Vegetarian Potato Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why does my potato soup have no flavor? ›

Perhaps the simplest approach is to flavor your soup with salt throughout the cooking process. Instead of waiting until the end of cooking to realize your soup lacks taste, you can add a bit of salt during each phase of cooking. Doing so will help bring out the flavors of each of the ingredients.

Combine cornstarch and a little bit of water—or the chicken stock from the soup—in a small bowl. With the soup simmering over medium-low heat, whisk in the slurry. The soup should start to thicken almost immediately.

You can also add some grated cheese. I would use a hard cheese like Parmigiano or Romano. Now just season to taste. With a simple soup like potato, I would stick to salt and pepper only.

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

Foods in the Brassica family, such as Bok Choy, are too strong for stock/broth and can impart a bitter taste. Foods in the Brassica family, such as broccoli, are too strong for stock/broth and can impart a bitter taste.

Why You Should Be Careful When Using Cream Cheese To Thicken Potato Soup. 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.

So what do you do if you've made the mistake of using starchy potatoes in your soup? One trick to make your potato soup a little less grainy is to add some form of dairy –- cream, milk, or even cheese. Because dairy is generally creamy in texture, that characteristic will carry over into your soup.

Yes. Incredibly effective? You bet. This trick works because the instant mashed potatoes are naturally starchy and therefore are similar in form to other commonly used thickeners, such as cornstarch, only without the clumps.

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.

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.

Why put apple cider vinegar in soup? ›

Add a splash or two of ACV when the soup is done cooking. The vinegar helps lift and highlight flavors.

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.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Got a soup that tastes a little bland and unexciting? Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt.

If your broth tastes thin and bland, you may want to cook and let it evaporate for longer. That helps concentrate its flavors and gives you a better-tasting soup broth. Be sure to remove the lid to let the steam escape.

Fresh lemon juice squeezed into the soup at the very end wakens up the broth. The soup won't taste lemony, just brightened and lively. Fresh herbs and fat from a dollop of prepared pesto stirred into each bowl before serving is a real treat.