Cream of Potato Soup (Printable)

Comforting velvety potato soup with cream and vegetables, perfect for warming up chilly winter evenings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

→ Liquids

06 - 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Fats & Seasonings

09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional

→ Garnishes

13 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley, optional
14 - Cooked, crumbled bacon, optional
15 - Shredded cheddar cheese, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrot, and garlic. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
02 - Add diced potatoes, broth, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
03 - Remove pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth or leave slightly chunky if preferred.
04 - Stir in milk and heavy cream. Return pot to low heat and warm through, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the soup to boil after adding dairy.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can have dinner on the table before the sun sets on a winter day.
  • The texture is naturally creamy without requiring any fancy techniques or special equipment beyond an immersion blender.
  • It's humble enough to eat alone with crusty bread, but elegant enough to serve when someone unexpected shows up at your door.
02 -
  • Don't rush the sautéing step; those five minutes of softening vegetables do more work than the thirty minutes of simmering, and skipping it means missing out on real depth of flavor.
  • The soup will thicken as it cools, so if it seems a bit thin when you finish cooking, remember that's actually perfect—let it rest and set before deciding it needs more blending.
03 -
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, let the soup cool slightly and blend it in batches in a regular blender—careful with the hot liquid, and don't fill it more than halfway each time.
  • Adding the cream just before serving rather than storing it in the soup helps the texture stay silky and prevents any graininess from developing over time.
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