Potatoes, bacon, cheese, green onions. Need I say more? This hearty Potato Soup is like eating a baked potato. It is super simple to make, the leftovers taste great and it can easily be made without the dairy.
In fact, I actually prefer it without the milk or cheese, so when we make this, I take mine out of the pot right before the step of adding the milk, and then we make it creamy for Brendan. It's definitely nice to have a recipe that works for everyone at the table!

The Ingredients
- Butter- Olive oil or another neutral cooking oil will also work or if serving with bacon, you can use the leftover bacon grease.
- Yellow Onion
- Potatoes- We've tested this with Russet and Yukon Gold potatoes and both worked well.
- Carrots
- Water
- Sea Salt
- Dried Thyme, Parsley, Basil and Oregano- You can use 1 teaspoon of just one type of herb or you can substitute 1 teaspoon of a premixed blend of Italian herbs. If you have fresh herbs on hand, you can use 1 tablespoon in place of the dried herbs.
- Cayenne Pepper
- Whole Milk- Adding milk is totally optional and dairy or nut milk will work.
- For Serving:
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Crumpled Bacon
- Sliced Green Onions
- Greek Yogurt
The Method
- Sauté onions.
- Add potatoes, carrots, seasonings and water and allow to simmer.
- Add milk if using.
- Mash. You can do this right in the pot!
- Serve.

Leftover Storage
Store leftover Potato Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave.
Dietary Notes
If you have dietary restrictions, check the packaging of specific ingredients that you use to ensure they are compliant. This recipe is:
- Dairy Free - If you leave out the milk or use a dairy free milk and serve without cheese.
- Gluten Free
- Nut Free
- Vegetarian - If you serve it without bacon.
- Vegan - If you use olive oil to sauté the onions, omit the milk or use a dairy free milk and serve without cheese.


Other Notes
For a thicker soup you can add cornstarch. Whisk together the 1 and ½ cups of milk with 3 tablespoon of cornstarch until smooth. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the mixture. Allow the soup to cook for 2-3 more minutes until partly thickened and then mash.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter or reserved bacon grease
- 1 small yellow onion diced (1 cup)
- 2 lb potatoes peeled and cut into ½ inch dice (4 cups)
- 3 large carrots diced (2 cups)
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 and ½ cups whole milk optional
For Serving (optional):
- 4 slices bacon cooked and crumpled
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. If serving with bacon, cook it in the pot until crisp. Remove to a lined plate and crumple or chop when cooled. Drain grease from pot, reserving 2 tablespoon for sautéing onions.
- If not using bacon, add 2 tablespoon of butter to the pot. Increase heat to medium and add the onion. Sauté until soft and just starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, water and seasonings. Cover and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Cook for 30-40 minutes until potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in milk if using. Remove from heat.
- Using a potato masher, mash about half of the soup (in the pot) so that some remains chunky, or to your desired consistency. If the soup is too thick, add a bit more water.
- Serve warm with desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
More Comforting Soups!
Jillian
I LOVE potato soup but I am allergic to wheat and dairy so my old recipe made my tummy hurt and I had to give it up. Finding this recipe brought me so much joy- I loved it just as much as the other one... I was skeptical about it being creamy and thick without flour and milk but WOW it was perfect! Now I can make my favourite soup and feel good after. Honestly 6/5 stars for this one