Grandmother's Potato Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient to thicken soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

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

Add Acid. There's a reason why "acid" made it into the title of Samin Nosrat's popular cookbook-turned-Netflix-series Salt Fat Acid Heat. It's an essential component to perk up the flavors in nearly any savory recipe. Try a squeeze of lemon or lime or a splash of vinegar to brighten a dull-tasting canned soup.

Cornstarch. 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.

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.

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

cooking sauce or soup. Arrowroot starch thickens very quickly and it is unnecessary to bring the mixture to a boil for it to work. Cornstarch, on the other hand, requires heating the mix- ture to a boil to fully thicken the mixture and to avoid any “starchy” taste or texture in the fin- ished product.

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.

I would also add that roast the potatoes might be helpful. Also, you can alter the soup by pureeing some portion of the potatoes and adding it back to the pot. Fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary or thyme will give your soup zing.

"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.

If the soup is too thick, adjust with more water or chicken broth. If the soup is too thin, blend more of the potatoes to thicken it further or continue to simmer the soup, allowing it to reduce in volume.

What goes well with potato soup? ›

Cook the soup until heated and adjust the seasonings. If a thinner soup is desired, stir in a little more milk or half-and-half. To make baked potato soup, top each bowl with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, crumbled bacon, and chives.

Can I leave the peel on for potato soup? Yes! You don't need to peel the potatoes for this potato soup recipe. The skin will help the potatoes keep their shape and prevent them from getting too mushy.

If you slice the potatoes too thin, or pulverize them in a food processor, the veggies release extra starch that gives your soup a gluey consistency. High-intensity mashing methods like using blenders, hand mixers, or food processors overwork the potatoes, which breaks down their cells.

The recommended method here is to press the potatoes through a ricer (instead of using a blender), which gives the soup a light and clean texture and eliminates the gluey consistency common in other recipes.

Cornstarch. Cornstarch is the most common thickening agent used in the industry. It is mixed with water or juice and boiled to make fillings and to give a glossy semi-clear finish to products. Commercial cornstarch is made by soaking maize in water containing sulphur dioxide.

A handful of uncooked rice. That's all folks, just a handful of white rice. Any kind will do: jasmine, basmati, short grain, long grain. When added to a brothy (or watery, even) soup, and left to simmer for 20-30 minutes, the rice breaks down, releasing its starch and thickening the liquid that it's cooking in.

Adding starchy foods like rice, potatoes, pasta, and beans can also help thicken up a soup while adding texture and body. As they cook, they release starches, creating a thicker consistency. Beans and potatoes are an especially great choice for making creamy, dairy-free vegetarian or vegan soups.