Old-Fashioned Scottish Potato Soup

Yes, potato soup is perfect for gluten-free diets and the main considerations is that you use a certified gluten-free stock, and if using a vegan margarine or butter also check that it is free from gluten ingredients.

A wedge of crusty bread always pairs well with a home-cooked soup. For potato soup we love a few slices of this home-baked Irish Soda Bread or a chuck of this Australian Damper Bread.

And seeing as this is a Scottish soup you can't go wrong with a few traditional Scottish Oatcakes or a tasty wee Vegan Cheese Scone.

As potato soup is quite low in calories and fat, a filling side can bulk out the soup into a more substantial meal, perhaps go for our vegan Ploughman's Lunch Platter or Filled Baguette, or this Old-Fashioned Walnut and Celery Sandwich which is surprisingly tasty!

Other ingredients are generally not necessary for this tasty potato soup recipe but of course extras can be added for variety. Or if you have the odd veggie languishing within the refrigerator that would benefit from being chucked into the soup pot, then do add it!

A few suggestions:

* add about a ½ cup of rinsed and drained red split lentils which will thicken up the soup and add extra nutrition and tastiness

* add a ¼-1/2 cup of quick cook rice along with the potatoes. Or if a wholegrain, brown, black, or red variety of rice is preferred consider the increased cooking times and perhaps pre-cook the rice before adding to the soup

* a few sticks of diced celery will add extra flavour and texture

* a cup of diced turnip, swede, or rutabaga is a tasty addition

* chuck in a diced parsnip or two

* a ½ cup of diced celeriac is also yummy

* a few diced or minced garlic cloves are perfect for fortifying the soup with plant goodness, especially beneficial during the chilly months to help keep viruses and cold bugs at bay

* any fresh or dried herbs can be added along with the potatoes, such as parsley, lovage, dill, fennel, thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, mixed dried herbs, etc [although do consider how each herb will change the flavour of the finished soup]

* for a spicy soup add a teaspoon or two of mild or hot chilli powder at the same time the potatoes are added to the soup, or perhaps some paprika or a pinch of cayenne pepper

* fancy a curry flavoured soup? Add a few teaspoons or a tablespoon of your favourite curry powder at the same time the potatoes are added to the soup

* add a drained can of cooked beans, such as butterbeans, pinto beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, haricot beans, etc

Any substitutions will change the overall flavour and perhaps the name of the finished soup!, but seeing as this is your homecooked soup feel free to modify any of the ingredients to your own preferences and needs.

A few suggestions:

* sweet potatoes or butternut squash can replace the white potatoes or carrots

* replace the potatoes for celeriac or parsnips

* instead of onions use leeks

* use your preferred stock cubes, powder, or paste, or broth, or a home-made stock or broth

Yes of course. As this is a humble soup prepared with a few ingredients sauteing the vegetables in a little margarine, butter, or oil, does add extra flavour, but this can be omitted if your on a no-oil diet.

Instead, use ½ cup [120 millilitres] of vegetable stock or broth to saute the vegetables, and add a few extra tablespoons whenever the pot drys out. Using small amounts of vegetable stock, as opposed to large amounts, can help release the flavours of the vegetables.

If your soup needs a flavour boost at the end of cooking, a tablespoon or two of white miso paste can be stirred through the soup in the pot, just make sure it dissolves completely in the soup as it can taste quite strong if you come across a bit of paste whilst eating the soup! Alternatively, stir through a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes which can provide a nice effective flavour boost.

Even though potato soup is so simple and easy to prepare, a nice garnish can elevate the humble soup to something that is perfect for dinner parties, family get-togethers, and other special meals.

This recipe generally only needs a few tablespoons of fine chopped parsley as the flavour of this herb goes really well with the potatoes. Although the following ideas are also nice:

* a few teaspoons of nutritional yeast flakes

* a tablespoon or so of shredded vegan cheese

* a sprinkle of red pepper, paprika or chilli flakes

* a dusting of paprika, especially sweet or smoked

* toasted or plain sunflower or pumpkin seeds
[These can be prepared by dry frying the seeds for a few minutes, in a small pan until tinged with golden, add a pinch of salt for extra flavour. Shake the pan often to prevent burning. Sunflower seeds compared to other seeds or nuts tend to be inexpensive, so its worthwhile purchasing a bag for toasting and adding to soups for extra nutrition. Or even just eating for a filling snack]

* bread croutons
[check out our Old-Fashioned Cream of Swede [rutabaga] Soup which includes a delicious simple crouton recipe which is perfect for using up stale bread]

* fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, thyme, chives, etc

* diced or sliced spring onions [otherwise known as green onions/cybies]

* a sprinkle of vegan bacon bits or pieces

* chopped up cooked vegan sausages

* chickpea croutons [we have an easy recipe for these over on our Curried Cauliflower Soup recipe]

* a swirl of plant cream or a scoop of vegan sour cream or creme fraiche

Honestly the best potato for potato soup is whatever variety of potato that you have to hand. Although some potato types may loose some texture whilst boiling particularly the types used for mashed potatoes, it really won't affect the finished flavour or wholesomeness of the potato soup.

However, if you do prefer your potatoes to retain their integrity and be soft but firm at the end of cooking, choose a potato variety such as new/baby potatoes, charlotte potatoes, Yukon Gold, Maris Piper, red potatoes, russet potatoes, ordinary white potatoes, etc.

The type of potatoes that were used for this Scottish potato soup recipe was Carlingford and were grown at my daughters Scottish allotment plot. Carlingford potatoes are meant to be a salad potato but they were firm, creamy and perfect for this soup recipe.

Whatever potatoes are used for this potato soup, do retain the skins if possible and if unblemished, as they contain valuable nutrition. Just scrub the skins gently until nice and clean.

Image below: The large potatoes are Carlingford variety whilst the couple of smaller ones are an unknown variety! Both home-grown at my daughters allotment plot.