Ham and Potato Cheddar Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken cheddar potato soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

8. Add Potatoes to Your Soup Base. Now that your potatoes are perfectly boiled, it's time to add them to your soup base. Whether you have a creamy or chunky potato soup recipe, gently stir the boiled potatoes into your prepared soup mixture and simmer for a few minutes to let the flavors meld together.

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.

Milk or Half-and-Half: This is the other magical ingredient that turns your homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever. Use 1 cup of whole milk or 1 cup of half-and-half.

Cornstarch. Cornstarch is a very effective thickener, and a little bit can go a long way. Add cornstarch to a small amount of cold water or other liquid (wine or stock) and whisk into a thick slurry. Then the slurry can be stirred into a simmering soup, a bit at a time to set the final consistency.

Adding dairy products such as heavy cream or milk to your potato soup can not only enhance the flavor but also contribute to a lusciously thick consistency. The natural creaminess of dairy products gives your soup a velvety texture that will make it irresistibly indulgent.

Originally Answered: Does simmering soup longer make it taste better? If you're simmering a thing for hours, you will intensify the flavor by cooking off some of the liquid. This might make it taste better, but if cooked too long, it may end up too salty or otherwise be over-seasoned.

Cheese: I recommend a good sharp cheddar cheese here for maximum flavor. Greek yogurt or sour cream: To make the soup extra-creamy. Salt and pepper: Add in as much as you need at the end to season your soup well.

Your potato soup is bland? Try adding a little more salt. That's usually the answer to any issue of blandness, no matter the recipe in question. A basic Appalachian style potato soup uses only a handful of simple ingredients, leaning on milk and water and often bouillon to create the brothy soup base.

Keep in mind that the smaller the potatoes are cut, the quicker they cook. If you “overcook” the potatoes in the soup, they will crumble when the soup is stirred, but they will still taste good while eating the soup.

Is it OK to use potato water for soup? ›

You can thicken a broth, soup, or stew by using potato water rather than plain water, again avoiding using flour if you are eliminating gluten. Some people even like to turn potato water into a broth by adding celery salt, black pepper, and a little bouillon. Don't toss the potato water–look for ways to put it to use.

Potatoes that are low-starch and high-moisture hold together better. Yukon Gold potatoes are on the medium-starch side and will hold their shape in soups. Red potatoes fall into the low-starch category, as do smaller, newer potatoes. Fingerling potatoes will do well in soups, as will long white potatoes.

Sour cream should be added only after you have cooked and served the soup, as a topping. Otherwise it will separate and it will not look appetizing. Once you have added sour cream, you cannot reheat the soup, so it's better to add spoonfuls to individual bowls and let people stir it in themselves.

Keep in mind that this evaporated milk will make your dish taste richer, but it won't actually thicken the soup. You can always use a bit of flour or cornstarch if you're missing that added texture. Otherwise, you'll find evaporated milk the best dairy addition for your classic slow cooker favorites.

To thicken potato soup without creating lumps, you can use a roux made of equal parts butter and flour. Melt the butter in a separate pan, add the flour, and whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk the roux into the soup, and let it simmer until thickened.

Whisk 2 tbsp (25 g) of cornstarch or 2 tbsp (30 g) of flour with ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of cool water. Once the starch is completely dissolved, pour the slurry into the main pot. Heat the soup to boiling for 1 minute, then reduce the heat and simmer until the soup is as thick as you'd like it.

The main reason your potato is not thickening is that it needs a heavier dairy product. Potato soup is cooked in a milk and chicken broth soup but heavy cream may need to be added. If your recipe calls for whole milk, mix in heavy cream instead or do half milk and have heavy cream.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.