If you grew up in Scotland, chances are you’ve had a bowl of Tattie Soup (Scottish Potato Soup) at some point. Maybe at your granny's table, school dinners or after coming in from the freezing rain. It’s one of those recipes everyone makes slightly differently, but it always hits the same.

My version is thick, hearty and packed with soft potato and sweet leeks - just how it should be! No fancy ingredients, no complicated steps, just simple food that feels like home.
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If you've ever had a simple vegetable soup in Scotland and wondered if there is an 'official' name for it - it's likely Tattie Soup. Other popular options include Lentil and Ham Hough Soup and Scotch Broth.
Ingredients for Scottish Tattie Soup

- Vegetables and Herbs: potatoes, onion, carrots, leeks and bay leaves
- Salted Butter
- Chicken Stock: substitute for vegetable stock to make the soup vegetarian
Variations of Tattie (Potato) Soup
Scottish vegetables are heavily defined by hardy, cool-climate produce, with staples including potatoes, swede (neeps), carrots, kale, leeks, and cabbage.
The true joy of Scottish food and cooking is that everyone has slight variations of family recipes. As long as the predominant ingredients is potatoes (tatties) in your soup, it can arguably be called Tattie Soup.
Other ingredients that are occasionally added to Tattie Soup:
- neeps / rutabaga / turnip (Scots in the central belt call swedes turnip)
- celery
- leftover meat (shredded chicken, beef, ham etc.)
- barley or lentils
- savoy cabbage, kale or Swiss chard if you fancy adding some greens
Make it however you like, simply ensure the prevailing ingredient is potatoes and mash some up using a spoon or masher to thicken the consistency.

How to make Scottish Tattie Soup
Melt salted butter in a pot with olive oil. Soften onion and leeks in pot with the melted butter (with the pot lid on - as they soften quicker).


Then add potato, carrots, bay leaf and stock cubes dissolved in water into the pot too. Bring to the boil, then reduce down to a simmer to cook.


Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Then the trick to thickening Scottish Tattie Soup is using a wooden spoon to mash up some of the potatoes on the side of the pan. Crush as many potatoes as you like to achieve the consistency you're after. Then season with salt and pepper as needed.



Storage and Reheating
Storage of Tattie Soup:
- 4-5 days in the fridge
- 4 months in the freezer
As it cools, the soup will thicken as the vegetables and potatoes absorb more of the broth. So you will need to add more stock (liquid) when reheating.
To reheat: microwave or heat in a pot on the hob until piping hot throughout.

Other Soup Recipes You Might Like
If you love this Scottish Tattie Soup or soups in general, then why not try some of these:
- Leek and Potato Soup (Slow Cooker recipe)
- Welsh Cawl (Lamb and Vegetable Soup)
- Cullen Skink (Scottish Fish Soup)



If you have any questions please leave a comment and I'll get back to you. Or I would really appreciate it if you left me a review below.
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Scottish Tattie Soup
Ingredients
- 60 g salted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 leek
- 2 carrot
- 1 kg potatoes floury type - see Notes
- 3 chicken stock cubes
- 1.5 litres water
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Melt 60 g salted butter in a pot with 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Prepare vegetables: peel and chop 2 carrot, 1 onion and 1 kg potatoes and finely slice 1 leek
- Soften onion and leeks in pot with melted butter for 10 minutes (with the pot lid on - as they soften quicker)
- Then add potato, carrots, 1 bay leaf and 3 chicken stock cubes dissolved in 1.5 litres water
- Bring to the boil, then reduce down to a simmer and cook for approx. 1 hour (lid off)
- Remove the bay leaf from the soup
- Using a wooden spoon, mash up some potatoes on the side of the pan to add some thickness to the broth
- Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon white pepper
- If refrigerating, the vegetables will soak up more of the liquid so you may need to add more water or chicken stock when reheating
Notes
- Maris Piper: The premier choice, offering consistent, high-quality, fluffy results
- King Edward: Known for their light, floury texture and fantastic crispness, especially when fried
- Russet Burbank: Widely used in the US for the classic, fluffy-inside chip
- Desiree: A waxy, but still suitable, option that provides a slightly firmer, rich-flavored chip





Julie says
Lauren , this recipe was amazing. It even froze and reheat good. A new staple for my family. Xx