through without boiling. The result is a cozy, spoon-coating bowl with soft potato pieces throughout.

Why the Half-Inch Potato Cut Makes Such a Difference

Potatoes cut to about the same size finish cooking together. That matters in this soup because the cubes need to become tender enough to mash, but some should still hold their shape in the bowl. If the pieces vary widely, the smallest ones can break down while larger ones are still firm. A consistent cut gives you a more even texture from the first spoonful to the last.

Russets release plenty of starch as they cook, and that works in your favor here. The flour thickens the broth, while mashing a portion of the cooked potatoes gives it a fuller, more substantial feel. You don’t need to puree the soup or add extra thickener to get a creamy consistency. Keep the potato pieces close in size, then let the simmer do its work; the finished soup should have a thick broth and distinct, tender chunks rather than a pot of uniform paste.

What the Potatoes, Flour, and Milk Each Bring to This Soup

• Russet potatoes — Their starchy flesh softens readily and helps thicken the broth when you mash some against the pot. Choose potatoes that feel firm, without soft spots. Yukon Gold potatoes can stand in, but they’ll give you a less fluffy, slightly waxier texture.
• All-purpose flour — The flour cooks with the butter and vegetables to build a steady base before the broth is added. It’s doing more than dusting the potatoes, so leaving it out changes the soup’s body; a standard cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend is the closest straightforward replacement.
• Low-sodium chicken broth — Low-sodium broth leaves room to season the pot without the finished soup becoming too salty. Vegetable broth is a useful swap for a vegetarian version, though the soup will taste less savory and rounded.
• Whole milk — Whole milk makes the broth taste creamy without making it as heavy as a cream-based soup. Two-percent milk works if that’s what you have, but the soup will be a little less rich; use plain, unsweetened oat milk for a dairy-free version.
• Unsalted butter — It carries the onion and celery flavors and gives the flour its cooking fat. Salted butter works in its place, but start with less kosher salt so you can account for the extra salt in the butter and broth.
• Yellow onion and celery — Finely chopping both helps them soften into the soup base instead of leaving large, crunchy pieces. There’s no need for a specialty variety; fresh, firm vegetables from the regular grocery store are just right.

Build the Soup in Four Stages, From Softened Vegetables to Creamy Finish

Soften the Onion and Celery in Butter

Melt the butter in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and celery, then cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. The vegetables should look glossy and yield easily when pressed with a spoon. Keep them moving now and then so they soften evenly.

Cook the Flour, Then Whisk in the Broth

Stir the flour into the vegetables and butter, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, working out any small pockets of flour as you go. The liquid should look smooth before the potatoes are added. Pouring the broth in gradually makes it easier to incorporate the flour evenly.

Simmer Until the Potato Cubes Are Tender

Add the cubed potatoes, kosher salt, and black pepper, then bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. A fork should pass easily through a potato cube when it’s ready. If the pot is bubbling hard, lower the heat so the potatoes cook gently rather than tumbling apart.

Mash Some Potatoes and Warm the Milk Through

Press some of the tender potatoes against the side of the pot to mash them, then stir them back through the soup. Add the milk and heat gently for 3 to 5 minutes, until hot. The soup should warm through without boiling. Stir as it heats so the thicker potato-rich broth doesn’t settle on the bottom.

Simple Swaps for a Different Version of Potato Soup

Questions That Come Up When Making Stove Top Potato Soup

Stove Top Potato Soup

Stove top potato soup simmers russet potatoes in a creamy broth until very tender, then gets its thickness from mashing some of the potatoes right in the pot. A simple butter-and-flour base gives each spoonful a smooth, hearty texture.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 29 minutes mins

Total Time 44 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 340

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion medium, finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2.5 lb russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 3 cups whole milk

Equipment

• 1 5-quart Dutch oven

Method

 

1. Melt the butter in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
3. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
4. Gradually whisk in the broth until smooth.
5. Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper, and bring the soup to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender.
7. Mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken the soup.
8. Stir in the milk and heat gently for 3 to 5 minutes, without boiling, until hot.

Notes

For a thicker soup, mash more potatoes against the side of the pot. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because the milk-based soup may separate. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for a vegetarian version.