Traditional Irish Potato Soup Recipe ( Easy & Creamy) (2024)

Ingredient notes and substitutions:

• Potatoes – this recipe works best with starchy Russet or Idaho potatoes. You can use other potato varieties, but the soup won’t be as smooth or creamy.
• Butter – I use unsalted butter to cook the onions and celery before adding the potatoes. To make it authentic, use Irish butter.
• Onion and celery – add a delicious mild onion and celery flavor base. They end up being pureed, so your picky eaters will never know they are there. You can substitute scallions or green onions for the onion.
• Chicken stock – this pantry staple is the savory base. You may substitute chicken broth or vegetable stock.
• Milk – provides a rich creaminess that elevates the flavor.
• Garlic powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper – enhance the flavors and bring them together.
• Optional toppings – not pictured, include shredded Irish cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and chopped chives.

(Specific measurements can be found in the recipe below.)

What is potato soup:

This is a hearty and “stick to the ribs” kind of creamy soup. Robust and flavorful, it’s made from potatoes and other ingredients such as chicken stock, milk, vegetables, and seasonings.

This delicious Irish potato soup is a popular comfort food enjoyed in many countries worldwide, particularly in Ireland. It can be served as a creamy and smooth puree like this soup or chunky and hearty with pieces of potatoes and other vegetables.

Best potatoes for this soup:

1. Russet potatoes and Yukon Golds are best because they have a high starch content; they break down quickly when cooked to produce a smoother texture, making them an excellent choice for creamy potato soups.
2. Red and New potatoes have a slightly sweet flavor and firm, waxy texture, making them ideal for chunky potato soups.

Recipe variations:

There are many variations to this easy recipe; here are some examples:

1. You can make loaded potato soup by adding toppings such as bacon, cheese, and sour cream to mimic the flavor of a loaded baked potato.
2. Different types of cheese can be added to make potato cheese soup.
3. Irish potato leek soup can be made by substituting leeks for the onions in the recipe.
4. Chunky potato soup keeps the potatoes and vegetables chunky to add a heartier texture.
5. A vegetarian soup can be made by substituting vegetable broth or stock for chicken stock.
6. Sweet potato and carrot soup use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes, creating a sweeter and richer flavor. Another variation is to add roasted pumpkin to make Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup.
7. Sausage potato soup can be made by adding cooked breakfast or chorizo sausage.

Serving suggestions:

• This soup is so hearty and filling that I usually serve it with a piece of crusty bread, my Irish Soda Bread or Texas Toast Garlic Bread.
• My Crispy Fried Chicken Burger or Pulled Pork Sandwich will pair nicely if you want to add a sandwich.
• It would also make a perfect starter course for a larger meal with Herb Crusted Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Southern Squash Casserole or Southern Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken with Collard Greens.
• For a little lighter fare, potatoes and cabbage are delicious together, so you might consider serving it with Southern Fried Cabbage and Bacon.
• My German Chocolate Brownies or Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies would be lovely served as dessert.

Make it ahead:

You can make Irish potato soup several days in advance with no loss of flavor or texture. It can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days or frozen for up to three months.

How to store and reheat leftovers:

Recipe FAQs:

Expert tips and tricks:

• An immersion blender is a small handheld kitchen appliance used to purée food in the container in which it is being prepared. They are relatively inexpensive and do a great job puréeing soups.
• If you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor or regular blender, but you must do it in batches. Be extremely careful with the hot mixture. If all else fails, use a potato masher. You might have a few lumps, but the soup will still be delicious!
• You may need to add more salt if you use reduced-sodium chicken stock. On the other hand, if you use regular chicken stock, you might not need to add more.
• Add a handful of Cheez-Its or oyster crackers before serving to change things up.
• You can replace some of the milk with half-and-half or heavy cream for a richer soup.

More Irish-inspired recipes:

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Traditional Irish Potato Soup Recipe

Looking for an easy and nutritious meal? Look no further than my Traditional Irish Potato Soup Recipe! This hearty soup is as perfect for a quick weeknight dinner as it is for St. Patrick's Day.

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 14gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 901mgPotassium: 1374mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 395IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 195mgIron: 2mg