4-Ingredient Potato Soup

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This 4-ingredient potato soup comes together in 30 minutes or less, takes minimal effort, and requires almost no hands-on cooking! Featuring potatoes, celery, onions, and cashew cream, each bite is rich, creamy, and ultra-smooth. It’s the perfect comfort food!

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick & easy: With only 5 minutes of prep and about 30 minutes of cooking, you’ll have dinner on the table in a flash! Plus, you only need 4 ingredients.
• Budget-conscious: Similar to air fryer hash browns, the ingredients are widely available, relatively inexpensive around the world, and full of nutrients.
• Diet-friendly: This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, low-calorie, and easily fits within most diet plans.
• Meal prep ready: You can easily double or triple the recipe to store for a week’s worth of meals. Spend less time in the kitchen and more time getting things done!
• Customizable: With countless ways to customize this 4-ingredient potato soup (more down below), you can change it to suit your personal taste preferences.

If you love this 4-ingredient potato soup, you should really check out our vegan potato salad, stewed potatoes, or red-skin mashed potatoes.

📜 History

Both the Irish and the French have been making their own versions of potato soup for centuries.

In France, Antoine-Augustin Parmentier popularized the use of potatoes during the 18th Century. This helped pave the way for leek and potato soup recipes like Potage à la Parmentier (hot) and Vichyssoise (cold).

Potatoes are also synonymous with Ireland, so it only makes sense there are many Irish potato soup recipes too — some with leeks and some without. One thing is for sure, Irish potato soups are almost never served cold!

🥔 The best potatoes to use

Few things in life are as hearty and satisfying as homemade potato soup, but the flavor and texture can change depending on which potatoes you choose. Here are the best options:

• Short answer: The best potatoes for potato soup are the ones you have regularly available to you! Whether you choose russet, Yukon, or sweet potatoes, they all add unique flavors to this dish.
• Long answer: If you want to get technical, the best potatoes to use for puréed soups are russet as they blend easier. If you prefer a chunkier potato soup, use waxy potato varieties. It really is up to you!

Note: Examples of waxy potatoes include New, Red Bliss, pee wees, and fingerlings. These are often referred to as boiling potatoes.

🥣 How to thicken potato soup

Depending on the ingredients you prefer, dietary preferences, and overall calorie needs, there are many ways to thicken 4-ingredient potato soup.

• Nuts and seeds: Cashews, almonds, and sunflower seeds are great choices to thicken this soup, each adding its own unique flavor. Blend the nuts or seeds with a bit of water before adding them to your soup.
• Flour and butter: Two main cooking techniques for thickening soup include a roux or a beurre manié. Both use a 1:1 ratio of flour and (vegan) butter, but the roux is cooked and a beurre manié is not.
• Cream: Using a dairy-free cream is an easy way to thicken any soup. It’s quick, convenient, and tastes delicious. Only add the cream in after the soup has cooked.
• Starch: Starch makes an excellent thickening agent. Some of our favorites include cornstarch, flour, and potato starch. Add the mix to your soup and it will thicken after it cooks for a few minutes.

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

• Potatoes: Russet potatoes are our preferred choice for this potato soup, but Yukon Gold or regular potatoes work perfectly well too. Just use what is available near you (we’re going for quick and easy here)!
• Celery: To add a savory, umami flavor. Like leeks, celery compliments potatoes well. If you don’t have any, replace it with more onion or leeks if you have those on hand.
• Onion: White or yellow onions provide extra savory, bold flavors to this 4-ingredient potato soup recipe. If you don’t have onions, try shallots or leeks.
• Cashew cream: Made from a simple blend of raw cashews and water, cashew cream gives the soup a smooth, rich texture. If you don’t have cashews available, you can replace them with sunflower seeds or use any dairy-free milk or cream you like.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make 4-ingredient potato soup

Step 1: Prepare the vegetables

Wash and peel the potatoes. Cube them into 1-inch chunks, then add them to a large stockpot with the onions, celery, and water.

Step 2: Simmer the vegetables

Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 25-30 minutes (10 minutes on high in an Instant Pot), or until the potatoes are fork-tender. It’s important to wait for the potatoes to soften for an extra creamy soup consistency.

Step 3: Blend the cashew cream

While the vegetables are simmering, make your own cashew cream by blending 1 cup of soaked raw cashews with ¾ cup of water in a high-speed blender. You can also use sunflower seeds or almonds if you prefer.

Step 4: Blend the soup

Once the vegetables are tender, you can partially or fully blend the soup (depending on how you like it) with an immersion blender. Or, mix the water and vegetables in a blender, then transfer it all back to the pot to simmer a little longer.

Step 5: Add the cream

After the soup is blended, stir in some cashew cream a little at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper to your liking, or add any extra seasonings that you want.

Step 6: Serve your soup

Serve your 4-ingredient potato soup with garnishes like chopped green onions, chives, shredded vegan cheese, tempeh bacon, etc. Happy eating!

If you have questions about this 4-ingredient potato soup recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🥗 What to serve with potato soup

Soup is made for pairing with sandwiches, salads, and more! Serve yours with some of these flavor-packed recipes:

• Torta cubana: A fully-loaded sandwich of mushroom milanesa, chorizo, dairy-free cheese, and vegetables.
• Kale caesar salad: Hearty kale, tempeh, and chickpea “croutons” topped with homemade Caesar dressing.
• Chickpea salad sandwich: A plant-based version of tuna salad sandwiches packed with crunchy vegetables and zesty sauce.
• Bread: Try your hand at making an easy, no-knead sourdough or dairy-free bread to serve alongside this soup.

🧀 Toppings for potato soup

If you want to add a little more flavor and are okay with using additional ingredients, here are some great garnishes:

• Shredded cheese: Try adding plant-based cheddar shreds to give this potato soup an umami flavor.
• Croutons: Croutons can add bulk, flavor, and texture. Try making your own or using store-bought croutons.
• Tempeh bacon: Instead of meat, try tempeh bacon for an equally delicious alternative!
• Sour cream: Use store-bought vegan sour cream, or you can use extra cashew cream.
• Green onions: Both green onions and chives add a fresh, peppery, and vibrant component.
• Hot sauce: If you can take the heat, use your favorite brand or homemade sauce.

🌡️ Storage & reheating

Follow these storage instructions to ensure you get the most out of your 4-ingredient potato soup:

• Fridge: Once cooled, add the soup to an airtight container and it will keep in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
• Freezer: Unfortunately, potato soup doesn’t freeze very well because the texture changes significantly once it’s thawed. Knowing this, you can still freeze it for up to 6 months, but the texture won’t be quite the same.
• Reheating: Heat leftover 4-ingredient potato soup in a pot over medium for 3-5 minutes, or until it’s completely warmed through.

♻️ Variations

• Protein: Add in white beans, soybeans, tofu, or tempeh for a protein-rich version.
• Chunky: If you prefer your potato soup chunky, only blend a few cups of potatoes before adding them back to the pot.
• Sweet: For bursts of sweet flavor, try adding corn kernels or sweet potatoes.
• Spicy: If you’re a spice fan like us, throw in a few serrano or jalapeño peppers before cooking.
• Low carb: Instead of potatoes, you can use cauliflower for a low-carb version of this soup.
• Extra fillings: Add fresh veggies like celery, carrots, peas, or zucchini to bulk the recipe up.
• Vegetable broth: If you want a more robust flavor, swap out the water for vegetable broth.
• Herbs and spices: Some of our favorite spices to add are thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, cumin, paprika, cayenne, or oregano.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

• Don’t drain the water: Use the boiling water as the broth so you don’t lose any flavor. Plus, the excess starch will help thicken the soup.
• Cook long enough: To ensure a smooth and creamy soup consistency, cook the potatoes until they are very tender.
• Chop the potatoes evenly: To make sure everything is cooked the same, cut the potatoes roughly the same size.
• Soak the nuts: Soak the cashews in room temperature water overnight or in boiling water for 1 hour.
• Quality ingredients: Choose high-quality, fresh ingredients for the best flavor in this 4-ingredient potato soup.
• Consistency: Adjust the amount of water or cashew cream to achieve your desired soup consistency.
• Adjust accordingly: Taste the soup as you go and adjust seasonings to suit your preference.
• Cool before blending: Allow the soup to cool slightly before blending to avoid splatters and burns.
• Big batch: Double the recipe for meal prep or for a big crowd.

🍴 More soup recipes

If you enjoyed this 4-ingredient potato soup, be sure to check out some other flavor-packed soup recipes like these:

• Black bean soup: Mexican-style black bean soup topped with vegan cheese, avocado, and crispy tortilla strips.
• Sopa de habas: Fava bean soup filled with vegetables, chiles, herbs, and avocados.
• Pinto bean soup: A fiber-rich soup seasoned with hearty spices like cumin and Mexican oregano.
• Sopa de conchas: Shell pasta and veggies served in a tomato-based broth.

Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.