Creamy Potato and Chive Soup
A hearty one-pot potato soup simmered until tender, then partly blended for a creamy body. Milk and butter enrich it, and fresh chives go in at the end for a bright finish.
- Total
- 35 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 25
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Simmering · Dicing
- Savory
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2 cm cubes. Finely chop the chives and set them aside.
~8 min
Dicing Cut the potatoes into uniform 2 cm cubes so they cook at the same rate. Use a sharp knife and a steady hand for even pieces.
-
Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the potato cubes and 0.25 tsp salt, then stir for 2 minutes so they glisten and start to soften at the edges without browning.
~2 min
Salting early seasons the potatoes throughout and helps them soften without browning.
-
Pour in 400 ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are completely tender and a knife slides in with no resistance, about 18 minutes.
~18 min
Gentle simmering keeps the potatoes intact and prevents them from turning gluey.
Simmering Keep the liquid at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, so the potatoes cook evenly and don't break apart. Adjust the heat if bubbles become too vigorous.
-
While step 3 cooks
While the potatoes simmer, warm the milk in a small pan over low heat until steaming but not boiling, about 3 minutes. Keep it warm off the heat.
~3 min
Warming the milk prevents it from cooling the soup and helps it blend smoothly without curdling.
-
Mash about half the potatoes against the side of the pot with a masher, or blend 1 cup of the soup and return it, leaving the rest chunky. Stir in the warm milk and the remaining 0.25 tsp salt.
~4 min
Mashing only half the potatoes creates a creamy base while leaving satisfying chunks.
Warm the milk before adding it so the soup stays smooth and does not cool down at the end.
-
Ladle into a bowl and scatter the chopped chives over the top. Serve hot.
~2 min