Frugal Recipes: Potato Soup

The honest, humble spud.

Who knew that with the smallest amount of doctoring, something so simple and plain could be so GOOOD? And good for you- Potatoes are great little power houses of nutrition! One average potato contains 1/2 your daily value of vitamin C, more potassium than a banana, is a decent source of iron and is naturally fat and sodium free. This recipe also calls for 1/2 an onion. Onions are known for their 4,000 year history as a “magical healer”. Civilizations past have used onions as wound healers, diuretics and even used to “absorb” disease beside the bed of an ailed person. As a modern day medicinal, it’s known now to have over 25 active compounds that can prevent cancer growth, lower blood pressure and stimulate the immune system. Not to mention that, like garlic, it is antifungal and antibacterial, helping to ward off all kinds of common illnesses.

That said, let’s get on to the food!

Simply Delicious Potato Soup (6 servings)

This is a very basic recipe, that I recommend for the best potato taste and health benefits…it has about half the calories of your Grandma’s potato soup. But don’t worry- If you decide you need Nana’s fix, you can doctor it up at the end! I’ll show you how.

3-4 medium white potatoes, diced

3-4 medium red potatoes, diced

1/2 white or yellow onion, grated or chopped

1 stalk celery, grated or chopped

2 cups chicken broth/boullion/stock (whatever you have on hand)

2 cups water

1 tsp parsley

2 tsp kosher salt

Directions: Crockpot- Mix together all ingredients except salt and cook on High (3-4 hours) or Low (6-8 hours). Use a stick blender to puree the soup, leaving it just as chunky or smooth as you like it. If you do not have a stick blender, you could remove a portion of the soup (3/4 the recipe) and puree, then replace. You could also mash with a potato masher. At this time, add the salt and stir.

Stovetop- Saute onions in a small amount of oil until translucent. Add remaining ingredients (excluding salt) and bring to a boil. Then reduce to medium heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Puree about 3/4 of  the soup using a stick blender, regular blender or potato masher. Add salt and stir.

Serve while warm with your choice of toppings- We went with 1 TBS shredded cheddar cheese, some chives and a little bit of pepper.

Extended directions (for a creamer, higher calorie soup):

1/2 stick butter

3 TBS flour

1 1/2 cup milk

Before you serve, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Turn the heat down to low and stir in flour with a fork until well mixed and thick (about 1 minute).  Slowly add milk, whisking constantly for about 5 minutes. Stir this mixture into the soup and cook until heated through. Serve with your choice of toppings.

This basic recipe is about 170 calories per serving, and less than .85c per serving (depending on the price you pay for potatoes, onion and seasonings). I make my own chicken broth, so I did not factor in that cost. The “extended” recipe has about 250 calories, depending on the type of butter and milk you use, and costs about $1.10 per serving. Both of those numbers are independent from the cost/calories of toppings. I prefer the basic recipe for the lower cost, calories and the stronger flavor of the potatoes- I have come to appreciate the natural taste of things! But I realize that is not for everyone. I’m just glad this kind of recipe can be so wonderfully tweaked at the end . Also, you can freeze this soup nicely if you do so before the “extended” recipe. You can just warm it up and add the milk mixture then. And as an added note, leaving the skins on will ensure even more of the potatoes’ natural nutrients make it to your tummy. Enjoy!

Here’s to living- happier, healthier, more FRUGAL lives!

~Frugalmegan~