Creamy Potato Soup
Silky, old-school potato soup built on a roux and warm milk — simple pantry staples that produce something far greater than their sum.
Ingredients
- 3 mediumrusset potatoes(peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 4 cupswhole milk
- 2 sliceyellow onion(about ¼ inch thick)
- 3 tbspunsalted butter(divided)
- 2 tbspall-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tspkosher salt(plus more for boiling)
- ¼ tspcelery salt
- ⅛ tspblack pepper(freshly ground)
- 1 pinchcayenne pepper
- 1 tbspfresh flat-leaf parsley(finely chopped)
Method
- 01
Boil the 3 medium russet potatoes in a large pot of well-salted water over high heat until completely tender, 15–18 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
- 02
Pass the drained potatoes through a ricer or fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Discard any lumps — a smooth base is the goal here.
- 03
Combine the 4 cups whole milk and 2 slices yellow onion in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Warm until steaming and just beginning to simmer around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the onion slices.
- 04
Whisk the hot milk gradually into the riced potatoes, adding it in a slow, steady stream to keep the mixture smooth. Transfer everything back to the large pot over medium-low heat.
- 05
In a small skillet, melt 1 ½ tbsp of the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the 2 tbsp all-purpose flour and stir constantly for 1 minute until the roux smells faintly nutty but has not browned.
- 06
Whisk the roux into the simmering potato-milk mixture. Add the 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp celery salt, ⅛ tsp black pepper, and 1 pinch cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
- 07
Cook the soup over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes until slightly thickened and no raw-flour taste remains.
- 08
Pour the soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing gently with a ladle to push it through. This step removes any remaining texture and gives the soup its signature silkiness.
- 09
Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 ½ tbsp unsalted butter until fully melted and glossy.
- 10
Ladle into warm bowls and finish each with a pinch of the 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley.
Adapted from public domain & community sources