This Irish potato soup is creamy and hearty comfort soup, perfect for cold winter nights. This recipe is made with 5 pantry staples and in less than 45 minutes!
This Irish potato soup recipe is so quick to make and is a one-pot dish, making weeknight dinners so much easier. (Yay, less dishes!!)
Serve the soup with crusty bread and a small salad for a complete meal. See the notes section for vegan and vegetarian variations. This potato soup is naturally gluten-free.
What is Irish potato soup?
Irish potato soup was originated in rural Ireland many years ago, when the ingredients were scarce. You could always find butter and cream from local farms in Ireland, and potatoes were plenty. Thus, many variations of potato soup were born in Ireland. And this simple version is one of the common variations in many Irish kitchens.
Ingredient notes:
This potato soup recipe calls for only 5 ingredients, not counting the seasoning.
- Chicken stock – A high-quality chicken stock is essential for any soup recipe. My homemade Instant Pot chicken stock is easy to prepare and ideal for this recipe. For vegan or vegetarian version, substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock.
- Potatoes – Starchy potatoes, like russets or Idaho potatoes, are ideal for this creamy potato soup.
- Heavy cream – It gives the soup that rich creamy texture! It’s also known as heavy whipping cream. You could use whole milk, but it won’t be as rich.
- Butter – I like to use unsalted butter, so that I can control the saltiness of my food.
- Optional garnishes – We love serving this soup with grated cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onion.
How do you make this potato soup?
- Cook the onion and potatoes in a melted butter for few minutes.
- Add stock, salt, and pepper and simmer until potatoes are tender.
- Then take off the heat and puree the soup.
- Stir in cream, warm it up and serve! Enjoy with your choice of garnishes and crusty bread.
Which potatoes are best for soups?
For creamy potato soups, it’s ideal to use starchy potatoes, such as russet potatoes or Idaho potatoes, because starchy potatoes softens and makes the creamiest texture.
For soups where you want your potatoes hold its shape, you want to use waxy potatoes.
Learn more about which potato varieties to use and for which purpose!
Should I boil the potatoes before adding them to the soup?
No, you don’t need to boil potatoes before adding them to the soup. Simply dice the potatoes into small cubes to expedite the cooking time.
How to store this soup:
This creamy potato soup is best when served the same day. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Irish potato soup doesn’t freeze well.
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! Let me know once you’ve tried it by leaving a comment below or sharing a photo and tagging @busy_cooks on Instagram!
Irish Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb russet potatoes diced, Note 1
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon table salt and pepper more to taste
Optional Garnish:
- 2 teaspoon shredded cheddar cheese per bowl
- 1 tablespoon chopped bacon per bowl
- 1 teaspoon sliced green onion per bowl
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or a stockpot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
- Add the diced onions, along with a pinch of salt and sweat it for a minute, or until the onions are translucent.
- Next add the potatoes and mix well. Cover the pot and let it cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Now add the chicken stock, along with a teaspoon of salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Lower the heat to medium. Cover and let it simmer till the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are tender, take it off the heat and puree the soup using an immersion blender. If you do not have that, you can puree the soup, in batches, using a regular blender. Make sure the soup had cooled down a little to avoid splatter burns.
- Place the pureed soup back to medium-low heat and add the cream. Let the soup warm up for about 5 minutes.
- Check for seasonings and add more salt and pepper, if required.
- Serve immediately topped with shredded cheese, chopped bacon and sliced green onion, along with slices of crusty bread.
Notes
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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