• Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Archives
  • Privacy Policy

Irish American Mom

Celebrating Our Irish Heritage Together

  • Irish Cooking
    • A Taste of Ireland
    • Recipe Index
    • Bread, Muffins, Pancakes And Scones
    • Drinks And Cocktails
    • Favorite American Recipes
    • Irish Appetizers And Party Food
    • Irish Breakfast
    • Irish Cakes, Cookies And Desserts
    • All Recipes
    • Irish Main Dishes
    • Irish Side Dishes
    • Irish Soups And Stews
    • Reader Recipes
    • Irish American Mom’s Pancake Roundup
  • Irish Culture
    • Blessings
    • Irish Books
    • Irish Crafts
    • Irish Expressions
    • Irish Life
    • Irish Movies
    • Irish Music
    • Irish Poetry
    • Irish Superstitions
    • Irish Television
    • The Irish Language or Gaelic
    • Symbols Of Ireland
    • The Irish Psyche
    • The Spud Saga
    • What I Miss About Ireland
    • Wise Old Words
  • Visiting Ireland
    • Ireland – County By County
    • Land and Culture
    • Why Tourists Love Ireland
  • Immigrant Tales
    • Stories of our Ancestors
    • Stories from the Present
    • Genealogy Resources
  • Ramblings
    • My American Journey
    • Why I Love America
    • Blogging
    • Holidays
    • America the Beautiful
  • Giveaways
    • Giveaways
    • Gifts
  • Buying Irish Food
You are here: Home / Cooking / All Recipes / Traditional Irish Potato Soup

Traditional Irish Potato Soup

March 12, 2016 by Irish American Mom 51 Comments

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.

A bowl of traditional Irish potato soup

My recipe today is for a very traditional Irish potato soup. 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.

And so here’s my recipe for a traditional Irish potato soup.

 

Ingredients for Traditional Irish Potato Soup:

 

  • 1 large onion
  • 3 medium potatoes
  • 2 ounces of butter
  • 4 cups of chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup of cream
  • salt and pepper to season
  • parsley to garnish (optional)

 

Ingredients for Irish Potato Soup

Cooking Directions for Potato Soup:

 

The first step is to prepare the vegetables.

Diced onion and potato for Irish potato soup

Peel and dice the onion into small pieces.  Peel the potatoes and dice them into pieces about 1/4 inch cubed. You don’t have to be precise, since the soup is eventually puréed.

Coating onion in melted butter

Melt the butter in a large soup pot and toss in the diced onions. Cook for about a minute.

Sweating onions and potatoes for Irish potato soup

Add the potatoes and mix well to coat 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 Irish potato 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.

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.

Immersion blender to purée potato soup

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.

Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat the soup to serve.

Farmhouse Potato soup - Irish recipe

I like a good sprinkling of pepper on this soup, and a little bit of parsley is a lovely garnish.

Irish cooking - potato soup

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.

 

Printable Potato Soup Recipe For American Readers:

 

Here’s the printable recipe using American cup measurements.

Print
Yum
Traditional Irish Potato Soup

Traditional Irish Potato Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion
  • 3 medium potatoes
  • 2 ounces of butter
  • 4 cups of chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup of cream
  • salt and pepper to season
  • parsley to garnish

Instructions

  1. Peel and dice the onion and potatoes.
  2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
  3. Add the onion and cook for one minute coating completely in butter.
  4. Add the potatoes and toss well with the onion and melted butter.
  5. Cover the saucepan and sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes, shaking the pot every few minutes to prevent sticking.
  6. Pour in the stock and simmer the soup for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
  7. Turn off the heat and allow to cool, Purée the soup using a hand held blender or in batches in a blender.
  8. Add the cream and mix well together.
  9. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Reheat to serve, and garnish with a swirl of cream and parsley.
Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes
0.1
https://www.irishamericanmom.com/traditional-irish-potato-soup/

Printable Potato Soup Recipe for Irish Readers:

 

Here’s the printable recipe for those readers who use either the imperial system or the metric system for measuring ingredients.

Traditional Irish Potato Soup

Print recipe
  • Print with main photo
  • Print text only
Traditional Irish Potato Soup
Serves6
Prep time20 minutes
Cook time30 minutes
Total time50 minutes
Meal type Soup
Misc Serve Hot
Region Irish
Traditional Irish potato soup uses simple ingredients - onion, potato, stock, butter, cream, and salt and pepper to season.

Ingredients

  • 1 Large onion (peeled and chopped)
  • 3 Medium potatoes (400 grams or 15 ounces)
  • 2oz butter
  • 1 and 1/2 pint chicken stock (800 mls)
  • 4fl oz cream (125 mls)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • parsley (to garnish)

Directions

Step 1Peel and dice the onion and potatoes.
Step 2Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
Step 3Add the onion and cook for one minute coating completely in butter.
Step 4Add the potatoes and toss well with the onion and melted butter.
Step 5Cover the saucepan and sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes, shaking the pot every few minutes to prevent sticking.
Step 6Pour in the stock and simmer the soup for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Step 7Turn off the heat and allow to cool, Purée the soup using a hand held blender or in batches in a blender.
Step 8Add the cream and mix well together.
Step 9Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 10Reheat to serve, and garnish with a swirl of cream and parsley.
Powered by GetMeCooking

Happy soup making to all!

Check out my complete recipe list here.

 

Slán agus beannacht!

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

Share my recipes and ramblings with the world
  • 2.6K
    Shares

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cooking, Irish Soups And Stews, The Spud Saga Tagged With: Easy Irish Recipes, Favorite Irish Soups, Irish Recipes, Irish soup and stews, Leek and Potato Soup, Lunch, Potato Soup, Soup, Traditional Irish Food

Recent Updates from Irish American Mom

  • This Christmas May You Have Walls For The Wind
  • The Light Of The Christmas Star To You
  • May You Be Blessed With The Spirit Of The Season
  • May Peace And Plenty Be The First To Lift The Latch On Your Door
  • The First Christmas Sweater – A Christmas Tale From Ireland

Comments

  1. Patricia says

    March 12, 2016 at 6:52 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      March 12, 2016 at 7:09 pm

      Hi Patricia – nothing complicated about this soup. Simple ingredients, and simple flavors, but delicious just the same.
      Best wishes,
      Mairéad

      Reply
  2. Pat Fordyce says

    March 12, 2016 at 7:09 pm

    Love Potato soup and this recipe looks awesome! Thanks Mairead….,,

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      March 12, 2016 at 7:17 pm

      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

      Reply
  3. Alice Morrison says

    March 12, 2016 at 9:08 pm

    I love your recipes and cannot wait to try the. Thank you

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      March 13, 2016 at 11:37 am

      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

      Reply
  4. Miriam salvemini says

    March 12, 2016 at 11:16 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      March 13, 2016 at 11:36 am

      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

      Reply
  5. Karen says

    March 13, 2016 at 10:54 am

    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. :))

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      March 13, 2016 at 11:34 am

      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

      Reply
  6. Irishnannie says

    March 13, 2016 at 11:19 am

    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…

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      March 13, 2016 at 11:31 am

      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

      Reply
  7. Irishnannie says

    March 13, 2016 at 11:14 pm

    Thank you & God bless you.

    Reply
  8. SweetJ says

    March 14, 2016 at 12:27 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      March 14, 2016 at 3:37 pm

      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

      Reply
  9. Rahul @samosastreet.com says

    March 14, 2016 at 1:52 pm

    I love the simplicity of this soup. So simple yet so perfect.

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      March 14, 2016 at 3:33 pm

      Hi Rahul – Simplicity is the key to Irish cooking – good, tasty ingredients need little to bring out their authentic flavors.
      All the best,
      Mairéad

      Reply
  10. Penny Wolf says

    March 15, 2016 at 7:26 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      March 15, 2016 at 8:35 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Irish American Mom says

        March 15, 2016 at 9:33 am

        Hi Karen – We’ll start a rooster potato craze in America – a good Irish spud.
        All the best,
        Mairéad

        Reply
        • Karen says

          March 15, 2016 at 10:13 am

          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. 🙁

          Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      March 15, 2016 at 9:32 am

      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

      Reply
      • Penny Wolf says

        March 15, 2016 at 7:01 pm

        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! 🙂

        Reply
        • Irish American Mom says

          March 15, 2016 at 7:09 pm

          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 🙂 🙂 🙂

          Reply
          • Karen says

            March 15, 2016 at 7:29 pm

            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?

            Reply
            • Irish American Mom says

              March 16, 2016 at 8:56 am

              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

              Reply
          • Patricia says

            March 15, 2016 at 8:13 pm

            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.

            Reply
            • Karen says

              March 15, 2016 at 8:38 pm

              “Idahos” are Russets that are grown in Idaho. They’re floury/mealy. Yukon Golds are waxy.

              Reply
              • Irish American Mom says

                March 16, 2016 at 8:53 am

                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

                Reply
                • Karen says

                  March 16, 2016 at 9:15 am

                  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. 🙂

                  Reply
            • Irish American Mom says

              March 16, 2016 at 9:02 am

              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

              Reply
              • Patricia says

                March 16, 2016 at 9:10 am

                Potatoes 101, yes please! I hope you will do that Mairead!

                Reply
                • Karen says

                  March 16, 2016 at 9:18 am

                  +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?

                  Reply
                  • Irish American Mom says

                    March 16, 2016 at 11:01 am

                    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. 🙂 🙂 🙂

                    Reply
                    • Karen says

                      March 16, 2016 at 12:43 pm

                      :(=)

                      Looking forward, and I’m guessing I’m not the only one!

            • Janet FALLON says

              August 23, 2018 at 6:19 am

              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!

              Reply
              • Irish American Mom says

                August 23, 2018 at 11:34 pm

                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

                Reply
  11. Annice Abbott says

    October 17, 2016 at 9:31 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      October 21, 2016 at 3:40 pm

      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

      Reply
  12. Lorraine says

    November 12, 2017 at 6:06 pm

    this soup was awesome! I got lots of compliments and people kept asking for more! thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      November 22, 2017 at 6:00 pm

      Hi Lorraine – I’m delighted to hear you liked this recipe. Thanks for trying it out.
      All the best,
      Mairéad

      Reply
  13. Traci says

    March 17, 2018 at 2:11 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      March 18, 2018 at 3:01 pm

      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

      Reply
  14. Fiona Eichler says

    September 24, 2018 at 6:17 pm

    I like to cook traditional Irish potato soup after 16 minutes ready to serve for 9 minutes inch.

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      September 27, 2018 at 5:07 pm

      Hi Fiona – Glad to hear you too are a fan of Irish potato soup.
      All the best,
      Mairéad

      Reply
  15. Jeff says

    October 20, 2019 at 7:34 pm

    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,

    Reply
  16. irishnannie says

    March 23, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    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!

    Reply
  17. Irish American Mom says

    March 23, 2016 at 1:55 pm

    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

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 103. Happy St. Paddy’s Day! | The Adventures of Finney the Leprechaun says:
    March 16, 2016 at 10:21 pm

    […] Traditional Irish Potato Soup […]

    Reply
  2. Traditional Irish Soups for Autumn — Shanore Blog says:
    September 6, 2017 at 1:04 pm

    […] that hard to make either.  You can find a range of recipes online from simple to sophisticated.  Irish American Mom offers a fairly easy version of an Irish creamy potato soup with US measurements.  The recipe at […]

    Reply
  3. 9 St. Patrick's Day dinner ideas for kids that hate corned beef - Peanut Blossom says:
    March 5, 2018 at 6:37 pm

    […] a little starchy heaven, make a batch of this super simple Irish potato soup from Irish American Mom. The ingredients are very basic and easy, this isn’t your traditional American stuffed potato […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search My Site

A Warm Welcome From Irish American Mom

I believe it’s never too late to explore your Irish cultural heritage and celebrate your ancestors’ spiritual legacy. Read More About The Irish American Mom Community

Mom’s Recipes and Ramblings Are Featured On Irish Central

A green background around the letters I and C in the Irish Central Logo

Thanks For Visiting

Advertising
Comment Policy
Disclaimer
Disclosure
Privacy Policy
Contact
FAQ's
Sitemap

 

© Copyright 2011-2019, Irish American Mom.

All Rights Reserved.

Previously Featured On Irish American Mom

5 years of blogging graphic

Celebrating 5 Years Of Blogging For Irish American Mom

Portrait of Irish writer Paddy Finnegan

Finnegan’s Wake, With An Apostrophe – In Memory of Irish Poet Paddy Finnegan

Four canvas shoulder bags with an Ireland logo

Canvas Ireland Shoulder Bag Giveaway

A rock with a swarm of midges hovering over it

The Infamous Irish Midge – Something In The Air Every Irish Tourist Should Know About

The setting sun by Irish cliffs graphic for mistakes to avoid when planning a trip to Ireland

7 Avoidable Mistakes When Planning A Trip To Ireland

Many Thanks to the Irish Blog Awards – Irish American Mom Won the Silver Award in the 2018 Diaspora Category

Silver glittery b for the silver winner badge in the Blog Awards Ireland 2018

Recent Reader Comments

  • Irish American Mom on Irish – A Language Without Words For ‘Yes’ and ‘No’
  • Irish American Mom on How To Cook Rutabaga Or Turnip Irish Style
  • Irish American Mom on This Christmas May You Have Walls For The Wind
  • Irish American Mom on Irish Christmas Blessings
  • Irish American Mom on How Irish Mothers Warned Us To Be Good For Goodness Sake
  • Lynn on How Irish Mothers Warned Us To Be Good For Goodness Sake
  • Lynn on Irish Christmas Blessings

Copyright © 2019 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This site uses cookies: Find out more.