A Vintage Potato Soup Recipe

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Potato soup is the ultimate cozy comfort food. This is an old vintage recipe that uses canned evaporated milk as a secret ingredient. It give the soup a completely different flavour. The thing I love about vintage recipes is their simplicity.

Most recipes use simple ingredients, that are readily available, and taste amazing! Vintage recipes, that are still around today, are for a reason! Tried and true recipes, from a generation of home cooks that came before us. So let’s dust them off and bring them back to the dinner table!

What type of potatoes are best for soup

There are many varieties of potatoes. Certain types of potatoes are better in different recipes, which can be a little confusing at the grocery store. This is a list of popular potato varieties often used in soups.

Yukon Gold Or Yellow

This variety has a thin skin and a light yellow inside flesh. One of the most popular potato varieties. This popularities is partly because it is an all-purpose potato. This means, it can be used in a variety of dishes. They are soft and fluffy when cooked and have a sweet buttery flavour. A great choice for soups where the potatoes will be mashed.

Russet

Another popular potato variety. They have a variety of uses. These are easy to recognize, from their thick dark brown outside. They are the most common potato used for baked potatoes, because they have that thick skin that holds up to cooking and becomes crispy and delicious. The inside flesh, on the other hand, becomes perfectly soft and fluffy. If you want to use these potatoes for mashing or in soups, it is best to peel off the thick skin first.

White

These potatoes are known as waxy potatoes. These potatoes are best used in soup when you want the potato chunks to hold their shape. Like in a vegetable soup where chunks of potato float around in a broth.

Storage

Refrigerator

If you want to make this potato soup in advance, or for storing leftovers, the potato soup should be cooled to room temperature, then stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for 3-4 day.

When you are ready to use the soup, either reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.

You may find that your potato soup has thickened while sitting in the refrigerator. Potatoes are like a sponge with moisture! If you find that your potato soup has become too thick, stir in a little bit of, milk, cream, or broth. The soup will loosen up after it is warmed through.

Freezer

Though not the ideal storage for potato soup, it is possible. However, the texture of the soup will be slightly altered. Let the soup come to room temperature, then store in the freezer, in an airtight container. You can store the soup up to 6 months.

When you are ready to use the soup, remove it from the freezer and let it come back up to room temperature, (or enough that you can pour it out of the container). Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.

Potato soup will generally become quite thick after being frozen. If you find that the soup has thickened too much, add some milk, cream, or broth until you have the desired consistency.

Should you remove the skin

Before cooking the potatoes, you may wonder if it is necessary to peel the potatoes. This is dependent on two things. The type of potato and your own preference.

I generally always peel my potatoes, if I am going to use them in a soup. However, it is optional, especially if using a variety of potato with a very thin skin, like yellow or Yukon Gold. If you are using a variety of potato with a very thick hard skin, like russet, peel the potato before cooking it for soup.

Potato soup from mashed potatoes

Yes, you can make potato soup from mashed potatoes! This is a great way to make leftover mashed potatoes new again!

Especially, with this simple recipe. Replace the cooked potatoes in the recipe with your mashed potatoes. Add the other ingredients and heat it up on the stove top. You will need to adjust the seasoning in the recipe, due to the added seasoning from the prepared mashed potatoes.

Trouble shooting potato soup

There are a few common things that can go wrong when making potato soup.

Gummy or starchy texture

This is a common problem with potato soup and mashed potatoes. This is because potatoes are full of starch. They should be mixed, mashed, and blended for as little time as possible. The less handling the better when it comes to potatoes.

The very best way to process the cooked potatoes is with a potato ricer. A potato masher will work but do not over mash the potatoes. A blender, food processer, or immersion blender all basically do the same thing. If you are using one of these, it should only be for a matter of seconds. If you run the soup through for a few minutes, you will gave a gluey slim by the end.

Electric beaters, my grandmother always mashed potatoes with electric beaters (anyone else?). This is also possible when making soup, but again only for a few seconds.

Another option is to use a potato with less starch content.

Too thin

If your potato soup is too thin, you have either not used enough potatoes or you have used too much liquid.

To thicken a potato soup you need to add more starch. You can do this by adding more cooked potatoes, making a roux and adding in the potato soup, or by adding a mixture of cornstarch and water. Let the soup come to a boil and it will thicken as the starch cooks.

Grainy potato soup

A grainy potato soup could be due to under cooked potatoes, or using the wrong type of potatoes in the soup.

When you are choosing a potato to cook in your potato soup make sure you are choosing one that is soft and easy to mash when cooked. Some potatoes like waxy white potatoes tend to be tender but hold their shape in soups.

If you have not cooked your potatoes long enough they will still have a bit of a bite left to them when you are mashing them for the soup, which will leave you with some solid bits of undercooked potato throughout your soup.

To fix this make sure to cut your potatoes in to smaller chunks before boiling. Return the potatoes to the stove top and cook them until softened.

Potato soup is too thick

This is likely because there is not enough liquid in with the potatoes or you have overworked the potatoes. This is easily remedied by stirring in some milk, cream, or broth. Add the liquid a little at a time until you have your desired consistency.

Toppings for potato soup

This is were you get to dress up your bowl with some fun extras! My favourite part!

The most common options for toppings are: Grated cheese (like cheddar), bacon bits, and a dollop of sour cream. Basically a classic baked potato but in soup form!

Some other great toppings are: Chives, toasted nuts, croutons, chopped cooked broccoli florets, sweet corn kernels, salsa, pickled jalapenos, crispy tortilla chips, hot sauce, the sky is the limit.

Also, not a topping but, potato soup is a perfect soup to serve inside of a bread bowl!

Ingredients for Vintage potato soup

4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

water (enough to cover the potatoes)

½ teaspoon salt

1 16oz can evaporated milk

½ tsp garlic powder (optional)

2 Tablespoons butter

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup grated cheese

Toppings of choice

Method

1. Place the potatoes in a large sauce pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water and ½ tsp of salt.
2. Bring the potatoes to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 30 minutes, or until very soft and tender.
3. Reserve the liquid and pass the potatoes through a potato ricer. (Or use a potato masher to lightly mash the potatoes.)
4. With the potatoes and reserved water, add in the evaporated milk, butter, and garlic powder (optional). Stir to combine. The soup should be a slightly chunky, thick soup. (If it is too thick, add milk, cream, stock, or water.)
5. Add in the cheese, stir to melt and combine into the soup.
6. Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.
7. Sprinkle your favourite toppings on top!

Looking for something to serve with your soup? Try one of these great vintage recipes! Rich and Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, Soft and Airy Cheese Bread, Big Batch Pull Apart Dinner Rolls, From-Scratch Soft and buttery dinner rolls,

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