Creamy Potato Vegetable Soup: What I've Learned So Far
While they're all very similar, the differences have to do mostly with consistency and style of preparation, and soup is the genesis of the others. So, stew, bisque and chowders are very specific kinds of soup.
Soup is a combination of vegetables, grains, proteins, etc. in a broth. Stew refers to a soup that's made with ingredients that are stewed - that is, barely covered with liquid and simmered for a long period of time in a covered pot. So basically, most of those crockpot "soup" recipes will technically be a stew.
Chowder and bisque are thick soups, with the difference being that chowders are generally chunky and bisques are smooth. Both are heavy soups usually made with cream. (Although in the case of Manhattan clam chowder the base is tomato).
So this dish really is a soup. You could make it more of a chowder if you let it simmer longer so more of the liquid boils off. In this case, making this a soup gives you a delicious, hearty meal in under an hour.
The Recipe for Creamy Potato Vegetable Soup
You'll Need:
• 7 C diced potatoes (I used red, but you could use any variety)
• 3 small/medium carrots, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 1/2 C chopped yellow onion
• 3 C vegetable broth
• 2 C heavy cream (not pictured)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp thyme
Do This:
1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat.
2. Saute onions, carrots and celery, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. 3. Add the broth and cream and bring to a simmer. 4. Add the potatoes, return to a simmer and reduce heat to low. 5. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 6. Stir in salt and thyme and you're ready to enjoy!Creamy Potato Vegetable Soup: Recipe Notes
• I like using red potatoes for this because they have a great texture when cooked and the skins are thin enough to eat easily in soup. You could also use Yukon gold potatoes.
• You could also serve this soup with some shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, or chives.
