This 4-ingredient potato soup comes together in 30 minutes or less, takes minimal effort, and requires almost no cooking experience! Each bite is rich, creamy, and ultra-smooth. It's the perfect comfort food!
Table of Contents
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
Few things in life are as hearty and satisfying as homemade potato soup. Here are just a few of the reasons why you're going to love making this one:
Quick and 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 — 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.
📜 History
Both the Irish and the French have been making their own versions of potato soup for centuries.
In France, it was Antoine-Augustin Parmentier who 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 — some with leeks and some without. One thing is for sure, Irish potato soups are almost never served cold!
🥔 The best potatoes to use
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 all 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 this 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 — Water and starch make an excellent thickening agent. Some of our favorites include cornstarch, flour, and potato starch. Add the mix into your soup and it will thicken after it cooks for a few minutes.
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
Potatoes — Russet potatoes are preferred 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.
Onion — White or yellow onions will both work for this 4-ingredient potato soup recipe.
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 on hand, you can replace it with any plant milk or cream you like.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 Instructions
Step 1 — 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 — 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.
Step 3 — In the meantime, make your own cashew cream by blending 1 cup of soaked raw cashews with ¾ cup of water. Set aside for later.
Step 4 — Partially or fully blend the soup 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 — Stir in ¾ cup of cashew cream. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking, and add more water or cashew cream until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Step 6 — Serve 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 packed with crunchy vegetables and served on bread.
Bread — Try your hand at making an easy, no-knead sourdough to serve alongside this soup.
🧀 Toppings for potato soup
If you want to add a little more flavor and are okay with using aditional 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 a 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!
🌡️ Storage & reheating
Follow these storage instructions to ensure you get the most out of your tasty 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 your leftover potato soup in a pot over medium for 3-5 minutes, or until completely heated.
♻️ 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 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.
💬 FAQ
Traditionally, potato soups contain chicken stock and sometimes dairy products. But, this 4-ingredient potato soup recipe is both meat and dairy-free!
Yes, you can absolutely make this potato soup in an Instant Pot! Cook on high for 10 minutes, then quick release before blending.
Yes, this potato soup is suitable for those following a gluten-free diet.
🍴 More tasty soup recipes
If you enjoyed this 4-ingredient potato soup, be sure to check out some other flavor-packed soup recipes:
- 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.
📋 Recipe
Easy 4-Ingredient Potato Soup
Equipment
- Potato peeler
- Blender
- Stock pot or Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 pounds yellow or white potatoes, peeled & cubed ($1.53)
- 6 celery stalks, roughly chopped ($0.30)
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped ($0.24)
- 5 cups water ($0.02)
- ¾ cup cashew cream* ($0.86)
- Salt & pepper to taste ($0.02)
Toppings optional
- Green onions or chives
- Shredded vegan cheese
- Tempeh or coconut bacon
Instructions
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Cube them into 1-inch chunks, then add them to a large stockpot with the chopped onions, celery, and water.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 25-30 minutes (10 minutes in an Instant Pot), or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- In the meantime, make your own cashew cream by blending 1 cup of soaked raw cashews with ¾ cup of water. Set aside for later.
- Partially or fully blend the soup with an immersion blender. Or, mix the water and vegetables in a blender, then transfer back to the pot.
- Stir in ¾ cup of cashew cream. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking, and add more water or cashew cream until it reaches your preferred consistency.
- Serve with garnishes like chopped green onions, chives, shredded vegan cheese, tempeh bacon, etc. Happy eating!
Notes
- 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 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.
- Optional ingredients are not reflected in the price or calories of our recipes.
- We calculate nutritional information for our recipes with Cronometer.
- Recipe cost calculations are based on ingredients local to us and may vary from recipe to recipe. All prices are in USD.
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