Easy Potato Soup

When you are looking for a wholesome meal, but don't want to spend hours cooking up a meal, these different recipes for easy potato soup will come to your rescue. Especially in the winter, these recipes will give you the warmth and comfort, and will serve as a perfect meal. Have a potato soup by itself, or with a serving of a light, green salad and some crusty rolls, and it is sure to be as filling as it promises to be.

Quick and Easy Potato Soup (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• Potatoes, 4, diced
• Onion, 1, diced
• Margarine, 4 tbsp
• Flour, 1 tbsp, heaped
• Milk, 4 cups
• Salt, to taste
• Dash of pepper
• Parsley, for garnishing

Procedure

1. Put the potatoes and onions to boil in salted water.
2. Melt the margarine in a pan, over a low flame. Add in the flour and cook, until there are no lumps, and the mixture begins to bubble.
3. Pour in half the amount of milk, very slowly while constantly stirring the blend.
4. Now add in the potatoes and onions.
5. Slightly mash the potatoes and the onions. The soup should be lightly chunky.
6. Pour in the remaining milk, and add in the salt and pepper.
7. Cook the soup over a medium flame. If you find the soup to be watery, mix 1 tbsp of flour with ½ cup cold milk, and pour it into the soup. Stir occasionally.
8. Serve steaming hot, garnished with parsley.

Baked Potato Soup with Cheddar Cheese (Serves 6)

Ingredients

• Baking potato, 1 large
• Chicken stock, 2½ cups, low salt
• Bacon pieces, ¼ cup
• Cheddar cheese soup, 2 cans, 10 oz.
• Sour cream, for garnish
• Green onion, finely chopped, for garnish

Procedure

1. Wash the potato thoroughly. Dry it and on a high temperature, place the potato in the microwave for about 7 - 8 minutes.
2. Once the potato is baked, and cooled, cut it into ½ inch cubes, with the skin.
3. In a medium-sized pan, pour in the cheddar cheese soup, chicken stock and toss in the pieces of bacon.
4. Stir occasionally and allow it to simmer on a medium high flame.
5. Toss in the potatoes and continue stirring for about 5 minutes.
6. Allow the soup to thicken, pour into bowls. Garnish the soup with a dollop of sour cream and then sprinkle some green onions over it.

Potato Leek Soup with Bacon (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• New potatoes, 4, diced
• New potatoes, 2 cups, diced into short fine strips, for garnish
• Onions, 2 cups, diced
• Leeks, 4 large, cleaned and sliced
• Leeks, 1 cup, diced into short fine strips, for garnish
• Bacon, 1 cup, diced
• Butter, 3 tbsp
• All-Purpose flour, 3 tbsp
• Extra virgin olive oil. 1 tbsp
• Beef stock, 1 quart
• Chicken stock, 1 quart
• White wine, 3 tbsp
• Salt & pepper (freshly ground), to taste
• Chives, 2 tbsp, for garnish

Procedure

1. In a skillet, over medium flame, heat the olive oil.
2. Toss in the bacon, and cook.
3. Add in the leeks and onions, and continue stirring for 2 minutes.
4. Put the salt and pepper, and add the butter.
5. Once the butter melts, add in the flour, and stir thoroughly to avoid the formation of lumps.
6. Now pour in the beef and chicken stock while stirring.
7. Pour in the wine, and toss in the new potatoes, cooking until the potatoes have softened.
8. While the soup is cooking, heat about 3 inches of olive oil in a sauce pan, to a temperature of 350 ºF. Toss in the potato strips, and deep-fry them until they have lightly browned. Once done, place them on a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat the same procedure for the leeks. Mix a small amount of salt to the potatoes and leeks.
9. You may puree the soup if you prefer it to be smooth. Pour it into bowls and garnish it with the potatoes, leeks, and chives.

These potato soup recipes are great also as comfort foods. You can create your own variations to these simple recipes, and relish the different flavors that it has to offer. Enjoy!