Simple Scottish Tattie Soup Recipe - Scottish Scran (2024)

Scottish Potato Soup, otherwise known as Tattie Soup, is a heart-warmingly delicious but simple recipe that is perfect for a winter’s day lunch.

In fact, one of our Scottish suppliers we interviewed even used to have it before school to warm up!

There are so many different potato soup recipes around the world. Potato and leek is popular, as is creamy potato soup, but of course, we think Scottish Potato Soup is the best, and we’re excited to share our own Tattie Soup recipe!

Simple Scottish Tattie Soup Recipe - Scottish Scran (1)

Surprisingly, the humble potato was only introduced to Scotland in the early 1700s, with potato gardens springing up around Edinburgh in the 1720s and near Stirling in 1739.

It wasn’t until 1743 that it was first introduced to the Highlands and Islands, but by the 1800s, they were 80% of the diet of Highlanders.

And that’s why we have so many Scottish recipes with potatoes, like Stovies, Tattie Scones, Cullen Skink, and Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties of course!

Then there are the delicious sweet, chocolate-covered Scottish Macaroons – yes, they include potato, too!

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It’s not surprising that there are so many Tattie Soup recipes out there, passed down through generations and using whatever ingredients were to hand.

That also means there’s no “definitive” Scottish Potato Soup Recipe, but lots of variations.

We’ve compiled a simple recipe mostly made of potato but with a few extra pantry staples like carrots, onion, and leek too.

This is a really budget-friendly soup recipe, too!

Some recipes will also add a little swede/turnip/neep. (Confused? Read more about what a neep is here).

Our Tattie Soup recipe calls for store-bought stock, but you can easily substitute your own homemade stock, which we do if we have made one from bones from a chicken roast dinner or we’ve made a vegetable one.

It’s super simple to make and perfect or a large group, including for a Burns Supper.

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Things you’ll need to make Tattie Soup

  • Large Pot – We use this one
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Potato Masher

Ingredients for Tattie Soup Recipe

Serves 4-6

  • 1kg (2lb) potatoes
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 large leek
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 25g (2tbsp) butter/oil
  • 1.5 litres of vegetable or chicken stock
  • Salt and white pepper
  • 1 celery stick (optional)
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How to make Scottish Potato Soup – Step by step method

Peel and chop potatoes into large cubes.

Finely chop onion and celery if using.

Chop off the green top of the leek (this can be kept for making stock; pop it in a bag in the freezer!), then halve the leek and thinly slice.

Dice the carrots into about 1cm cubes.

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Simple Scottish Tattie Soup Recipe - Scottish Scran (7)

Add the butter/oil to a large pot and allow to melt.

Add in the onion, leek, and celery if using and cook for 5 minutes, allowing them to “sweat” but not brown.

Put the carrots and potato in the pot and cover with the stock.

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Simple Scottish Tattie Soup Recipe - Scottish Scran (9)

At this point you can add some salt and white pepper if you like, and season a bit more to taste later.

Bring to the boil, skimming off any sort of foam/scum with a wooden spoon to get rid of as it does so. This is just the protein releasing from the vegetables, but it’s nicer if you remove it rather than stir it in later.

Turn down to a simmer for 1 hour.

Use a masher or wooden spoon to break up some of the potatoes, but leave some large chunks. We like our soup a bit chunkier, so just break up a small amount of it.

Season more to taste and serve!

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Variations for your Tattie Soup

Making your own stock

Making your own stock is actually really easy, and it gives you a delicious base for this soup as well as many others.

We most commonly use the remains of a roast chicken, putting the whole carcass in a pot, but you can use bones from a roast lamb, too.

Put in a large pot with a carrot, a couple of celery sticks, the green parts of at least one leek (see the recipe about storing in the freezer for just this purpose!) and onion, plus plenty of salt and pepper.

Cover all with cold water, bring to a boil and then cover and turn down to simmer for at least 2 hours. You can taste and then leave the lid off to reduce for a stronger flavour, and add more salt and pepper if needed.

For vegetable stock, you can use onions, celery, carrots, and whatever other offcuts you might keep from vegetables.

A good way to do this is to keep a container in the freezer and add all your offcuts to it, and when it’s full, use it to make stock as above.

The stock will last for 3-4 days in the fridge (allow to cool fully first) and up to 3 months in a fully sealed container in the freezer.

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Add bacon or ham

This is far from traditional, of course, but you could add a bit of chopped-up bacon or some ham hock to your pot when you’re frying the onion, leek, and celery.

How long does Tattie Soup last?

3-4 days. You may need to add a little water when reheating because the soup will thicken.

Can it be frozen?

Generally, potato doesn’t freeze too well, but since this soup doesn’t have any dairy in it, it will freeze much better than many other potato soups.

You may find the potato breaks down further, and it’s a bit mushier but still tasty!

Can Tattie Soup be made in a slow cooker?

To be honest, we wouldn’t recommend this since it’s so easy to do in a normal pot on the stove and only takes one hour.

However, if you want to be a bit more hands-off, you can definitely add all the same ingredients to a slow cooker, minus a third of the stock since it won’t evaporate like in a pot, and cook on low for about 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low, until the vegetables are tender.

More Scottish Soup Recipes

  • Scottish Lentil Soup – a delicious red lentil and ham hough soup (can be made vegetarian!)
  • Cock-a-leekie Soup – Chicken, leek, and rice soup, the Scottish version of a chicken noodle soup!
  • Cullen Skink – creamy smoked haddock and potato soup, a bit like a chowder
  • Traditional Scotch Broth – How to make Scotch Broth with homemade meat stock
  • Vegetarian Scotch Broth – A delicious vegetarian take on this classic soup
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Yield: 4-6

Simple Scottish Tattie Soup Recipe

Simple Scottish Tattie Soup Recipe - Scottish Scran (13)

Scottish Potato Soup, otherwise known as Tattie Soup, is a heart-warmingly delicious but simple recipe that is perfect for a winters day!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1kg (2lb) potatoes
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 large leek
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 25g (2tbsp) butter/oil
  • 1.5 litres vegetable or chicken stock
  • Salt and white pepper
  • 1 celery stick (optional)

Instructions

  1. Peel and chop potatoes into large cubes
  2. Finely chop onion and celery if using
  3. Discard the green part of the leek (or save for making stock another time) and finely dice the white part
  4. Dice the carrots into small pieces about 1cm each
  5. Add the butter/oil to a large pot and allow to melt
  6. Add in the onion, leek, and celery if using and cook for 5 minutes, allowing them to “sweat” but not brown.
  7. Put the carrots and potato in the pot and cover with the stock
  8. Add a dash of salt and white pepper
  9. Bring to the boil, skimming off any sort of foam/scum with a wooden spoon to get rid of as it does so. This is just the protein releasing from the vegetables but it’s nicer if you remove it rather than stir in later.
  10. Turn down to a simmer for 1 hour
  11. Use a masher or wooden spoon to break up some of the potatoes, but leave some large chunks as well
  12. Season more to taste and serve!

Notes

  • The soup will last for 3-4 days in the fridge, but you may need to add a little water when reheating as it will thicken.
  • It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 271Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 357mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 14gSugar: 13gProtein: 11g

The nutritional data in this recipe is provided by a third party and these values are automatically calculated and offered for guidance only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed.

Phil and Sonja x

Simple Scottish Tattie Soup Recipe - Scottish Scran (2024)

FAQs

Why does my potato soup taste bland? ›

Why is my potato and leek soup bland? Although leeks are known for its powerful taste, your potato and leek soup can occasionally come out bland. The reasons are usually two: you didn't season your soup at all, worrying it might be too salty because of the leeks; or you added to much water for the stock.

How to thicken tattie soup? ›

Cornstarch is a very effective thickener, and a little bit can go a long way. Add cornstarch to a small amount of cold water or other liquid (wine or stock) and whisk into a thick slurry. Then the slurry can be stirred into a simmering soup, a bit at a time to set the final consistency.

How do you add flavor to potato soup? ›

Use plenty of cream combined with milk, lots of cheddar cheese, garlic, ground black pepper, salt to taste, creamery butter and parsley. Don't forget the potatoes boiled than baked into the soup.

Will whipping cream thicken potato soup? ›

Adding dairy products such as heavy cream or milk to your potato soup can not only enhance the flavor but also contribute to a lusciously thick consistency. The natural creaminess of dairy products gives your soup a velvety texture that will make it irresistibly indulgent.

Why does potato soup hurt my stomach? ›

Potato allergies or intolerances may upset the digestive system as the potato substances travel through the body. Symptoms of digestive issues caused by a potato allergy or intolerance include: nausea or vomiting. gas.

Why isn't my potato soup creamy? ›

Why isn't my potato soup creamy? Most creamy soups require you to add dairy of some sort into it. If you're finding your soup is too thin adding milk, add in cream instead, or whole milk.

Can you use instant mashed potatoes to thicken potato soup? ›

Yes. Incredibly effective? You bet. This trick works because the instant mashed potatoes are naturally starchy and therefore are similar in form to other commonly used thickeners, such as cornstarch, only without the clumps.

Will cream cheese thicken potato soup? ›

Cream cheese can be a delicious and tangy thickener for mashed potatoes so it stands to reason that it can also be used to add body to your favorite silky potato soup recipes — right? The answer is yes. It only works well if you do it carefully, though.

What are the best potatoes to use for soup? ›

Russets or all-purpose baking potatoes are high in starch and low in moisture. In soups, they will soak up the liquid and lose their shape. This makes them the ideal choice for making creamy soups or thickening a runny soup. Try using Russet potatoes to create the perfect Loaded Potato Soup.

Why aren't my potatoes getting soft in my potato soup? ›

If your potato soup is still crunchy after cooking for 6 to 7 hours on high in the crockpot, it's likely that the potatoes were not cooked long enough or the crockpot may not have reached a high enough temperature.

Does sour cream make potato soup thicker? ›

Another option for thickening soup is by using dairy like sour cream or yogurt. Start with a small dollop and stir before checking the consistency and adding more. We recommend using plain yogurt so you don't alter the taste of the soup. You can also use cream if you prefer.

How much heavy cream to thicken potato soup? ›

Pour in a little cream to add thickness and a silky texture.

Then, pour the mixture back into the soup and stir well. The amount you add will depend on how much soup you made and how much you need to thicken it. Start with 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 mL), then add more if you need to.

Why is my potato soup grainy? ›

Boiling at too high of a temperature will break down your potatoes and make your soup grainy. You want your potatoes to be fork-tender but still have a little “bite” to them. Cooksy will tell you exactly how to get the right temperature and when the potatoes are the perfect texture.

How do you make potato soup less bland? ›

Perhaps the simplest approach is to flavor your soup with salt throughout the cooking process. Instead of waiting until the end of cooking to realize your soup lacks taste, you can add a bit of salt during each phase of cooking. Doing so will help bring out the flavors of each of the ingredients.

How do I fix bland tasting soup? ›

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

Why does my soup taste flavorless? ›

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl. Start with the basics. Ensure you've added enough salt and black pepper.

How do you fix bland potatoes? ›

Salt the water generously.

If you don't add enough salt, the potatoes will be bland. It's surprising that such a simple ingredient would make a big difference, but it will. Adding salt to the cooking water also helps the potatoes could faster and break apart better, resulting in fluffier and creamier mashed potatoes.

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