Potato soup is more than just comfort food to me. It’s like a warm embrace, a shoulder to cry on, and a scrumptious meal all rolled into one. One spoonful is like a ray of sunshine in the middle of a gloomy day. It’s surprisingly easy, too! It doesn’t get any better than that. Move over Outback Steakhouse, this copycat potato soup is here, and it’s here to stay.
Outback Potato Soup
Outback Steakhouse isn’t only popular for its steaks, but for its potato soup as well. Oh, how I love gulping down this hearty and flavorful soup, especially on a cold, wintery evening. But whenever I don’t have the urge to get dressed and drive, I can always count on this copycat recipe. It recreates the potato soup impressively well, and it’s super quick and easy! Whether you like it smooth or chunky, thick or thin, this recipe is for you. Just follow my tips below and you’re all set. No matter your preference, this potato soup is shockingly delicious.
Ingredients
Potatoes, diced and boiled – They’re the star of the soup, after all. Stick to starchy potatoes such as Russet, Yukon Gold, and red. Chicken Broth – The soup base. Water alone won’t be anywhere near as flavorful. Onion – For flavor and aroma. You can also add garlic, celery, and other veggies for more color and flavor. Salt and Pepper – Add to taste. Butter and Flour – The combination creates a roux, which can turn liquid ingredients into a thick and creamy broth. Heavy Cream – For maximum creaminess and richness. Toppings – Shredded cheese, bacon, diced green onions, you name it. They’re not required, but we all know how immensely more delicious they make a simple potato soup.
How to Make Outback Potato Soup
First, wash the potatoes. Rinse them in cold water, scrub them well, and scoop out the sprouts and eyes. Next, peel the potatoes, if needed. There’s no need to peel Yukon and red potatoes, but for Russet, you’ll have to as their skins are tough. Placed peeled potatoes in a bowl of cold water while peeling the rest. This will prevent them from browning. Then, dice the potatoes in 3/4-inch cubes. Try to make the cubes as similar in size as possible, so they all cook at the same time. Place the diced potatoes in a pot of boiling water and boil. This will take somewhere around 10 to 15 minutes. Drain off the water and set the potatoes aside. In the now emptied pot, add the broth, water, and onions, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer the broth on low heat for 20 minutes. In a small saucepan, make a roux by melting butter and stirring in the flour. This should quickly form a paste. Gradually add the roux into the pot of soup and stir constantly. It should start to thicken in just a few minutes. Pour in the heavy cream, stir, and let it simmer once more for 20 minutes. Add in the potatoes, and voila! Your soup is ready to be devoured. Serve the soup in bowls and top it with your favorite garnishes. I love mine with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and diced green onions. Yum.
What Is the Best Thickener for Potato Soup?
You can customize the consistency of your potato soup by adding more liquid or starch to the mix. For a thicker soup, stir in a flour or cornstarch slurry. Simply dissolve a tablespoon of flour or cornstarch in a splash of cold water, and pour the mixture into the soup. Stir until thick. For a creamy soup, add more heavy cream. Coconut cream, sour cream, and half-and-half will all do the trick as well. For a chunky soup, skip the step of combining butter and flour to make a roux. Just puree some of the potatoes with an immersion blender. This will make the soup creamy, but still with a handful of potato chunks. For a thin soup, mix in milk or more broth until desired consistency is achieved.
Tips for Making the Best Soup
Use Russet, red, or Yukon potatoes. Unlike yellow potatoes, they’re more starchy than waxy. They’ll break down nicely while cooking, making the soup thick and creamy.You won’t need to peel Yukon and red potatoes. I love the rustic charm the skins add to the soup. Russets have tough skins, though, so if you use them, get ready to peel.When peeling Russet potatoes, immerse the peeled potatoes in cold water to prevent them from browning.If leaving the skins on, be sure to clean the potatoes well. Run them under cold water and scrub them with a brush. Take out the sprouts and the eyes with a knife.Dice the potatoes evenly so they all cook at the same time. The length of boiling depends on the size of the potatoes. Bigger chunks will obviously require more time. I slice mine into 3/4-inch cubes – and they take about 10 minutes to boil.
For a dairy-free soup, skip the butter and swap the milk for coconut milk.Don’t have heavy cream on hand? You can also use sour cream or half-and-half.A bit of sugar goes a long way. It might be weird to add sweetener to a savory dish, but it does wonders! It amplifies the flavors of the potatoes and cream, making the soup richer than ever.Don’t add the boiled potatoes until the very end. Adding them while the soup simmers will cook them further, and make them way too soft and mushy.Make the soup more substantial with added veggies. Peas, corn, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower are just some of the many veggies you can include.Herbs, spices, and seasonings add a layer of flavor to the soup. Make it your own with garlic, leeks, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, or chili powder. Beef it up with meat. It’ll make your soup heartier and more flavorful. Ground sausage, ground beef, ham slices, shredded rotisserie chicken – throw in whatever leftovers you have in the fridge.
While the soup is perfect on its own, toppings give it more personality. Make your potato soup even more delectable with:Bacon bits – everything tastes better with bacon. Tip: don’t add them until the very end, otherwise, they’ll lose their crispiness.Shredded cheese – be sure to shred your own for maximum melting potential.Diced green onions – for a pop of flavor and color.Croutons – for crunch.The soup is already super filling, it’s a meal on its own. But don’t let that stop you from serving it with sides. Potato soup with dinner rolls, anyone? Or how about soup and salad? Make the soup ahead of time! It will keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge. Just be sure to let it cool completely first before storing. Place it in an air-tight container to prevent it from absorbing the flavors and odors of neighboring fridge items.Do not freeze leftover potato soup. The soup will become runny and the potatoes mealy once thawed.
More Hearty Soup Recipes You’ll Love
Paula Deen’s Crockpot Potato Soup Easy Crockpot Taco Soup Paula Deen’s Goulash Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings 15-Bean Soup Click on a star to rate it!
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