Potato Cream Soup

Made with a high onion-to-potato ratio, this chop-and-drop recipe is light, tastes intensely of potato and has just enough dairy to feel opulent but not oppressive. We’re talking one of those easy recipes with barely any prep time and a total time of under an hour. It’s the bowl of soup you’ll want on repeat all winter long.

2 lbs russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, thinly sliced (~ 4 large)
1 lb white onions, thinly sliced (~ 2 medium)
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 cup water
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup sour cream
2 tsp. distilled white vinegar
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

To Serve:
thinly sliced scallions
chopped pickled jalapeños
finely chopped dill
extra-virgin olive oil

Mix potatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, salt, thyme, and 1 cup water in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot to combine. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as need to keep vegetables from browning, until onions are very tender and translucent, 12-18 minutes.

Add chicken broth to the pot, re-cover and cook until potatoes are tender and falling apart, about 12-18 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in ½ cup sour cream.

Using an immersion blender, blend soup in pot until mostly smooth; you want some small lumps and pieces of skin. (Alternatively, you can purée soup, in batches in a food processor, transferring to a medium bowl as you go. Return soup to pot before proceeding.)

Stir in the vinegar and black pepper into the soup and reheat over medium, stirring often, until hot but not bubbling (boiling might curdle the soup). Taste and season with more salt and/or pepper if desired.

Ladle soup among bowls. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and scatter scallions, pickled jalapeños and dill over top. Drizzle with oil.

Makes 4 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Make-Ahead: Soup (without toppings) can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat soup over medium-low, adding a splash or so of water to thin as needed. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.

• Use russet potatoes for a light-coloured soup reminiscent of baked potatoes, or switch to Yukon Golds for a buttery yellow version that tastes faintly nutty - and a bit like your favourite mashed potatoes. Choose spuds with no visible green spots and scrub the skin well since you’ll be using them unpeeled. Skip the cute baby potatoes; the ratio of skin to flesh is a bit skewed and the soup won’t taste quite right (and please no red potatoes or sweet potatoes here). The soup is best left slightly chunky, with bits of skin and flesh so it’s less baby food goop and more sophisticated dinner. Do not use a blender to purée the soup - it will turn gluey and no one deserves that. An immersion blender is best here, a food processor a close second and a vigorous smashing with a potato masher could be an acceptable alternative. The direction to use slices, instead of diced chunks, means you’ll have an easier time of it.
• Sour cream adds the richness usually supplied by heavy cream, but it also gives this soup tang and body and chicken stock or broth adds flavour without weighing it down.
• Want to know how to make potato soup really sing? Toppings. For a fresh, zippy garnish, we like a mix of green onions, pickled jalapeños and fresh dill. For fully loaded baked potato soup vibes, add in some crispy bacon, grated sharp cheddar cheese, trimmed chives, a sprinkle of cayenne and another dollop of sour cream. Serve as a main course with a fresh salad and a good crusty loaf and call it a night. Save any leftovers in an airtight container.