Irish potato soup uses simple ingredients, which in years gone by were easily available in rural Irish kitchens.
When I say this soup is easy to make, I really mean it. There are only seven ingredients – potato, onion, butter, stock, cream, and salt and pepper to taste.
Table of Contents
Traditional Irish Potato Soup Recipe
My recipe today is for a very traditional Irish potato soup. It’s made simply, with potatoes and onions, but trust me it’s a creamy potato soup that has stood the test of time.
You may be more familiar with an Irish potato and leek soup. But many Irish housewives skipped the leeks and made a simple potato soup whenever the cupboard was relatively bare.
Butter and cream were consistently available on dairy farms, and if potatoes were not homegrown, a “four stone bag of potatoes” was always on the shopping list.
Potatoes were always readily available in Irish kitchens, so this soup was a staple for many households in years gone by.
And so here’s my recipe for a traditional Irish potato soup.
Ingredients for Traditional Irish Potato Soup
Here’s a quick list of ingredients. Check out the printable recipe at the bottom of this post for exact quantities. There you can toggle between US and Metric measurements.
- onion
- potatoes
- butter
- chicken stock or vegetable stock
- cream
- salt and pepper to season
- parsley to garnish (optional)
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
I like to make this suoup with Russet potatoes. There’s no flour in this soup, acting as a thickening agent, so you want to choose a starchy or floury potato, as we call them in Ireland. Russets are the best.
You could also use Yukon gold potatoes or baking potatoes, although the texture will be slightly different when you use waxier Yukon golds.
Heavy whipping cream is used to make this soup extra smooth and delicious. If you like a tangier taste, you could substitute a little sour cream for some of the heavy whipping cream.
I use parsley to garnish this soup, but you could use chopped green onions or chives instead. A little grated cheddar cheese is delicious as a garnish with chopped green onions or chives. If you like a sharp cheddar cheese, then choose Dubliner Irish cheddar.
I only use regular onions for flavor in this soup. This is the traditional Irish method of making potato soup. You could add some minced garlic with the onion, if you prefer a more pronounced flavor.
Vegetable broth is used for a vegetarian soup, but you can use chicken broth if you like how it enhances the flavor.
The only spices in this soup are salt and pepper (around here were refer to these seasonings as Irish spices.
You’ll also note this soup is made without any herbs added to the stock, only as a garnish. Feel free to experiment with a sprig of thyme or rosemary. They add another level of flavor to the finished soup.
Cooking Directions for Potato Soup
Here you’ll find a step-by-step photo tutorial, plus don’t forget there’s a printable recipe card at the end of this post.
There, you’ll find nutritional information, plus you can toggle between US and Metric equivalents for ingredient quantities.
Prepare the Vegetables
The first step is to prepare the vegetables.
Peel and dice the onion into small pieces.
Peel the potatoes and dice them into pieces about ¼ inch cubed.
You don’t have to be precise, since the soup is eventually puréed.
Sweat the Potatoes and Onions
Melt the butter in a large soup pot and toss in the diced onions. This soup is great when made in a dutch oven too.
Cook the diced onions for about a minute.
Add the potatoes and mix well to coat them completely with butter.
Cover the pot and sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes over medium heat.
Shake the pot every few minutes to ensure the vegetables don’t stick. Do not brown the onions.
You can learn more about sweating vegetables in my soup making tips post.
Adding Stock to the Soup
Add the chicken stock and bring to boiling point. Lower the heat and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. It’s important not to boil this soup over a high heat – a low slow simmer is key to success.
If you wish you can use vegetable stock for this soup to create a vegetarian soup.
It’s also gluten free, since no flour is used to thicken this soup.
Blend the Soup for a Smooth Texture
Turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool, before using an immersion blender to purée it. If you don’t have an immersion blender you can whizz it in batches in a blender or liquidizer.
In years gone by, there were no hand gadgets to help make a smooth soup. Back then the soup would have been allowed to cool, then passed through a sieve and smushed to make it smooth.
This process may have needed to be repeated a few times to make the soup as smooth as possible.
Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Reheat the soup to serve.
I like a good sprinkling of pepper on this soup, and a little bit of parsley is a lovely garnish.
Freshly ground black pepper works great.
I hope you enjoy this easy soup. It has a very creamy texture, and is not a gritty potato soup.
Brown bread is the perfect accompaniment to a good bowl of Irish soup.
Irish Potato Soup Recipe Card
Here’s the printable recipe using American cup and Metric measurements. Simply click the tab you prefer, just below the ingredient list. You can print either version.
Traditional Irish Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 3 medium potatoes
- 2 ounces butter
- 4 cups chicken stock use vegetable stock for a vegetarian soup
- ½ cup cream
- salt and pepper to season
- parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Peel and dice the onion and potatoes.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
- Add the onion and cook for one minute coating completely in butter.
- Add the potatoes and toss well with the onion and melted butter.
- Cover the saucepan and sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes, shaking the pot every few minutes to prevent sticking.
- Pour in the stock and simmer the soup for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- Turn off the heat and allow to cool, Purée the soup using a hand held blender or in batches in a blender.
- Add the cream and mix well together.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Reheat to serve, and garnish with a swirl of cream and parsley.
Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.
This may not be a loaded baked potato soup, but I can safely say it is one of the best potato soup recipes in the world.
Happy soup making to all.
Here are some more soups you might enjoy.
Traditional Irish Soups To Savor
Spicy Red Lentil and Carrot Soup
Onion and Potato Soup – A Fast Way To Warm Up
Thanks for following my recipes and ramblings.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Irish American Mom
Here are some other recipes and ramblings you might enjoy…
Patricia
I think I know what I will be making this week! ? That looks delicious as usual Mairead! Add some brown or soda bread and I call it dinner! Thanks for posting this!
Irish American Mom
Hi Patricia – nothing complicated about this soup. Simple ingredients, and simple flavors, but delicious just the same.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Pat Fordyce
Love Potato soup and this recipe looks awesome! Thanks Mairead….,,
Irish American Mom
Thanks for checking out this recipe, Pat. I like how this recipe doesn’t call for flour or a thickening agent – the potatoes do the job. All the best,
Mairéad
Alice Morrison
I love your recipes and cannot wait to try the. Thank you
Irish American Mom
Hi Alice – I’m delighted you like my recipes. I tend to make simple, nutritious food from the recipes I learned from my mother. Thanks so much for stopping by to check out this potato soup.
Take care,
Mairéad
Miriam salvemini
Mairead, I made your potato and leek soup last week, delicious as usual! This potato soup is so easy, will make it soon too! Brown bread a great accompaniement.
Irish American Mom
Hi Miriam – Brown bread is perfect with a good soup. So glad you liked my potato and leek soup and I hope you’ll like this plain and simple potato soup just as much.
All the best,
Mairéad
Karen
This looks fantastic, Mairéad! I’m getting a Thermomix next month so I should be able to perform most of the steps in it, including the “sweating.” I love soup and so will check out your other recipes. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you and yours. :))
Irish American Mom
Hi Karen – I had to look up a Thermomix on Google – what an amazing gadget. It does so much, and I bet you’ll make delicious soups. “Sweating” the vegetables will be easy peasy. Hope you too have a lovely St. Patrick’s Day.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Irishnannie
Would love to put info about this fun & simple soup recipe in my little online treasury of irishness at the home of Finney…my little leprechaun! Is that alright with you, Mairead?…I will certainly say it’s from your blog…
Irish American Mom
No problem, Irishannie. I’d be delighted if Finney shared some of my recipes. I can just imagine a little leprechaun like Finney stirring a wee black pot of potato soup.
All the best,
Mairéad
Irishnannie
Thank you & God bless you.
SweetJ
Featured here > http://sweetmeetsbakeshop.com/2016/03/14/matcha-white-chocolate-cake-pops-mold-vs-traditional-method/
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day and keep on cooking!
Irish American Mom
Thanks for stopping by and for sharing the link for your St. Patrick’s Day cake pop recipe. They look great.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to you too.
Mairéad
Rahul @samosastreet.com
I love the simplicity of this soup. So simple yet so perfect.
Irish American Mom
Hi Rahul – Simplicity is the key to Irish cooking – good, tasty ingredients need little to bring out their authentic flavors.
All the best,
Mairéad
Penny Wolf
Perfect for dinner to offset all of this chilly rain in Ohio. My local Kroger store carries a potato called
ROOSTER, and is it ever flavorful for just such a recipe. I also put a stalk or two of celery in our potato soup. I agree with you that simplicity is key to all cooking. If you have good flavors there isn’t a need to
twist their arm to taste better.
Karen
Penny, I’m in Detroit every month and Kroger is ubiquitous. I’ve never seen that variety here in NYC but will have a look when I’m in Detroit next week and if I see it, I’ll bring some back with me to sample. Thanks for the tip!
Irish American Mom
Hi Karen – We’ll start a rooster potato craze in America – a good Irish spud.
All the best,
Mairéad
Karen
Well, now that I know it’s a variety used in Ireland, I definitely want to make your soup with it!
I understand that French chefs visiting the U.S. liked to bring Russet potatoes into France when they returned because they (the potatoes, that is) wouldn’t grow in France. I suspect that it’s impossible to do that nowadays, though. 🙁
Irish American Mom
Hi Penny – Glad to hear you like Rooster potatoes. They are sold widely in Ireland and are used by most Irish cooks. You’ll make lovely potato soup with Rooster potatoes.
Best wishes, and happy St. Patrick’s Day.
Mairéad
Penny Wolf
I had no idea about these potatoes and tried them on a whim. All I can say is I’m hooked.
Surely you must have been disappointed with the potato selection when you moved here.
Of course, like any vegetable, if you can get potatoes at a local farmers market the taste is always fantastic.
I’m so glad to have found your blog! 🙂
Irish American Mom
Hi Penny – In Ireland we have many varieties of potatoes that have never been heard of in America – Golden Wonders, Kerr’s Pinks, Maris Pipers, Roosters, and King Edwards to name but a few. When I first came to America I found the potatoes to be too waxy. It’s hard to find a good floury potato like you get in Ireland. Glad you’ve discovered the tastiness of a nice Rooster potato. Thanks for visiting my blog and for always adding to our little discussions of all things Irish and Irish American.
All the best,
Mairéad 🙂 🙂 🙂
Karen
We call “floury” “mealy” here when describing potatoes (obviously the same concept) but you make a good point. With the exception of Russets, most of ours are waxy. Have you ever had a Lumper?
Irish American Mom
Hi Karen – I’ve never had a lumper, but I know they’re being grown again all around Ireland. They were the type of potato that was grown at the time of the Famine, since they grew in poor soil and yielded a large potato. I’ve read somewhere that they were a little watery compared to today’s “floury” potatoes.
All the best,
Mairéad
Patricia
Can someone explain and then give me an example of what a floury and a waxy potato are? I see it in recipes and I don’t know what it means. Is an Idaho potato waxy? Or floury? Or something else? What about yellow gold potatoes? What are they considered? I really don’t understand.
Karen
“Idahos” are Russets that are grown in Idaho. They’re floury/mealy. Yukon Golds are waxy.
Irish American Mom
Hi Karen – Thanks so much for stopping by and joining in our potato chat. I agree with your Russet recommendation. Russets are the flouriest of potatoes in the United States, for sure, and the ones we Irish tend to cook when we cross the Atlantic. In Ireland, our floury potatoes split open and their floury, mealy insides spill out through the skins when they are boiled. We love our floury potatoes.
All the best, and have a lovely St. Patrick’s Day.
Mairéad
Karen
A few years back, I was stopped in a subway station by a tourist couple from Ireland who asked if I knew of a place where they could eat Irish potatoes. I directed them to an Irish grocery in Queens because it’s kind of a hub for the sizable Irish population there who might have known an eatery where this couple could get their “fix.” Until that time, I’d never realized–Famine aside–just HOW seriously Irish folks take their spuds! Because I cook and have read many cookbooks over the last 50+ years, I know the difference between the two types but am pretty much “bi-potato,” if you will–I happily go either way depending on the recipe. So now I’m really looking forward to trying a Rooster to see what all the hoo-ha is about. I think I’ll try your recipe with Roosters (if Kroger has them), then with Yukon Golds to compare. 🙂
Irish American Mom
Hi Patricia – I sense the need for a potato post coming up. The texture of a potato is a very important concept in Ireland. On the way to Donegal where my husband is from, there’s a sign on the road that reads “Big balls of flour”. Not a mention of a potato on this high tech marketing sign, but all the locals know they’re selling potatoes – the kind that split when boiled. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Take care,
Mairéad
Patricia
Potatoes 101, yes please! I hope you will do that Mairead!
Karen
+1
Okay, Mairéad–spill it! Let’s hear about the fine points of those varieties you named, and are they all floury/mealy? Any “waxies” among them?
Irish American Mom
Love your story of the Irish couple on a trail for good spuds in New York. I’ll definitely get working on some potato posts. We’ll continue our spud inspired chat sometime after Easter. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Karen
:(=)
Looking forward, and I’m guessing I’m not the only one!
Janet FALLON
This is very similar to the “recipe” used by my Irish grandmother. She used evaporated milk instead of cream and cooked the sliced onions and potatoes in the stock. She would mash it up just a bit but didn’t purée it. I guess this was a faster and more economical version to feed a family of 11during the depression. Sometimes she would add some cooked egg noodles too! We still make this soup the same way and it’s a hit every time!
Irish American Mom
Hi Janet – Thanks for sharing your grandmother’s soup making tips. I never heard of using evaporated milk in a soup but I’m sure it makes it delicious. I love learning about the ingenious, budget-friendly recipes used in years gone by, especially when times were tough and large families needed to be fed nourishing meals when funds where tight. I’m so glad to hear you continue to use her recipe to this very day.
All the best,
Mairéad
Annice Abbott
Made this yesterday, as my husband requested potato soup and I hadn’t made any in a while. By the way Mairead He is from Kentucky. So my search brought me here. This is a very good yet very simple recipe. We love it. Instead of doing the puree I just gently cooked the potatoes until they fell apart, and there were still tiny pieces of potato. Easy and Delicious. Thank you.
Irish American Mom
Hi Annice – I’m so glad your family enjoyed this simple soup. And I love how you chose not to purée it. It can be served so many ways, and a few added veggies are delicious in this soup too. And I’m delighted to hear your Kentucky husband gave this soup his seal of approval.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Lorraine
this soup was awesome! I got lots of compliments and people kept asking for more! thank you for sharing!
Irish American Mom
Hi Lorraine – I’m delighted to hear you liked this recipe. Thanks for trying it out.
All the best,
Mairéad
Traci
Made this soup for the first time today and the only thing I can say that is wrong with it, is that I should’ve double the recipe. Absolute heaven! Thanks so much.
Irish American Mom
Hi Traci – Lovely to hear this soup was such a great success. It’s great to hear from readers who enjoy these old Irish favorites.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Fiona Eichler
I like to cook traditional Irish potato soup after 16 minutes ready to serve for 9 minutes inch.
Irish American Mom
Hi Fiona – Glad to hear you too are a fan of Irish potato soup.
All the best,
Mairéad
Jeff
Mairead,
I think someday that I will give it a shot! I’ll have to find a way to liquefy it since I don’t have a blender or anything similar!
Slán,
Rita
Lovely, simple soup. Thanks for a budget friendly recipe from Ireland.
Irish American Mom
Hi Rita – Thanks for rating this recipe and glad you like this traditional Irish soup.
All the best,
Mairéad
Kim
Love it!!!
Irish American Mom
So glad you like this soup, Kim.
All the best,
Mairéad
Kim
If I want to leave half of the potatoes chunky will it work if I only puree half of the potatoes with the stock then add the cream and remaining potatoes back to the pot?
Irish American Mom
Hi Kim – That will work perfectly. I hope you enjoy this soup. Thanks for checking out this recipe.
All the best,
Mairéad
Vicki
Super comfort food.. Love it.
Irish American Mom
Hi Vicki – So glad you like this soup recipe. It’s Irish comfort food at its finest.
All the best,
Mairead
Merryellen Towey Schulz
Temperature dropped 40 degrees in three hours yesterday so I made this soup. It was wonderful! I did use bacon gease instead of butter. Otherwise, exactly as posted. It’s healthier than potato soups with large amounts of butter, cream, and flour. Simple and quick too. Thank you.
Irish American Mom
Hi Merryellen – I love this soup too. I bet your addition of bacon grease was wonderful. Thanks so much for trying out one more of my recipes.
All the best,
Mairéad
irishnannie
Hi, Mairead* Seems like a good spot to let you know that Finney loved this recipe! And…to tell you my own daughter, Kate, decided to try it and made it for her all-man Family…hubby and six growing boys! Now Kate makes lots of soups but your particular simply wonderful recipe caused him to tell her that of all the soups she has ever made, he considered it the best! So, how’s that for a lift in your day!!!
God bless you, thank you again, and Happy Easter to you and your Family!
Irish American Mom
Hi Irishannie – Well that is high praise indeed for this humble potato soup. Thanks so much for sharing your family’s seal of approval for this soup. You’ve made my day alright.
Happy Easter to you and yours too.
Mairéad