Traditional Irish Potato Soup Recipe ( Easy & Creamy)

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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.

Made from pantry staples and loved by both big and little kids, this easy potato soup is certain to become a family favorite.

A large bowl of Irish Potato Soup topped with shredded cheese, bacon, and chives.

With simple ingredients you likely already have on hand and easy-to-follow instructions, this old-fashioned Irish potato soup recipe will have you enjoying a steaming bowl of soup in no time.

I’ve been making this easy soup recipe for as long as I can remember, and it has always been one of my “go-to” meals. Like my White Bean Soup and Greek Lemon Soup with Chicken and Orzo, it’s a comforting and satisfying dish that has been a favorite in my family for generations.

This creamy potato soup is an excellent choice for any day of the week, so don’t wait to try it out! Make it today and enjoy the taste of this classic recipe!

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Ingredient notes and substitutions:
Here’s how to make Irish Potato Soup:
What is potato soup:
Best potatoes for this soup:
Recipe variations:
Serving suggestions:
Make it ahead:
How to store and reheat leftovers:
Recipe FAQs:
Expert tips and tricks:
More Irish-inspired recipes:
📋 Recipe:

Ingredient notes and substitutions:

Ingredients for potato soup include potatoes, onion, celery, and chicken stock.

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.)

Here’s how to make Irish Potato Soup:

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the celery and onions and sauté for about five to six minutes or until they are tender.

A soup pot with chopped celery and onions cooking in it.

Add the potatoes, garlic powder, kosher salt and pepper, and chicken stock.

Chopped raw potatoes in a large soup pot.

Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are done. They should break apart easily when you pierce them with a fork, and you should be able to mash them easily against the side of the pan.

Chopped potatoes cooking in chicken stock in a large soup pot.

Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the potato mixture until it is smooth and creamy.

Using an immersion blender to puree cooked potatoes to make potato soup.

Add two cups of whole milk when the mixture is smooth and creamy. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.

A soup ladle full of potato soup over a large pot of soup.

Optional: top it with shredded cheese, bacon bits, and chopped chives. Serve this creamy potato soup immediately while it is still hot.

A bowl of Irish potato soup topped with cheese, bacon, and chives next to the soup pot.

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:

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.
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:

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.
Different types of cheese can be added to make potato cheese soup.
Irish potato leek soup can be made by substituting leeks for the onions in the recipe.
Chunky potato soup keeps the potatoes and vegetables chunky to add a heartier texture.
A vegetarian soup can be made by substituting vegetable broth or stock for chicken stock.
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.
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 would 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:

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to four days.

To reheat leftovers, place them in a saucepan on the stove and heat over medium heat. You can reheat individual servings by placing them in a microwave-safe bowl and microwaving for one to two minutes. If you microwave them, put a saucer or wax paper over the container before reheating.

Recipe FAQs:

Can I increase the yield for this recipe?

Absolutely; use the handy slider scale in the recipe card to modify the amounts of ingredients and change the number of servings.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

This recipe, as written, is naturally gluten-free.

What’s the difference between chowder and soup?

Usually, the base ingredients are the same, but chowders include corn and a pork product such as ham or bacon. Also, chowders are generally chunky and not pureed.

Why is my soup gummy?

When cooked potatoes are processed too long, they become gummy. Only process the potatoes with your immersion blender until they are smooth.

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.