Comfort food potato soup made in an instant
Do you ever have those days when nothing seems to turn out right?
I had back-to-back days like that before I went on vacation last week. There was the candy that wouldn’t set. Hard-cooked eggs that wouldn’t peel. Stew meat I kept forgetting to cook. A cake that came out lopsided.
In the end everything turned out OK. The candy was salvaged. The pockmarked eggs still tasted great. The stew got cooked (thank you, pressure cooker). And the cake was nothing a layer of frosting couldn’t fix.
After a week like that uncomplicated comfort food was in order. So I made potato soup — my go-to soup when I need a little comfort.
This version is extraordinarily simple and so easy. You don’t even have to peel or chop potatoes to make it.
Instant Potato Soup
4 tablespoons butter, divided use (I used salted butter)
1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Sauteed Onion OR 1 onion, thinly sliced
1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic or garlic paste
3 cups milk (or half-and-half for ultra-rich soup)
2 cups potato flakes, plus more as needed
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Shredded cheddar, optional garnish
Diced green onion or chives, optional garnish
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion base or sliced onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently for about 1 minute if using Better Than Bouillon, or until onions are beginning to soften and turn translucent if using fresh onion, about 5 minutes.
Add the milk and 2 cups water, bring to a low simmer, and then add the potato flakes. Whisk vigorously to ensure no lumps are formed. If soup is too thick, add a little more milk; if it is too thin, add more potato flakes, a tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve garnished with cheese and green onions.
Makes about 4 servings.
Recipe adapted from Bob’s Red Mill