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

What gives soup the best flavor? ›

Herbs and spices add aroma, flavor, and intensity to soup broth. "Use fresh or dried basil in tomato-based recipes or fresh parsley to add freshness to clear broth soups," says Sofia Norton, RD. You can also go with more heat and spices.

What is the secret to 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

How to make can potato soup taste better? ›

Add some acid

Canned soup-ers can follow suit: After sautéing your aromatics, deglaze the pan with a glug of the Good Juice. You can also stir a splash of acid—like lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar—to brighten things up.

How to flavor bland potato soup? ›

With a simple soup like potato, I would stick to salt and pepper only. If you do use other spices, be careful because they will easily overwhelm the delicate flavor. Some ingredients I like to include in potato soup: Cooked, chopped bacon.

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 spices add flavor to soup? ›

To season it, we recommend starting with our Vegetable Soup Mix. It contains celery salt, parsley flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, summer savory, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, turmeric and sage, which are all excellent with root vegetables, so you can incorporate things like carrots or potatoes into the soup.

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 makes homemade soup taste good? ›

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.

How to make homemade soup taste better? ›

Use fresh vegetables, high-quality meats or broth, and fresh herbs to add depth of flavor. Add acidity: A squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a dash of vinegar, or a splash of wine can brighten the flavors of a soup and make it taste more complex.

Why does my potato soup have no flavor? ›

Not Adding Acid

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.

What is a good thickener for potato soup? ›

Tip: Cornstarch will thicken your soup more than flour, but both are a good option if you need to thicken a very thin soup. Pour in 1 cup (60 g) of instant potato flakes for a quick fix. This will add extra potato flavor to your soup, so you don't have to worry about changing the taste.

What is the best thickening agent for potato soup? ›

Cornstarch. Cornstarch is a very effective thickener, and a little bit can go a long way.

How to fix a bad potato soup? ›

You need to dilute by a five parts or so Take a quarter of the soup (a cup full) and dilute it with 5 cups of ideally milk, or otherwise stock or water. You will also need quite a lot of salt and pepper - taste as you go. Reheat, but don't boil if you can avoid it. Then continue as in the original recipe.

How to make potato soup more thick? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute.

How do you deepen soup Flavour? ›

How do you make soup more flavorful? Depending on what kind of soup you have, there are lots of things that add flavor. Black pepper can give an “after burn" to any recipe. Worcestershire sauce, Maggi sauce, tomato paste, fresh herbs, mustard, vinegar, bouquet garni, garlic, hot sauce, soy sauce.

What can I add to my vegetable soup to give it more flavor? ›

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.

What can be added to soups to brighten its flavor? ›

While we love using dried herbs during the cooking process, the bright and "green" flavor of fresh herbs really livens up soup… or any hot plate of food, really. The key here is using the right herbs. Choose tender, leafy herbs for topping soup, like parsley (flat leaf or curly), cilantro, chives, or even mint.

Does soup get more flavor the longer it simmers? ›

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.

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