This Old-Fashioned Irish Potato Soup recipe is adapted from a 19th Century recipe found in 'The Whitehouse Cook Book' [1887] by F. L. Gillette and Hugo Ziemann. This soup makes for such a tasty, easy, quick and budget-friendly lunch, starter, or light dinner.As we are a plant-based family we used plant-based milk and plant-based margarine for our potato soup but of course you can replace those with your regular ingredients
1kilogrampotatoes[chopped, large potatoes can be quartered and smaller halved]
1largeonion[about 190 grams] rough diced
1tablespoondried mixed herbs[or your choice of fresh or dried herbs]
1litrevegetable stock
250mililitresplant-based milk[or your choice of milk, use more if a thinner soup is preferred]
1tablespoonplant-based margarine[use your choice of margarine or butter, or replace with 1 tablespoon of white miso paste or 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes]
Instructions
Add the potatoes, onions, dried herbs and vegetable stock to a large saucepan.
Using a mixing spoon stir the milk and margarine through the potatoes soup until everything is combined.[Use more milk if a thinner soup is liked better]
Taste the seasoning and add enough salt and pepper to taste.
Gently bring the soup back to the boil, but do not fast boil as doing so may cause the milk to split. Stir frequently.
Once the soup is at the boil it is ready.
Serving suggestion - Garnish each serving with chopped chives, sliced spring onions or fresh parsley.A sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes is a tasty addition.
Enjoy with your favourite bread, roll or bap for a filling delicious meal.
Notes
Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
Store leftover soup within the refrigerator for 3 days or within the freezer for 2-3 months.
Reheat gently and don't boil as the milk may separate.
If the milk does split it won't affect the flavour and can just be stirred well before eating.
This soup is low in calories but is hearty enough to fill you up especially when served with a slice of wholemeal bread. We usually manage to get 6 small bowls of soup with just the right amount, but of course for hungrier appetites 4 servings may be better.
For gluten-free potato soup choose a gluten-free vegetable stock.
For a margarine-free potato soup replace the margarine with a tablespoon of white miso paste. Do make sure you whisk the miso through thoroughly.
Or replace the margarine with a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes.
This recipe makes a nice thick potato soup but of course if you prefer a thinner soup, just add more milk and stir through to thin to the desired consistency.
Prefer to keep the peel on the potatoes? If your potato skins are unblemished then just give them a little scrub and keep the skins. If the skins are not too good then it's best to peel.