Some recipes stick around because they are complicated or impressive. Others stay because they remind you of home, family, and simpler times. For me, that recipe has always been Meemaw’s Potato Soup.
The funny thing is, it was never actually my grandmother’s recipe. It originally came from one of her close friends, but somewhere along the way it simply became “Meemaw’s Potato Soup” in our family. And honestly, that name fits it better anyway.
Growing up, this was the meal I always hoped she would make whenever we went to visit. It was simple, warm, and always hit the spot in the best way possible. Nothing fancy. Just a big pot of creamy potato soup with cornbread on the side and everyone gathered around the table.
Now, years later, I find myself making the same soup for my own kids. That’s probably what makes family recipes important in the first place. They stick around longer than we do.
Meemaw’s Potato Soup Recipe
This recipe is still about as straightforward as it gets (which is probably part of why it has lasted so long in our family!). No complicated ingredients. No special equipment besides a blender. Just simple potato soup done right.
Ingredient List
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
- 3 carrots, washed and sliced thin (leave the skin on)
- 3 ribs of celery, sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 3 chicken bouillon cubes
- 3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 1 cup milk
- 1 stick real butter
- 1 thick slice of Kraft American cheese or Velveeta (about 3 inches wide)
Instructions for Soup
- Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, bouillon cubes, and parsley flakes to a large pot.
- Add just enough water to barely cover the vegetables. This part matters more than you think. Too much water will thin the soup out too much.
- Cover and simmer until the vegetables are soft and fully cooked.
- Drain off about one cup of broth and set it aside in case you need it later.
- Blend the vegetables in batches until smooth. On the final batch, add the butter and cheese so it melts directly into the soup while blending.
- Return everything to the pot and stir together over low heat.
- Add the milk slowly until the soup reaches the consistency you like. If the soup becomes too thick, add a little of the reserved broth back in.
A Few Family Adjustments Over the Years
Like most family recipes, this one has changed slightly over time depending on who is cooking it.
In our home:
- We usually double the cheese
- We use regular American cheese instead of lite
- We almost always add some of the broth back in at the end
One thing we never really do is use flour to thicken it. The blended vegetables usually handle that naturally.
And of course, just like the original recipe says, you have to add plenty of T.L.C.
The Best Way to Serve Meemaw’s Potato Soup
This soup was always served with cornbread and a salad growing up, and honestly, that still feels like the right move. It is the kind of meal that works best on slower evenings, cold days, or anytime everyone ends up sitting around the table a little longer than usual.
Sometimes those are the meals people remember the most.
Why Recipes Like This Continue to Matter
Family recipes are rarely about perfection. They are about repetition. The same smells, the same flavors, and the same routines repeated enough times that they become part of your memory. That is why recipes like this survive across generations. They become tied to people more than ingredients. Now, every time I make this soup, it feels a little like bringing a small part of those memories back into the room again. And hopefully one day, my kids will feel the same way about it too.
