Spring may be on its way (finally) but there is never a wrong time of year for a delicious pot of soup!
Recently, I have needed to try out more and more new recipes that I can cook in bulk for Mackenzie’s preschool. Part of the arrangement we have at her Kinderladen is that the parents cook on a rotating schedule every few weeks. If you’ve never tried to cook for a bunch of kids that are not your own, I don’t recommend it. It’s fairly nerve racking, and I never know whether the stuff I pick out is going to go over well or totally bomb. Fifteen 2-5 year olds can be pretty tough critics! Plus, the recipes need to be easy to transport and heat (or reheat) so that they can be delivered to the school in the morning and then warmed up at lunch time.
In our house, I’m the primary lover of soups. It’s not anything special about the consistency (actually I’m a bit more of a fan of thick soups and stews) but I do love that they are fairly simple to prepare and you can make a big batch that will last for a few days…or can be frozen to eat later. If you ask my husband if he likes soup, he will immediately answer no. But when you serve him a well spiced potato soup or homemade tomato soup, you can believe he will be scraping out the bowl later, savoring every last drop.
This recipe whips up a batch of potato soup that will feed fifteen kids (who eat a lot more than you’d think) plus 4-5 adults…and usually leaves enough leftovers for Stefan and I to eat at home once.
It’s a rich, creamy soup that you can also leave chunky if you like…but I prefer the smooth, hearty texture one gets when it’s pureed. You might want to add rosemary or other spices to the soup but since it is usually be served to kids, I try to keep it simple. It’s incredible how many of them end up having reactions to simple things like tomatoes and spices.
If you like, this soup can also be divided up and placed in the freezer. Once heated up, you just need to whip the soup again a bit and it will regain its creamy consistency.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, sliced
- 5 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- Water to cover
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups milk or cream
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot. Saute onions and celery until tender.
- Add potatoes and just barely cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Do not drain.
- Stir in the salt, thyme, parsley and pepper. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
- Using a blender or puree stick, puree the soup (in multiple batches if necessary) until desired smoothness is reached.
- Heat through and serve hot with warm bread and a fresh salad. Top with cheese and bacon bits if desired.
My dear old mother would often whip up potato soup as a good way to get nourishment in us children when we were sick. Now that I am a diabetic I don’t often eat this wonderful soup but instead, for a much lower in carbohydrates version, I make another one of her soups. Just substitute turnips for potatoes and you have a delicious and diabetic friendly bowl of pottage.
There’s something special about potato soup, especially if you use broth in place of the water. And thanks for your great insight about using turnips to make it more diabetic-friendly & low carb! I imagine one could substitute in some cauliflower as well for a low-carb solution without affecting the flavors much.
This looks delicious and I have all of the ingredients. I love reading your blog 🙂
Thanks, Briana! Reading your comment when I woke up just make my morning. 😉 Hope you enjoy the soup!
Morning Tyffany.
I’m a soup fan, and your recipe sounds good, so I’ll be trying it in the next few days.
Gruß aus Düsseldorf
Jimmy