Potatoes are one of my favorite comfort foods. No matter what I’m feeling, there’s a potato for my mood, from french fries to au gratin. Baked potatoes and potato soup are in the running for first place in my heart, so I’ve come up with an easy soup that combines the best of both worlds — warm, creamy potato soup with all the goodness of baked goods. There are fun, crunchy, delicious toppings. potato
Although the classic potato soup that my grandmother used to make from scratch is so easy, I wanted to eliminate one annoying step: peeling the potatoes. By using a bag of frozen hash browns (both sliced and cubed work here), I eliminated the need for peeling. And Biting, a nice bonus. You can blend the soup for a super creamy result or leave it for a heartier texture.
With a no-prep base set, you can really focus on the toppings, which we all know is the best part. Arrange an assortment of toppings and then let each member of your family make their own bowl—my kids especially love choosing their own adventure.
If it’s good. On a baked potatoThis soup would taste great! Some of my favorites are cooked and crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions or chives, and a dollop of sour cream.
How to make my quick and easy potato soup
For four servings, you’ll need:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 (30-ounce) bag frozen hash browns (chopped or cubed)
- 3 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1 (10.5-ounce) cup thick cream of celery soup (or plain cream of soup of your choice)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Optional Toppings: Crispy baconshredded cheese, sour cream, green onions
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium heat. Add hash browns, stock and cream of celery soup and stir to combine.
Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring often, until the soup thickens. Stir in salt and pepper. Taste and adjust as needed.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup (or skip it for a chunkier version), adding more chicken broth if the soup is too thick. Serve with toppings of your choice. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Tips for making my potato soup
- Make sure to stir every few minutes so the soup doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- If you prefer fresh potatoes, peel them and cut them into small pieces so they will still cook quickly.
- Substitute the cream of celery soup for another type of cream soup (chicken, mushroom, etc.).
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, a countertop blender is fine, but avoid blending for too long. Just a few pulses will do the trick!
- You can make this recipe vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken.