Easy Potato Soup Recipe | The Gracious Pantry | Healthy Soup Recipes (2024)

ByTiffany McCauley

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This easy potato soup recipe is delicious for a chilly evening at home.

I have to thank my Mom for this delicious bowl of soup! You see, Mom and I were a lot alike. We both loved to cook (and bake) and we both tended to cook our meals without using a recipe. I believe they call it, “instinctual cooking”. A pinch of this, a dash of that, and before you know it, you’ve got a bowl of something truly yummy to eat!

Easy Potato Soup Recipe | The Gracious Pantry | Healthy Soup Recipes (1)

Mom has been gone now for a few years, but her style of instinctual cooking has stayed with me. This is how I cook every day. I keep adding things until I get a tasty result. Then I simply write down what I’ve done and pass it on to you! It might not be the most scientific method, but so far, it seems to be working out okay.

I remember the day she put this pot of potato soup under my nose. She just quietly set it down in front of me at the table without saying a word. I scarfed down a whole bowl, and really had to fight myself to avoid having a second helping.

Mom’s version was slightly different then this one. How could it not be? She never measured much of anything. But I got as close as I could to what she did and I have to say it turned out pretty much exactly like what she made.

HOW TO MAKE POTATO SOUP

Making potato soup is pretty easy stuff. There are two approaches you can take. This recipe uses the second method.

Cook the potatoes first.

In one method, the main thing is to get your potatoes cooked well. It doesn’t really matter how you get them cooked. You can cook them in an instant pot, bake them in the oven or boil them on the stove. Anything that gets the job done in a manner that easiest for you. Once you have that done, it’s just a matter of mashing them up while they are still hot and stirring in other ingredients. In fact, you can make it super easy by using a potato masher. I would avoid using a stick blender because the potatoes seem to get really fibrous and it makes your soup much thicker than you’d like. If you do choose to use a stick blender, just be aware you’ll need extra liquid and seasonings to adjust the recipe.

Cut the potatoes first.

In the case of this soup, I chose to cut the potatoes into small pieces first which makes them cook much faster. With this second method, you can cook other ingredients along with potatoes and “get two birds with one stone”, as they say. This also allows the flavors to meld more during cooking.

MORE HEALTHY SOUP RECIPES

  • Clean Eating Chicken And Rice Soup (Can also be Chicken Noodle!)
  • Clean Eating Minestrone

Enjoy!

EASY POTATO SOUP RECIPE:

Easy Potato Soup Recipe | The Gracious Pantry | Healthy Soup Recipes (3)

Easy Potato Soup

A delicious, tummy-warming soup for a chilly evening.

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 221kcal

Author: Tiffany McCauley

Ingredients

  • 8 medium russet potatoes (cut into small pieces)
  • 2 medium leeks (cleaned and chopped)
  • 8 cups chicken broth (low sodium is best)
  • 1 cube vegetable bouillon (Optional - I used the Rapunzel brand)
  • 2 tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder
  • 2 tsp. herbs de provence (found in the spice aisle)
  • 1 tsp. dried marjoram
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Saute' the leeks in the olive oil until they become very soft and a little translucent.

  • In a large soup pot, combine the cooked leeks, chopped potatoes, chicken broth, bouillon cube, onion powder, garlic powder, herbs de provence and marjoram.

  • Bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat to medium. Stir frequently.

  • Cook until the potatoes are completely soft and mushy. (As if you were making mashed potatoes)

  • Remove the pot from heat.

  • Blend the entire thing until smooth, using a hand blender (this is the cleanest and easiest method), or by transferring everything from the pot to a blender.

  • NOTE: This is a thick soup. If you want a thinner soup, simply add more chicken stock.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 960mg | Potassium: 1154mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 30.4mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 4.6mg

Recipe from the Gracious Pantry archives, originally posted 2/24/11.

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Easy Potato Soup Recipe | The Gracious Pantry | Healthy Soup Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you make potato soup not taste bland? ›

Cheese: I recommend a good sharp cheddar cheese here for maximum flavor. Greek yogurt or sour cream: To make the soup extra-creamy. Salt and pepper: Add in as much as you need at the end to season your soup well.

What is the secret to making good soup? ›

7 Tips for Successful Soup Making
  • Use a Sturdy Pot. It is worth investing in a heavy pot with a thick bottom to use for making soup. ...
  • Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  • Start with Good Broth. ...
  • Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  • Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  • Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  • Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

Why does my potato soup have no flavor? ›

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.

What makes homemade soup taste better? ›

7 Easy Ways to Make Any Soup Better
  1. Brown or Sear the Meat. ...
  2. Roast the the Veggies. ...
  3. Mix up the Texture. ...
  4. Use Homemade Stock Whenever Possible. ...
  5. Put Your Cheese Rinds to Work. ...
  6. Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples. ...
  7. Add Fresh Herbs or Dairy When Serving.

What can I add to canned potato soup to make it taste better? ›

Dried herbs and spices are the easiest and most budget-friendly way to add flavor to your canned soup. They'll last forever in your pantry, and you don't need to add much to get a good kick.

How do you deepen soup flavor? ›

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What not to do when making soup? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make Cooking Soup
  1. Boiling instead of simmering. You want a small bubble or two to rise to the surface of the liquid every few seconds. ...
  2. Not using enough salt. ...
  3. Ignoring water. ...
  4. Overcooking the vegetables. ...
  5. Adding tomatoes at the beginning. ...
  6. Neglecting to garnish. ...
  7. Not trying a pressure cooker.
Nov 19, 2014

What can I add to my soup to make it more flavorful? ›

Go Bold. A punch of flavor at the end of cooking can make your soup a standout. Mix herbs like parsley, thyme, and oregano, or spices such as cumin, coriander, and cardamom, into some olive oil, and let it infuse for at least an hour or two. Pour it over soup just before serving.

What is the best thickening agent for potato 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.

How to tell if potato soup is bad? ›

Tell-tale signs that your potato soup has gone bad include a sour smell, a change in the colour or a film of mould on the surface. Also, if your soup has been in the fridge for more than a week, it's best to discard it to ensure food safety.

How do you keep potatoes from getting mushy in potato soup? ›

How do you keep potatoes from getting mushy in soup? Keeping the skins on your potatoes will help. Also key to remember is that when chopping the potatoes, the smaller they are the faster they will cook. So, don't be afraid to cut them a little on the larger side than you normally would.

Is soup better the longer you cook it? ›

Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat, and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. The longer the stock cooks, the more flavorful your soup will be.

What is the key to a good soup? ›

All soups and stews must have three major components in order to be tasty: an undercurrent liquid, aromatics, and volumizing ingredients. In every case, they're layered together until all of the flavors meld together in a harmonious, silky balance.

How long should you let soup simmer? ›

Bring it all to a boil, then simmer. You will know it's done when it's all tender, anywhere from 25 minutes to 3 hours depending on the ingredients. Meat is a luxurious addition to any soup. When you can, choose stewing cuts, such as chicken legs, pork shoulder, beef chuck, short ribs or shank.

How do you fix bland potatoes? ›

A general rule of thumb, when you know you've added enough salt but something still tastes bland, is to add a bit of acid. Not much! You don't want to make it sour, but some sour cream or yogurt, or even just a few drops of vinegar, might be what you need. I agree with boiling garlic with the potatoes.

Why does my soup taste flavorless? ›

If your broth tastes thin and bland, you may want to cook and let it evaporate for longer. That helps concentrate its flavors and gives you a better-tasting soup broth. Be sure to remove the lid to let the steam escape.

How do you reduce the onion flavor in potato soup? ›

Use dairy or cream

Dairy products such as milk or cream can help to mellow out the strong flavor of onions. You can add a splash of milk or a dollop of cream to your soup to balance the taste. Not only will this reduce the intensity of the onion, but it will also add a creamy richness to the dish.

Why are my potatoes bland? ›

An overcrowded pan will turn a sauna into a steam bath; Your potatoes will cook, but they'll be soft, moist, and bland like steamed potatoes. Even if you're tempted to save dishes by throwing a mound of potatoes onto one baking sheet, parsing them out over two will give them the space they need to crisp up.

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