Few things scream “comfort food” quite like potato soup. Hearty, cheap, and endlessly customizable, the classic cold weather dish has been an essential as long as we can remember.
On busy winter nights, we crave the simplest of dinners—and this 5-ingredient potato soup fits the bill. With just a few budget-friendly staples (including a genius secret ingredient), you can have a warm and cozy dinner on the table in less than half an hour.
The Secret Ingredient
The genius secret ingredient? Prepared mashed potatoes. You can use leftover homemade mashed potatoes or something store-bought from the refrigerator aisle—it’ll turn out great either way.
Our very own Nicole McLaughlin put the simple recipe to the test and gave it a 5-star rating. “It’s perfection and no one has to know our secret,” says Nicole.
She opted for two packages of Bob Evans Original Mashed Potatoes, noting they already contain milk and butter.
“As these cook and get heated, they’ll just melt into that broth and it’s going to be so creamy and velvety smooth,” she says.
Test Kitchen Tweaks
Nicole zhuzhed up her batch by making it a loaded potato soup, garnishing each bowl with all the usual suspects: Cheddar cheese, green onions, bacon, and sour cream. She also opted for heavy cream instead of milk to make it extra decadent and creamy.
Of course, you should always spice up your soups to taste—salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper are all great options.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
- “We make this recipe on a regular basis. It’s easy to make and is delicious.” —FunWok9409
- “Simple and delicious. I love recipes I can memorize:)” —JackieSpry
- “This soup is EXCELLENT. I added a few of my own spices (onion powder, parsley, etc.), but beyond that, I followed the recipe pretty much as is and LOVED it. Definitely a keeper.” —butterfly
Get the recipe: 5-Ingredient Potato Soup
