One Bag of Potatoes, 20 Cozy Potato Soup Recipes Grandma Would Be Proud Of

A five pound bag of potatoes costs less than one takeout lunch, and it can turn into a pot of potato soup that feeds the whole family twice. No wonder Google searches for it just jumped to a three month high. Here are the bowls we keep coming back to, from Grandma’s plain milk and butter version to the crockpot shortcut everyone is making right now. Grab a spoon and tell us which one is going on your stove this week..

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Everything you love about a loaded baked potato, in a bowl you can eat with a spoon. Baking or microwaving the potatoes first gives the soup a fluffy, roasted flavor, and the toppings are the fun part: sharp cheddar, crispy bacon, green onions and a cold spoon of sour cream. Set out a toppings bar and let everyone build their own. Poll: A) extra bacon, B) extra cheese, C) both, obviously.

You will need: 4 large russet potatoes, baked and cooled; 6 slices bacon; 4 tablespoons butter; 1/3 cup flour; 4 cups milk; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar; 1/2 cup sour cream; 4 green onions, sliced; salt and pepper

How to make it: Cook the bacon until crisp, crumble it and set aside. Scoop the baked potatoes from their skins and roughly chop. Melt the butter in a pot, whisk in the flour for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the milk and broth. Simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, mash a little, then stir in 1 cup cheese and the sour cream. Season and top with the rest of the cheese, bacon and green onions.

Grandma’s Classic Creamy Potato Soup

This is the pot that started it all. No bacon, no fancy toppings, just potatoes, onion, butter and milk simmered until the spoon stands up. Grandma mashed a few of the potatoes right in the pot to thicken it, so there was never any lumpy flour. Serve it with saltines and you have the most comforting supper in America for a few dollars.

You will need: 2 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cubed; 1 onion, diced; 4 tablespoons butter; 3 cups chicken broth; 2 cups whole milk; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; chopped parsley

How to make it: Melt the butter in a pot and cook the onion 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and broth, bring to a boil, then simmer 15 minutes until tender. Mash about a third of the potatoes in the pot. Stir in the milk, salt and pepper and heat gently without boiling. Top with parsley.

Crockpot Potato Soup With Frozen Hash Browns

America is searching for this one right now, and it is easy to see why. A bag of frozen diced hash browns means no peeling and no chopping. Everything goes in the slow cooker in the morning, and a block of cream cheese melts in at the end. It is the potato soup busy moms swear by. Question: do you add corn to yours?

You will need: 1 bag (30 oz) frozen diced hash brown potatoes; 1 onion, diced; 4 cups chicken broth; 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 8 oz cream cheese, cubed; 1 cup shredded cheddar; 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

How to make it: Add the hash browns, onion, broth, cream of chicken soup and pepper to the slow cooker. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours. Stir in the cream cheese and cook 20 to 30 minutes, stirring until smooth. Serve topped with cheddar and bacon.

Sausage and Kale Soup With Potatoes

Inspired by the famous restaurant favorite, this soup is spicy Italian sausage, thin slices of potato and dark green kale in a creamy broth. It is cheaper to make at home, and the leftovers are even better the next day. Want it milder? Use sweet sausage. Poll: A) spicy sausage, B) mild sausage, C) no sausage, extra potatoes?

You will need: 1 lb Italian sausage; 1 onion, diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 6 cups chicken broth; 4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced; 3 cups chopped kale; 1 cup heavy cream; salt and red pepper flakes

How to make it: Brown the sausage in a large pot and drain off extra fat. Add the onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes. Pour in the broth, add the potatoes and simmer 15 minutes until tender. Stir in the kale and cook 3 minutes. Add the cream, season and heat through.

Silky Leek and Yukon Gold Soup

Potato leek soup is proof that simple food can feel elegant. The leeks melt into the butter until sweet and soft, and a quick blend turns everything velvety. It needs only a handful of ingredients, and it freezes well. Rinse the leeks carefully, because sand loves to hide between the layers. Serve it with a slice of hearty grain bread.

You will need: 3 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced and rinsed; 3 tablespoons butter; 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced; 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 cup heavy cream; salt and white pepper; chives

How to make it: Melt the butter and cook the leeks over medium low heat 10 minutes until soft. Add the potatoes, broth and bay leaf. Simmer 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and blend until smooth. Stir in the cream, season and top with chives.

Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup

Two comfort classics in one bowl. The potatoes make it thick and hearty, the broccoli adds color, and sharp cheddar melts in at the very end. Even kids who push broccoli around the plate tend to clean this bowl. Shred the cheese yourself so it melts smooth and creamy.

You will need: 2 tablespoons butter; 1 onion, diced; 3 tablespoons flour; 3 cups chicken broth; 1 1/2 cups milk; 3 cups diced potatoes; 3 cups small broccoli florets; 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar; salt and pepper

How to make it: Melt the butter and cook the onion 4 minutes. Stir in the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth and milk. Add the potatoes and simmer 12 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook 6 minutes more. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheddar a handful at a time. Season to taste.

Leftover Ham and Potato Soup

After a holiday ham, this is the soup that comes next. Diced ham gives every spoonful a smoky, salty bite, so you need very little seasoning. Toss the ham bone in while it simmers for even more flavor. It is the kind of thrifty potato soup that made Grandma proud: nothing wasted, everyone fed.

You will need: 2 cups diced cooked ham; 1 ham bone (optional); 1 onion, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 5 cups peeled, diced potatoes; 4 cups chicken broth; 3 tablespoons butter; 3 tablespoons flour; 2 cups milk; pepper

How to make it: Simmer the ham, ham bone, onion, celery, carrots, potatoes and broth for 20 minutes. In a small pan, melt the butter, stir in the flour, then whisk in the milk until thick. Stir this into the soup. Remove the bone, add pepper and simmer 5 minutes more.

Potato Corn Chowder

Sweet corn and potatoes were made for each other. This chowder starts with a little bacon, then potatoes, corn and milk simmer into a thick, sunny bowl. Frozen corn works perfectly, so you can make it all winter. If you love this kind of supper, our comfort soups that taste like a warm hug belong on your list too.

You will need: 4 slices bacon, chopped; 1 onion, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 3 cups diced potatoes; 3 cups chicken broth; 3 cups corn kernels; 1 1/2 cups milk; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/2 teaspoon thyme; salt and pepper

How to make it: Cook the bacon until crisp, remove and keep 2 tablespoons fat. Cook the onion and celery in the fat 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, broth and thyme and simmer 12 minutes. Add the corn, milk and cream and simmer 5 minutes. Mash a little for thickness and top with bacon.

Pressure Cooker Potato Soup in 30 Minutes

Forgot to start the crockpot? The pressure cooker has your back. The potatoes cook in just 8 minutes, then a quick mash and a splash of half and half make it creamy. Top it with crunchy croutons or crushed crackers for texture. It is the fastest homemade potato soup on this list.

You will need: 2 tablespoons butter; 1 onion, diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 3 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cubed; 4 cups chicken broth; 1 cup half and half; 1 cup shredded cheddar; salt and pepper; croutons

How to make it: Use the saute setting to melt the butter and cook the onion and garlic 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and broth. Pressure cook on high 8 minutes, then quick release. Mash to your liking. Stir in the half and half and cheese, season and top with croutons.

Creamy Chicken and Potato Soup

When someone in the family feels under the weather, this is the pot that shows up at the door. It is part chicken soup, part potato soup, with carrots and celery for color. A rotisserie chicken makes it quick. Question: is your family’s sick day soup chicken noodle or this one?

You will need: 2 tablespoons butter; 1 onion, diced; 2 carrots, sliced; 2 celery stalks, sliced; 3 tablespoons flour; 5 cups chicken broth; 4 cups diced potatoes; 3 cups shredded cooked chicken; 1 cup milk; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; salt and pepper

How to make it: Melt the butter and cook the onion, carrots and celery 6 minutes. Stir in the flour for 1 minute. Add the broth slowly, then the potatoes and thyme. Simmer 15 minutes. Add the chicken and milk and heat through. Season to taste.

Hungarian Goulash Soup With Potatoes

Potato soup travels well. In Hungary, beef, onions, paprika and potatoes simmer into gulyas, a brick red soup that warms you from the inside out. Sweet paprika is the star, so use a fresh jar. Serve it with crusty bread for a hearty, budget friendly dinner.

You will need: 1 1/2 lb beef chuck, cut into small cubes; 2 tablespoons oil; 2 onions, diced; 2 tablespoons sweet paprika; 1 teaspoon caraway seeds; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 6 cups beef broth; 4 potatoes, cubed; 1 bell pepper, diced; salt

How to make it: Brown the beef in the oil, then add the onions and cook 8 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the paprika, caraway, garlic and tomato paste. Add the broth and simmer covered 1 hour. Add the potatoes and pepper and simmer 25 minutes more until tender. Salt to taste.

Old Fashioned Potato Rivel Soup

Pennsylvania Dutch grandmothers made rivels by rubbing egg and flour together into tiny dumplings, then dropping them into a pot of potato and milk broth. It costs almost nothing and tastes like a hug. Many families made it on Fridays or at the end of the month when money ran short. Did your grandma make rivels?

You will need: 4 cups diced potatoes; 1 onion, diced; 4 cups chicken broth; 2 cups milk; 2 tablespoons butter; salt and pepper. Rivels: 1 cup flour; 1 egg; 1/4 teaspoon salt

How to make it: Simmer the potatoes and onion in the broth 15 minutes. For the rivels, rub the flour, egg and salt together with your fingers into small crumbly bits. Drop them into the simmering soup, stirring, and cook 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the milk and butter, season and heat through.

Pumpkin Potato Soup for Fall

It is pumpkin season, so here is a potato soup with a fall twist. Pumpkin puree and potatoes blend into a smooth, golden soup with a hint of nutmeg. A swirl of cream and a few toasted pumpkin seeds on top make it look like a restaurant bowl. It is lovely for a Halloween night supper before trick or treating.

You will need: 2 tablespoons butter; 1 onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves; 2 cups peeled, diced potatoes; 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree; 4 cups vegetable broth; 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg; 1/2 cup cream; salt and pepper; toasted pumpkin seeds

How to make it: Melt the butter and cook the onion and garlic 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and broth and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin and nutmeg and simmer 5 minutes. Blend until smooth. Stir in the cream, season and top with pumpkin seeds.

Potato Soup in Bread Bowls

Want to make an ordinary Tuesday feel special? Serve your potato soup in a bread bowl. Small round loaves get hollowed out and toasted so they do not go soggy, and the torn pieces become dippers. It is a fun way to feed a crowd on game day. Poll: A) eat the bowl, B) leave the bowl?

You will need: 4 small round bread loaves (sourdough or crusty white); 2 tablespoons melted butter; 6 cups of your favorite thick potato soup; 1 cup shredded cheddar; sliced green onions

How to make it: Heat the oven to 375 F. Cut a lid from each loaf and scoop out the inside, leaving a 1/2 inch wall. Brush the inside with butter and toast 8 to 10 minutes. Fill with hot potato soup, top with cheddar and green onions and serve right away with the bread lids for dipping.

Creamy Mushroom Potato Soup

Earthy mushrooms and soft potatoes make a cozy, meatless soup that feels rich without much effort. Brown the mushrooms well first: that deep color is where all the flavor comes from. A little thyme and a splash of cream finish it. It is perfect for a meatless night that still feels like a real dinner.

You will need: 2 tablespoons butter; 1 lb mushrooms, sliced; 1 onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 3 cups diced potatoes; 4 cups vegetable broth; 3/4 cup heavy cream; salt and pepper

How to make it: Melt the butter over medium high heat and brown the mushrooms 8 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and thyme and cook 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and broth and simmer 15 minutes. Blend about half the soup, stir it back in, add the cream and season.

New England Clam Chowder

Clam chowder is really a potato soup at heart, with salt pork or bacon, onions, clams and plenty of potatoes in a creamy broth. Canned clams make it easy and affordable anywhere in the country. Serve it with oyster crackers. Be honest: New England white or Manhattan red?

You will need: 4 slices bacon, chopped; 1 onion, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 3 tablespoons flour; 2 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams with juice; 1 bottle (8 oz) clam juice; 3 cups diced potatoes; 1 1/2 cups half and half; 1 bay leaf; salt and pepper

How to make it: Cook the bacon until crisp. Add the onion and celery and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the clam juice from the cans and the bottle, plus the potatoes and bay leaf. Simmer 15 minutes. Add the clams and half and half and heat gently. Remove the bay leaf and season.

Seafood Potato Chowder

For a special night, add shrimp and mussels to a classic potato chowder. The seafood cooks in just a few minutes at the end, so it stays tender. It looks impressive, but it is really just a simple potato soup dressed up for company. Serve it with crusty bread for dipping.

You will need: 2 tablespoons butter; 1 onion, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 3 cups diced potatoes; 3 cups seafood or chicken broth; 1 1/2 cups half and half; 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled; 1 lb mussels, cleaned; 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning; parsley

How to make it: Melt the butter and cook the onion and celery 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and broth and simmer 12 minutes. Stir in the half and half and seasoning. Add the mussels and cook covered 4 minutes, then add the shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes until pink. Discard any mussels that do not open.

German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe)

In Germany, Kartoffelsuppe is the soup every grandmother makes. Potatoes, carrots, celery root or celery and leeks simmer in broth with marjoram, then some of it gets mashed so it is creamy without much cream. Sliced sausages often go in at the end. Hearty, cheap and very comforting on a gray day.

You will need: 2 tablespoons butter; 1 onion, diced; 1 leek, sliced; 2 carrots, diced; 1 cup diced celery root or celery; 2 lb potatoes, diced; 5 cups broth; 1 teaspoon dried marjoram; 1/2 cup sour cream; 4 sliced cooked sausages (optional); salt and pepper; chives

How to make it: Melt the butter and cook the onion and leek 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, broth and marjoram. Simmer 20 minutes. Mash or blend about half. Stir in the sour cream and sausages and heat through. Season and top with chives.

Green Chile Pork and Potato Stew

In New Mexico, potatoes and roasted green chiles go into a brothy stew with tender pork. It has a gentle heat and a smoky flavor that is hard to stop eating. Canned or frozen roasted chiles work if you cannot find fresh ones. Add a little corn on the cob for a fun twist. Mild or hot: what is your pick?

You will need: 1 1/2 lb pork shoulder, cubed; 1 tablespoon oil; 1 onion, diced; 3 garlic cloves; 1 1/2 cups chopped roasted green chiles; 1 teaspoon cumin; 5 cups chicken broth; 4 potatoes, cubed; 2 ears corn, cut into pieces (optional); salt; cilantro

How to make it: Brown the pork in the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook 4 minutes. Add the chiles, cumin and broth. Simmer covered 1 hour. Add the potatoes and corn and cook 25 minutes until tender. Season with salt and top with cilantro.

Beef and Noodle Soup With Potatoes

This is the brothy, everyday kind of potato soup that never makes the magazines but feeds families all over the world. Beef broth, carrots, potatoes and thin noodles in one pot. It is light, cheap and perfect when you want something warm that is not heavy. Finish it with plenty of chives.

You will need: 8 cups beef broth; 1 cup shredded cooked beef (optional); 2 carrots, sliced; 2 potatoes, diced; 1 celery stalk, sliced; 2 cups thin egg noodles; salt and pepper; chopped chives

How to make it: Bring the broth to a boil. Add the carrots, potatoes and celery and simmer 12 minutes. Add the noodles and cook according to the package, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beef and heat through. Season and top with chives.