This easy 4-Ingredient Potato Soup is one of those simple, cozy soup recipes you'll want to file away for quick recall when comfort food cravings hit. Plus, it's a great budget soup that's made with inexpensive ingredients.
Situation: You want a cozy bowl of soup but your eyes glaze over after reading the 5th entry on any given recipe ingredient list. You want fast, easy, delicious soup. Maybe one that's also cheat to make. Clearly, you're looking for this 4-Ingredient Potato Soup recipe. It delivers on all of the above, because the ingredients are easy to source, and each ingredient was selected to maximize flavor.
When you're working with only 4 ingredients, they need to count. I've seen many 4-Ingredient Potato Soup recipes that use water - why!? Water is a fantastic beverage but brings nothing to the flavor party. The best liquid for the job is anything other than water; I recommend using a flavorful broth.
And cream cheese instead of milk or cream; cream cheese brings this unique cheesy tang that also helps thicken the soup and make it creamier.
Love homemade potato soups? Try this Roasted Sweet Potato Soup or my Zesty Baked Potato Soup next! If you prefer something lower carb but still creamy and delicious, this Cauliflower Soup is a winner!
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Why You Will Love This Easy 4-Ingredient Soup Recipe
- Well Chosen Ingredients. With just four ingredients you want to look for ways to add umami and complexity. You also want an ingredient that adds body to create a well-crafted soup. This soup does this 100%!
- Quick and Easy. With few ingredients and minimal prep, this satisfying soup comes together easily!
- Budget-Friendly. Potatoes tend to be cheap and since you only need three other basic ingredients, this soup is an inexpensive option if you're looking to stretch your grocery money. Plus the leftovers freeze great so you don't need to worry about wasting a drop!
Ingredients
- Potatoes - I like to use Russet potatoes, but you can also use Yukon Gold. Russet potatoes have a drier, less waxy consistency than other varieties, perfect for soaking up flavor and dissolving into soup. If you love potato soups, you also have to try this cheddar-spiked cheesy Baked Potato Soup.
- Chicken or beef broth - Either store-purchased or homemade broth work; please note that I'm calling for the use of broth, which is seasoned, whereas stock is not (see below for the differences between broth and stock). I prefer to use homemade chicken or beef bone broth if I have time to make it.
- Cream cheese - That's right, this 4-ingredient soup is made without milk. Instead, I like to reach for cream cheese because it adds body and has a mellow sweetness and tang that makes it perfect for this creamy potato soup. I recommend using full-fat cream cheese, but you can use lower-fat versions to lighten things up. If you'd prefer not to use creamy cheese, you can use heavy cream instead. Just add it at the end of cooking time; I'd start with adding ½ cup of heavy cream, then keep slowly adding until you are satisfied with the flavor and consistency.
- Worcestershire sauce - Worcestershire sauce has so much complexity going on that it's a perfect way to inject flavor without upping the ingredient list. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce contains Distilled White Vinegar, Molasses, Sugar, Water Salt, Onions, Anchovies, Garlic, Cloves, Tamarind Extract, Natural Flavorings, Chili Pepper Extract. Umami central in a bottle, all those awesome flavors in one convenient ingredient.
Substitutions
With only four ingredients, there aren't a whole lot of substitutions I'd recommend making to this soup, but you can certainly switch up the umami component.
Instead of Worcestershire, the closest substitutes in flavor are :
- Balsamic vinegar
- Soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Fish sauce
*Use amounts equivalent to the Worcestershire sauce called for in this recipe.
If you're looking for a different sort of umami, try:
- Trader Joe's Umami seasoning
- Miso Paste
- Rinds from aged cheeses, like parmesan
Check out Serious Eats' 15 Umami-Packed Ingredients to Upgrade Your Pantry for more umami inspiration.
Of course, you can always season with salt and pepper :). But opt for white pepper to avoid black pepper flecks in the soup.
Variations
This recipe can be made to accommodate those with dietary restrictions or preferences. You can make this easy potato soup recipe vegetarian-friendly or vegan-friendly with a few simple substitutions.
- Vegetarian: Replace the chicken or beef broth with vegetable broth. You'll also want to use a Worcestershire sauce that doesn't contain anchovies (the brand I use, Lea & Perrins, contains anchovies). Here is a list of anchovy-free Worcestershire sauces.
- Vegan: Building off of the aforementioned variations for vegetarians, to make a vegan 4-Ingredient Potato Soup you'll also want to swap the cream cheese out for a plant-based one. Note: I have not tested this recipe with plant-based cream cheese.
How to Make Easy Potato Soup
Grab your largest soup pot or Dutch oven, all your ingredients, and allow the cream cheese come to room temperature.
- Add the chicken or beef broth to a large pot. Peel and cube potatoes, then add them to the pot.
- Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Take two ladles of broth from the pot and add to a heat-safe bowl or smaller pot. Let cool a minute, then add the room temperature cream cheese. Whisk to melt into broth.
- Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. I don't mind the small chunks of potato that result from only using a potato masher, but if you want a smoother soup, hit it with an immersion blender or blend in batches. Just be careful you don't overdo it or you'll wind up with paste-like soup.
Note: While this was technically designed to be a 4-ingredient soup, you can always season with salt and pepper :). That doesn't count, right? Season liberally to suit your tastes! Opt for white pepper to avoid black pepper flecks in the soup. Also, if you think the soup tastes a little flat, try hitting it with a little vinegar or fresh lemon juice to give it a hit of acidity.
- Add the melted cream cheese mixture and Worcestershire sauce to the pot. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes. I like to keep whisking and mashing as it finishes cooking. Taste, and add more Worcestershire sauce or broth, to taste.
Soup-er Toppers and Garnishes
Let whatever you're craving taste and texture-wise be your guide! My favorite garnishes are bacon and shredded cheese, but you might also try:
- Crushed crackers or chips
- Tortilla strips
- Oyster crackers
- Popcorn
- Fresh herbs like basil, oregano, or parsley
- Shredded cheeses like pepper jack, gouda, cheddar, etc.
- Bacon bits
- Red pepper flakes
- Fresh or pickled jalapeno slices
Top Tips
- For best results, choose a Russet or Yukon Gold potato to use in this recipe because they break down as they cook, contributing a creamy texture to the resulting soup. Waxy potatoes like reds tend to hold their shape in soups and won't get you that creamy texture.
- Cream the soup as little as possible if you want it super smooth or it will go gluey on you. No one wants to be reminded of eating paste in Kindergarten.
- Store soup leftovers in a lidded container in the fridge for up to five days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Maximize the flavor with an additional ingredient. This soup is designed to be a budget soup, but that doesn't mean you can't include an additional ingredient or two! For instance, including a pan-fried onion can add complexity and umami, but taking it a step further and caramelizing the onion adds a roasty sweetness. It's a thoughtful way to include another ingredient and use different cooking techniques to coax out unique flavors in the resulting soup. Consider also: garlic, leeks, shallots.
- Consider tossing in fresh herbs at the very end of cooking time (last 10 minutes) to bring some flavor aromatics. Try fresh basil, oregano, rosemary, or thyme. I recommend keeping as whole as possible to you can fish them out prior to serving.
- You can prepare this soup in a slow cooker as well. Simply add all of the ingredients at one time and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 8 hours. I recommend blending the soup an hour before cooking time is up because if it's on the thin side, you'll want to finish cooking the last hour with the lid cracked open or completely removed to help the liquid reduce down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can easily reheat this soup recipe. Reheat in your microwave in a microwave-safe bowl, covered, using whatever fancy reheat buttons microwaves come with these days, until heated through. I don't use my microwave often so sorry I'm not much help here.
OR. Reheat soup in a pan on the stovetop over medium-low heat, covered, until heated through. Stir occasionally as it heats.
This creamy 4-Ingredient Potato Soup pairs well with a lovely side salad, like Cruciferous Crunch Salad or this Tuna Tortellini Salad or this Corn and Quinoa Salad. Or try it with a side of Baked Goat Cheese and Tomato Dip and toast for dipping.
I think Russet potatoes are one of the best options when you're aiming for a creamy potato soup. Russet potatoes are high in starch and low in moisture so those thirsty potatoes greedily soak up the liquids in soups. As a result, they crumble and lose their shape, making them ideal for creamy potato soup preparations.
Broth is created by simmering meat, vegetables, and/or aromatics. The result is a thin, flavorful liquid that doesn't gel when chilled, as a stock can. But it's seasoned (unlike stock), which makes it a good choice for 4-Ingredient Potato Soup.
Stock, on the other hand, is primarily made with animal bones and may contain vegetables and/or aromatics. When cooked long enough, it gels when cooled due to the breakdown of collagen from the bones. Stock is not seasoned, so it's not as flavorful as broth.
If you want to learn more about the differences between the two, check out The Kitchn's What's the Difference Between Stock and Broth?
More Soup Recipes to Try
If you tried this easy budget potato soup recipe (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!
Easy 4-Ingredient Potato Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Russet potatoes (or approximately 6 medium-sized ones)
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
- 6-8 cups chicken or beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Let the cream cheese come to room temperature.
- Add chicken or beef broth to a large pot. Peel and cube potatoes, then add to the pot.6-8 cups chicken or beef broth, 3 pounds Russet potatoes
- Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, take two ladles of broth from the pot and add to a heat-safe bowl or smaller pot. Let cool a minute, then add the room temperature cream cheese. Whisk to melt into broth.1 8-ounce package cream cheese
- After 15 minutes the potatoes should be mashable. Mash with a potato masher.
- Add melted cream cheese mixture and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Continue cooking for another 10 minutes. I like to keep whisking and mashing as it finishes cooking.
- Taste, and add more Worcestershire sauce or broth, to taste.
- I don't mind the small chunks of potato that result from only using a potato masher, but if you want a smoother soup, hit it with an immersion blender or blend in batches. Just be careful you don't overdo it or you'll wind up with pastelike soup.
Janice Scaife says
It was real good. I cooked my potatoes down too much for my liking and I could have put more in it. Like that it has only 4 .ingredients.