Meatless Supper Club Meal #4 - Potato Soup

Potato Soup has always been a favorite of mine. There's nothing better to warm you up on a cold day and fill your tummy full. Add a nice thick loaf of bread, some cheese to sprinkle on top and that, to me, is dinner perfection......and breakfast....and lunch.....and then dinner again. Because a big pot of potato soup can be made to stretch for many a meal.

For the longest time I struggled to find a good potato soup recipe that didn't require a lot of effort and diligent attention while cooking. Most potato soup recipes that I have tried scorch very easily if you aren't constantly monitoring and stirring them. And the recipes that seemed simple enough never tasted quite as good as I would have hoped. That was until a friend brought this delicious potato soup to a potluck at work one Christmas. She scribbled the instructions onto a random scrap of paper and I have held onto that scrap of paper more tightly than any of my nice cookbooks.

Over the years, I have become more flexible with the recipe, adjusting amounts based on what I have on hand or what sounds good that day. After becoming vegetarian I started experimenting with the recipe. I took out the bacon it originally called for and started adding different vegetables and have found many to be suitable for this soup. Carrots fit so perfectly, that they are now considered a necessary part of the soup for me, not just an optional addition. Broccoli, corn, cauliflower and peas all work well in this soup.



The recipe specifies that you use red potatos. These are probably the easiest to use, but they are not the only option. I have used every kind of potato imaginable from Russets, to yellow, even purple potatos. I've even tossed in a few sweet potatos from time to time, so don't feel limited if you don't happen to have any red potatos lying around. Any kind is just fine. And don't worry about peeling the potatos either, that's really just a lot of unecessary work. Just make sure you wash them well before chopping.


My husband does not generally like soup. But he doesn't mind this one. As long as there is bread to go with it. The more veggies I add to it, the more he likes it. Although the opposite can be said for my children. They love the carrots though and the thick chunks of potato as well. And everyone in my family is in agreement that a nice handful of cheddar cheese sprinkled on top makes the meal even better.



This is my go to meal in the wintertime. Perfect for when you need to take a meal to a friend. Perfect for a busy evening when dinner won't be eaten by everyone all together at the same time. Perfect for a leftover lunch. Perfect for a potluck or big family gathering. And the most important part is it's simplicity and versatility, which to me is perfect.


The basic instructions:
Ingredients:
2 bunches green onions
2-3 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery
red potatoes (5 lb bag or however much you want)
1-2 cups milk
1 cube butter
1-2 cups instant potatoes
1 teaspoon parsley
6 cubes of vegetable bouillon or equivalent amount of broth

Directions:Cut up potatoes in cube size pieces. Cut celery, carrots and onions, combine in pan and fill with water (or broth if not using bouillon cubes) just above potatoes. Add in salt, pepper, butter, parsley, and bouillon. When the potatoes begin to soften turn down on low, stir in one cup of milk. Add 1-2 cups of instant potatoes depending on how thick you like it. (You can add up to 1 more cup of milk if it becomes too thick).

Don't forget to stop by Enviromom on Friday for more Meatless Supper Club meals.