Let's cut to the chase. You're standing in the produce aisle, staring at a pile of potatoes, and you want to make killer potato soup. You google "best potatoes for potato soup" only to find vague answers or conflicting advice. Russets one place, Yukon Golds another. What gives? Which potato actually gives you that creamy, dreamy texture without turning into glue or falling apart entirely? I've been there, made the gluey soup, the chunky mess, and finally, after years of testing (and frankly, a few disappointing dinners), I've cracked the code.

Choosing the absolute best potatoes for potato soup isn't just about grabbing any spud. It's down to starch. That dusty feeling when you cut a potato? That's the magic (or the potential disaster) for your soup. High starch equals creamy bliss when handled right, but potential glue otherwise. Low starch holds its shape, but might leave your soup thin and sad. Medium starch… well, sometimes it's the Goldilocks zone. Forget fancy names for a sec. What you really need to understand is what happens inside the pot.

Cracking the Potato Code: Starch is King

Seriously, starch content is the single biggest factor deciding your potato soup's fate. High-starch potatoes are like little sponges. They soak up liquid readily and then break down beautifully when cooked, releasing starch that thickens the soup naturally. Sounds perfect, right? Mostly. But get this wrong, and you have wallpaper paste. Low-starch potatoes are the opposite. They stay firm, even after long cooking. Great for potato salad, disastrous if you want velvety soup. Medium-starch potatoes sit in the middle – they break down somewhat but keep some texture. Knowing this changes everything.

The Starch Spectrum: Your Potato Lineup

I made a soup once using only beautiful little red potatoes. Looked stunning going in, stayed perfectly cubed. The broth? Thin and watery, completely lacking that comforting body. Lesson painfully learned. Starch matters.

Why Russets Reign Supreme for Ultimate Creaminess

If you want that classic, velvety smooth potato soup that feels like a hug in a bowl, Russets are almost always the best potatoes for potato soup you can choose. Here's why:

• Starch Powerhouse: Their high starch content is unmatched. As they simmer, the starch granules swell, burst, and dissolve into the broth. This is natural thickening magic you can't replicate easily with low-starch potatoes.
• Fluff Factor: Russets have a dry, mealy texture when cooked. This means they break apart easily with a fork or immersion blender, creating that signature smooth consistency without needing excessive cream or flour.
• Flavor Carrier: They have a mild, earthy flavor that readily absorbs the other delicious elements in your soup – broth, herbs, garlic, cheese. They aren't overpowering.

Yukon Golds: The Worthy Contender

Now, Yukon Golds often steal the spotlight in articles about the best potatoes for potato soup. And don't get me wrong, they are fantastic potatoes! But are they truly the *best* for that ultra-creamy texture? Let's be real:

• Texture: They offer a naturally buttery, creamy flesh. When cooked, they soften beautifully and mash well, contributing creaminess.
• Convenience: The thin, golden skin is edible and adds nice flavor and texture, especially in a chunkier soup. Less peeling work!
• Flavor: Their subtly buttery, slightly sweet flavor is lovely and stands out more than a Russet's.

So why might they not be the absolute best potatoes for potato soup if you're after silky smooth? Their medium starch content means they don't break down *quite* as completely or thicken the broth as powerfully as Russets. You might find yourself needing a splash more cream or a quick pass with the blender to achieve the same level of smoothness. They are excellent, often my second choice or a blend component, but Russets hold the crown for pure thickening power and ultimate creaminess.

Think of it like this: Russets are your workhorse thickener. Yukon Golds are the charming flavor enhancer. For the best potato soup, using both is actually a secret weapon many chefs love.

The Blending Trick: Best of Both Worlds

Want incredible flavor *and* foolproof creaminess? Combine potatoes! This is my personal go-to strategy for truly the best potato soup texture and taste:

1. Russets for Thickness: Use roughly 60-70% Russets. Dice them, simmer them in your broth until falling apart tender. They will dissolve and thicken the base.
2. Yukon Golds for Flavor & Texture: Use roughly 30-40% Yukon Golds. Dice them slightly larger. Add them later in the cooking process so they cook through but retain just a bit more defined texture and their buttery notes.
3. Blend Smartly: Use an immersion blender *briefly* right in the pot after the Russets are fully broken down. Aim to blend *most* of it smooth, leaving some small chunks of the Yukon Golds for pleasant bites. Avoid over-blending the Yukons into mush.

This blend gives you the luxurious body from the Russets and the delicious, distinctive flavor and slight texture from the Golds. It solves the "Russets can be bland" and "Yukons don't thicken enough" problems. Honestly, it feels like cheating.

Potatoes to Avoid for Creamy Potato Soup

Not all potatoes are created equal for this job. If creamy soup is your goal, steer clear:

• Red Potatoes & Fingerlings: Their low starch and waxy nature mean they stay stubbornly firm. They won't break down or contribute to thickening. Great for potato salad, terrible as the base for creamy potato soup. I learned this the hard way early on.
• New Potatoes: Very waxy, high moisture, low starch. They hold their shape fiercely and add little to the body or creaminess.
• Sweet Potatoes: While delicious in their own right, their texture and sweetness create a completely different dish. Not a substitute for classic potato soup texture.

Using these will almost guarantee a thin, brothy soup with distinct hard cubes floating around – unless that's what you're specifically aiming for in a chunky stew-like soup.

Beyond the Type: Picking Perfect Spuds

Okay, so Russets or a Russet/Yukon blend are likely your best potatoes for potato soup. But grabbing any old Russet isn't quite enough. Here's what to look for at the store:

• Firmness: Avoid any potatoes that feel soft, spongy, or have give when gently squeezed. Rock hard is good.
• Skin: Look for smooth, taut skin. Avoid excessive cuts, deep bruises, green patches (which indicate solanine – bitter and mildly toxic), or sprouting eyes (a sign of age).
• Weight: They should feel heavy for their size, indicating moisture content hasn't dried out.
• Size: Medium-sized potatoes are often ideal. Huge ones can sometimes have hollow hearts or inconsistent texture.

Prep Matters: Size, Peeling, and Cooking

How you handle your chosen best potatoes for potato soup impacts the final result:

• Dice Size: Cut potatoes into uniform cubes – about 1/2 to 3/4 inch is usually good. Uniform size means even cooking. Smaller dice cook faster and break down quicker (good for Russets), larger dice retain more shape (better for Yukons if blending minimally).
• To Peel or Not:
  • Russets: Almost always peel them for smooth soup. The skin is thick and tough.
  • Yukon Golds: Peeling is optional. The thin skin is edible and adds flavor/nutrients. If leaving on, scrub very well.
  • Red/Fingerlings: Rarely peeled, skin is thin and part of their appeal in chunky soups.
• Cooking Time & Method:
  • Start potatoes in cold or just simmering broth/water? Doesn't matter hugely for soup where they'll fully cook through.
  • Simmer gently! Don't boil vigorously; it can break down potatoes too harshly.
  • Test Doneness: Pierce a piece with a fork or skewer. It should slide in with *very slight* resistance for Russets destined for blending. For Yukons you want to retain some chunk, a little more resistance is fine. Overcooking Russets = glue risk.

Your Burning Potato Soup Questions Answered

Let's tackle those common questions people have right after searching for the best potatoes for potato soup:

Can I leave the skins on Yukon Golds?

Absolutely. That's one of their big perks. Just give them a really good scrub under running water with a brush to remove any dirt. The skin adds flavor, texture, and nutrients. For a super smooth soup, you might want to blend well or peel half if the skin bits bother you. Most folks don't mind them.

My soup turned out gluey/sticky! What went wrong?

Ah, the dreaded glue. This almost always points to one culprit: overworking high-starch potatoes.

• Over-Blending: Russets release tons of starch. If you blend them excessively (especially in a high-powered blender), you rupture more starch granules than necessary, creating a gluey texture. Use an immersion blender and pulse gently just until smooth.
• Overcooking: Cooking Russets way past tender makes them disintegrate too much, releasing excessive starch all at once. Take them off the heat as soon as they're fork-tender.
• Wrong Potato? Less likely if you used Russets/Yukons, but using a very high-starch potato like some baking varieties and then over-processing is the perfect glue storm.

Can I use frozen or pre-peeled potatoes?

Maybe, but with caveats.

• Frozen Diced Potatoes: Convenient, sure. But freezing changes potato cell structure. They often become mushy or waterlogged when thawed and cooked, lacking fresh potato flavor and texture. They *can* work in a pinch for a very blended soup, but fresh is vastly superior for the best potato soup.
• Pre-Peeled/Pre-Diced (Refrigerated): These oxidize quickly and lose flavor/texture. They often have preservatives and feel "off." I avoid them for anything where potato is the star. The texture is never quite right.

Fresh really is best here. Peeling isn't *that* bad, promise.

How long do peeled/diced potatoes last before cooking?

Not long! Peeled or cut potatoes turn brown quickly due to oxidation. Submerge them completely in cold water in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. They'll keep okay for maybe 12-24 hours. Change the water if it gets too cloudy. But honestly, for the best flavor and texture, prep them right before you cook. That dusty starch is precious for your soup!

Can I use chicken broth instead of water?

Absolutely! Using broth (chicken, vegetable, even turkey) is a massive flavor upgrade over plain water. It adds depth and savoriness that water just can't provide. Low-sodium broth is ideal so you can control the salt level yourself. Water makes a very bland base – broth is definitely recommended for truly delicious soup.

Storing and Reheating Your Masterpiece

You've made a fantastic pot of soup using the best potatoes for potato soup. Now, how to keep it tasty?

• Cooling: Let the soup cool down to room temperature before storing. Don't leave it out for more than 2 hours.
• Refrigeration: Store in airtight containers. It will keep well for 3-4 days. Potato soup thickens significantly as it cools – that's normal!
• Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Add splashes of broth, milk, or water as needed to thin it back to your desired consistency. Microwaving works in a pinch, but stir well every minute to prevent scorching and ensure even heating. Expect it to thicken more on subsequent reheatings.
• Freezing: Cream-based potato soups can sometimes separate or become grainy when frozen and thawed. Soups thickened mainly with potato (like a Russet-based one) often freeze better than those loaded with dairy cream. If freezing, cool completely, freeze in portions, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently. Texture might change slightly.

Putting it All Together: My Go-To Method

Here's how I actually make it, based on all this potato wisdom:

1. Base: Sauté onions and celery (maybe carrots) in butter/oil until soft. Add minced garlic for last 30 seconds.
2. Potatoes: Add diced Russets (peeled) and enough low-sodium chicken broth to cover by about an inch. Salt well. Bring to a simmer.
3. Cook Russets: Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, until Russets are *just* fork-tender and starting to break down at the edges.
4. Add Yukons: Stir in diced Yukon Golds (scrubbed, skin on). Simmer another 10-15 minutes until Yukons are tender but still holding some shape.
5. Blend: Use an immersion blender. Pulse it briefly, mostly aiming at the broken-down Russets. Blend until *almost* smooth, but leave plenty of identifiable Yukon Gold chunks. Don't overdo it!
6. Finish: Stir in a bit of warm milk, half-and-half, or cream (maybe 1/2 to 1 cup for a large pot) for extra richness if desired. Add cooked, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped chives or green onions. Taste for salt and pepper. Warm through gently – don't boil after adding dairy.

The Russets dissolve into creamy perfection, the Yukons offer buttery bites, the skins add flecks of color and texture. It’s consistently delicious and solves the texture puzzle. Finding the best potatoes for potato soup truly elevates it from good to unforgettable. Russets are the undisputed champs for creaminess, Yukon Golds bring lovely flavor and texture, blending them is genius, and avoiding waxy potatoes saves dinner. Go forth and make incredible soup!