Last Updated on May 10, 2022 by
Potatoes are well-known for their nutritional versatility. Soups and stews are just a few of the recipes you may cook with them. However, if your mashed potatoes are gritty and your soups are too mushy, you may be using the wrong type of potato.
On the market today, there are many different varieties of potatoes, each of which is ideally suited to a certain recipe. For example, russet potatoes are among the best potatoes for soup because they have low moisture content. In this article, we shall cover the best potatoes for soup.
Types of Potatoes
In the United States, there are over 150 distinct types of potatoes. Potatoes may be divided into three categories for ease of use: waxy, starchy, and all-purpose. These are determined by the texture of the potato when cooked and impact the best manner to prepare it.
Waxy Potatoes
Waxy potatoes are the opposite of starchy potatoes in terms of starch, moisture, and form retention. They have a finer surface and are ideal for situations when potato slices are required.
Starchy Potatoes
Starchy potatoes are low in moisture and rich in starch. As a result, they’re “fluffy” and low in moisture, making them ideal for baking, frying, boiling, or creating a thick, creamy soup on a chilly day, but they don’t keep their form once cooked.
All-Purpose Potatoes
All-purpose potatoes are the ideal all-around potatoes because they are less starchy than starchy potatoes yet retain their form better than waxy potatoes. When in doubt, they are a “one-size-fits-all” solution!
Best Potatoes For Soup
Below are the best types of potatoes for soups;
Russet Potatoes
The starch in the russet potato makes for a delicious creamy potato soup. This is the best option if you want a baked potato flavor and texture. Because these potatoes have a low moisture content, they absorb liquid, so if you want a thicker soup, this is the potato to use. If you’re going to keep the skin intact, you don’t have to peel it off. Chop the potato into pieces and start cooking your dish.
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Yukon Gold potatoes are ideal for soups with strong tastes, such as beef broth, mushroom stock, or lentil stock. These potatoes are similar to russet potatoes, but they are smaller and have a thinner outer shell, making them good alternatives for a thicker consistency.
Yukon gold potatoes are also popular in soups because of their medium-thick skins, which contribute taste and minerals without adding excessive thickness.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes complement any stew or soup well. They need some heat preservation to offer their flavor, so it’s best to add them during the last hour of slow simmering.
These potatoes provide sweetness and firmness to stews and soups, making them ideal. Peel them before cooking for increased health advantages.
Red Potatoes
A red potato is a tiny vegetable. Its solid firmness makes it ideal for stews and soups. These potatoes would be fantastic in a hearty meat stew. The potatoes will keep their form, and although they will soften, they will not dissolve into the soup. These potatoes have a minimal starch content so that they won’t change the consistency of your stew.
If you want a hearty stew, go for the red potato! You may leave the skin on the potatoes or chop them into cubes; the skin adds taste and color.
Fingerling Potatoes
Fingerling potatoes are best for meals that need the potatoes to be chopped into little pieces before cooking. Because they cook rapidly, these potatoes perform nicely in dishes like potato puree. Fingerling potatoes are a starchy kind that keeps their form well when cooked.
Because they’re little and dense, you may want to chop them in half for a more digestible mouthful. With their vibrant hues, fingerling potatoes provide a splash of color to any soup or stew.
Purple Potatoes
Purple potatoes are medium-starch potatoes with yellow-like characteristics. Use them cubed rather than mashed as a thickening in soups for the finest look. Purple potatoes provide an antioxidant boost that white potatoes don’t have.
New Potatoes
Starchy fresh potatoes, which do not break down into a mushy consistency, are the ideal potatoes to use in a stew. Because new potatoes cook rapidly and are somewhat thick, they perform nicely in soups.
Most supermarkets and grocery shops carry both fresh and canned new potatoes. They have the nicest taste, but you should always weigh your alternatives before purchasing.
Getting Your Potatoes Ready
Once you’ve decided on the sort of potato to use in your soup or stew, follow a few procedures.
Rinse the potatoes well in cold water. Scrub the potatoes’ skins to remove dirt or blemishes using the potato brush. It’s a good idea to rinse the potatoes before chopping them. Depending on your preferences, you can peel or not peel. Depending on your choice and the recipe’s instructions, cut the potatoes into large cubes, slices, or half.
Recipe for Creamy Potato Soup
- Peel and coarsely chop the potatoes you’ve chosen for your soup. Please put them in a saucepan. Pour boiling water over them, ensuring they’re completely covered. Place the pot on the stovetop. Bring the potatoes to a boil after that. Then, over medium heat, let them simmer until soft.
- While the potatoes are in the boiling water, start with preparing the basic flavors for your soup. In a skillet, cook a chopped white onion (1 per two meals) with smashed garlic cloves (1 per two servings) until golden.
- Then throw in some leek coins (one chopped stick per three servings).
- You may also season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Allow for 5 minutes of sweating on a low-ish heat before adding your single cream (50ml per serving).
- Continue to heat the mixture for another five minutes after adding the nutritional yeast before taking it from the heating ring.
- Drain the potatoes and blend them with the cream and veggies after totally cooked. Cream the potatoes completely in a hand-held food processor, ensuring no lumps.
- Depending on the viscosity of your soup, you may need to add some water to make it souplike: add as much as is necessary to make the combination liquid. Before serving, continue to taste and season the meal while stirring the water.
How Do I Keep My Potatoes Firm In A Soup?
The secret is to keep an eye on your potatoes while cooking in a soup and only add them at the end.
When cooking the potatoes you’ve picked the ideal for stew, add a tiny bit of vinegar. The vinegar causes a thin (tasteless!) crust to develop on the surface of the tubers, allowing the potatoes to maintain their shape in the hot penetrating water.
Is It Possible To Eat Sweet Potato Skins?
Although the exterior skin of sweet potatoes is unappealing, it is edible. Sweet potatoes are high in antioxidants, which may also be found in their skin, vitamins A and C, beta carotene, and folate.
Sweet potatoes have thinner skins than baked potatoes with white meat. Some people dislike eating the skin, yet the skin of a cooked sweet potato is delicious.
In addition, sweet potatoes with the skin have a lower glycemic index while providing more nutrients. Baking sweet potatoes takes time. Place the sweet potatoes on a foil-lined oven-safe baking sheet. Prick them all over with a fork and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until fork-tender, then turn off the oven and leave them in until cool enough to handle; this will protect them from being too sticky when sliced.
How Do You Keep Potato Soup Firm?
If you use a waxy potato, it will remain solid without being massaged. If you’re not using a waxy potato, you may want to add some acidity to the soup stock. To help keep them firm, add vinegar, citric acid, or cream of tartar.
Is Potato Skin healthy to Eat
Yes, they are. Although you should wash the skins to remove any dirt residue, potato skins are very nutritious, and they include vitamins B and C, as well as iron and calcium. Indeed, the skin of a potato contains almost half of the overall nutrients.
Potato skins are also high in insoluble fiber, which is beneficial to your digestive system. While some individuals prefer skinless potatoes, there is no scientific reason why you shouldn’t consume them.
Conclusion on Best Potatoes For Soup
Soups are best made using potatoes, and they thicken by boiling them in water or chicken stock, making them ideal for recipes like beef stew. Potatoes also provide carbs and a little amount of protein to your meal; they release starch during cooking, which thickens the sauce after it has been reduced by simmering.
Many other potatoes are available, including russets, Yukon golds, fingerlings, and more, each with its unique flavor! The wonderful thing about potatoes is their adaptability.
The finest potatoes are those that have been cooked for a long period. As a result, before putting them in boiling water or soup stock, peel them and cut them into even slices. Leave the skin on if you want crunchy bits in your stew, but make sure there are no blemishes (open wounds) that might cause discoloration later on.
