30-Minute Spicy Sweet Potato Soup - Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make potato soup not taste bland? ›

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.

Should I soak my potatoes before making soup? You don't have to soak them, but I do recommend doing so in cold water at least until you've finished cubing all the potatoes. This will keep them from turning brown and ugly.

ANSWER: Waxy potatoes or those called boiling potatoes stand up well in soups and stews. These have thin skin and are high in moisture and low in starch. Potatoes that are low-starch and high-moisture hold together better.

"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.

The chicken stock adds flavor, and the cream makes the broth creamy and more luxurious. You can also try half-and-half, sour cream, or plain yogurt. Cheese: This is optional, but if you have some on hand, it adds a lovely richness to the soup. Use sharp cheddar for cheesy potato soup that rivals cheesy baked potatoes.

Russets or all-purpose baking potatoes are high in starch and low in moisture. In soups, they will soak up the liquid and lose their shape. This makes them the ideal choice for making creamy soups or thickening a runny soup. Try using Russet potatoes to create the perfect Loaded 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.

The secret to making mashed potatoes extra-flavorful is cooking them in chicken broth. They're mashed until smooth and creamy, with just the right amount of butter and cream to make a homestyle potato side everyone will enjoy.

If you've ever tried potato leek soup and found it to have a gluey texture, it's because the potatoes released too much starch from being over handled. This is unfortunately easy to do with a food processor or blender (heck, it can even happen when making mashed potatoes, which is why I avoid using an electric mixer).

How do you keep potato soup from getting gummy? ›

It's important not to chop them too finely before cooking. Keeping them in medium-ish sized chunks should work best. If the potatoes are chopped too finely, then too much starch will be released into the broth, resulting in a gummy-like texture.

Old Potatoes: Very old or stored potatoes can become starchy and may not soften as well during cooking. It's best to use fresh, firm potatoes. Acidic Ingredients: If your soup contained highly acidic ingredients (e.g., tomatoes), it could have affected the texture of the potatoes.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

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

Starchy Vegetables

Grate a starchy vegetable like squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, or white potato into the soup and let it simmer. It will release that starch and help to thicken the liquid as it cooks.

Cream cheese can be a delicious and tangy thickener for mashed potatoes so it stands to reason that it can also be used to add body to your favorite silky potato soup recipes — right? The answer is yes. It only works well if you do it carefully, though.

A pinch of seasoning can make all the difference to freshen up the flavors in a ho-hum soup. Most canned soups have plenty of sodium, so skip the salt and stick with spices like cumin or curry powder or try dried herbs like basil or rosemary.

Failing to let the flavors develop

If you find that your potato soup is lacking in taste, the easiest solution may be just to let it continue cooking. In the best soup recipes, you'll discover that there are always stages of cooking that allow the flavors to develop.

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. Our Lemony Chicken Soup will make your mouth water.

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.