German Potato Soup
German Potato Soup is thick, creamy, and oh-so good! This easy soup recipe is packed with tender potatoes, onions, celery, and savory.
Soup recipes are perfect for the colder months. You are in the right place if you want a delicious and hearty soup. This German Potato Soup is creamy and thick and makes a fantastic weeknight meal. The potatoes soak up all the onions, celery, and savory flavor, making this flavorful comfort meal a fantastic choice no matter the time of year.
Aside from its delicious flavor, the best part of this German Potato Soup is that it is easy to make. It uses only simple ingredients and takes only 35 minutes until it is ready to serve. With a little effort and time, you will enjoy a delicious bowl of soup that will bring the comfort you crave and become your favorite soup.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comforting and Hearty: German Potato Soup is a hearty and comforting dish. A bowl of hot soup is perfect for cold weather or when you’re in the mood for a satisfying and filling meal.
- Easy to Make: This German potato soup recipe is relatively easy to make. It uses simple ingredients and doesn’t require much effort, making it perfect for family dinners during the week.
- Customizable: The recipe can be easily customized to suit your needs. You can adjust the thickness, add extra herbs or spices, or incorporate additional ingredients like bacon or sausage for extra flavor.
- Great Texture: Combining the tender potatoes and creamy broth creates an amazing textural experience. It is a warm, comforting dish that is perfect for the cold weather.
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
- Potatoes
- Yellow onion
- Celery stalks
- Savory
- Water
- Heavy cream
- Buttermilk
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh parsley (optional for garnish)
How to Make German Potato Soup
Follow along to learn how to make German Potato Soup.
- Step One: Add potatoes, onions, celery, salt, pepper, savory, and 8 cups water to a large pot on high heat. Boil until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
- Step Two: Stir in heavy cream and buttermilk. Return the pot to the stove on medium-low heat.
- Step Three: Whisk together a cornstarch slurry with cornstarch and 3 tbsp water. Add to the soup and whisk to combine.
- Step Four: Heat, whisking often, until the soup reaches the desired thickness.
- Step Five: Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Serve hot.
What to Serve with It
You can serve several things alongside your creamy German potato soup to make it a complete meal.
- Garlic Bread
- Fresh bread
- Broccoli Salad
- Garden Salad
- Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Bread Rolls
Variations and Substitutions
- Vegan Version: While this is already vegetarian potato soup, you can also make it vegan. Substitute the heavy cream with a non-dairy alternative like cashew or coconut cream. You can also use plant-based alternatives like almond or soy milk instead of buttermilk.
- Add Protein: If you wish to add protein to this classic German potato soup, you can. Cooked bacon, frankfurter sausages, ham, or chicken all go well in this comforting soup.
- Cheese Lovers: Add some shredded cheese to increase the richness of the potato soup. Cheddar and gruyere will both add a delicious dimension of flavor.
- Herb Infusion: Experiment with the flavor profile of this soup by adding some different herbs. Thyme, rosemary, and dill combine well with the potatoes, onions, and celery.
- Spice it Up: Add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes if you like a little spice. The kick adds a fun bite to the creamy soup.
- Extra Vegetables: Consider adding lots of veggies to your soup. Carrot, leeks, and even spinach all go well with the flavor profile of this soup.
Storage Instructions
Transfer any leftover soup into a sealed food storage container. Keep the container in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3 days. Reheat the soup in the microwave or stovetop when ready to enjoy.
Can I Freeze?
Yes, it is technically possible to freeze cream-based soups. Nevertheless, it is better to avoid freezing them because the texture of the cream tends to alter after being frozen. If you decide to freeze it, be aware of this change in texture and consider adding extra cream to adjust the consistency and prevent it from becoming too thick.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Potato Selection: Choose starchy potatoes like Russet for a creamier texture. If you are looking for a firmer bite, Yukon Gold works well.
- Uniform Cuts: You want to ensure the potatoes are cut evenly. You want them to cook together and avoid some pieces being overdone or undercooked.
- Adjusting Thickness: You can change the consistency if the soup becomes too thick upon reheating. Add water, chicken broth, or cream until you achieve the desired thickness.
- Flavor Enhancement: Let the soup simmer after adding cream and buttermilk to allow the flavors to meld together. This will increase the soup’s flavor, making it richer and deeper.
What is It?
German Potato Soup, or “Kartoffelsuppe,” is a traditional and hearty German food. This soup, known for its rich flavor profile, centers around potatoes as the main ingredient, complemented by onions, celery, and savory herbs.
The distinctive creamy texture is achieved by incorporating heavy cream and buttermilk into the broth, resulting in a velvety consistency. Enjoyed in households and restaurants, it is one of the most popular soups in German cuisine.
What Kind of Potatoes to Use?
You can use either starchy or waxy potatoes for this German potato soup. Honestly, it just depends on the texture you are looking for. Starchy potatoes, like the Russet variety, break down more during cooking and provide a creamier texture to the soup. Waxy potatoes like Yukon Golds hold their shape better and offer a firmer bite. No matter what you choose, this creamy potato soup is delicious.
Soup Recipes
- Carrot and Potato Soup
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Shrimp Chowder
- Cheesy Chicken Chowder
- Corn Chowder
- New England Clam Chowder
- Hash Brown Potato Soup
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
You’ll also like Pork Schnitzel.
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German Potato Soup
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Ingredients
- 12 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 celery stalks sliced
- 2 tsp savory
- 8 cups water + 3 tbsp water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Add potatoes, onions, celery, salt, pepper, savory and 8 cups water to a large pot on high heat. Boil until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.
- Stir in heavy cream and buttermilk. Return pot to stove on medium low heat.
- Make a cornstarch slurry with cornstarch and 3 tbsp water by whisking together. Add to soup and whisk to combine. Heat, whisking often, until soup reaches desired thickness. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Serve hot.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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What is “savory”?
Also, I was a big fan of my gramma’s potato soup and she always added a bit of carrot and some cabbage to her potato soup. That makes it more like veggie soup, I suppose, but ALL of us kids loved it that way, and we made real buttermilk from the raw milk she got from her 2 “pet” Jersey cows and her 1 “guernsey” cow. Those were the days. My only living sibling and I both say we were born 100 years too late! We both feel like we belong to a different century when it comes to life in general, and especially food choices.
My grandma was a big fan of buttermilk! This post explains what savory is: https://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/what-is-savory-spice/
what is savory?
It’s sometimes called summer savory. My mom always uses it in her Thanksgiving stuffing recipe, but it can be used in soups as well. This is what it looks like: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Marshalls-Creek-Spices-SAVORY-4-ounce/125192179?from=/search If you can’t find it, use dried thyme instead.
Cooking this for the second time.
It’s only now I noticed that there are instructions and an ingredient list at the bottom of the post. Thought it was over after the “more potatoes soup recipes” and the Pinterest pin. lol.