Herb-Infused Creamy Potato Soup

Why This Herb-Infused Creamy Potato Soup Works

As the onions and garlic sit in the warm oil, they slowly soften and lose their sharp bite. They start to taste sweeter and mix into the oil, so that oil spreads their taste through the whole pot. When the potatoes go in with the chicken broth, they soak up that flavored liquid as they cook. Over those 20 minutes, the potatoes go from hard cubes to very soft pieces that break apart easily.

Once the handheld blender goes in, those soft potatoes blend into the broth and turn it thick and smooth. The starch from the potatoes is what makes the soup creamy and full, even before the dairy goes in. After the cream and cheddar are stirred in, the hot soup melts the cheese and it disappears into the liquid, giving the soup a richer, silkier feel. Near the end, the parsley and thyme go in so they stay bright and fresh, and a short extra simmer lets their taste spread evenly through the thick potato base.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the potatoes simmer for too short a time leaves them firm in the center, so when the blender goes in, small hard chunks stay in the soup. Those bits don’t break down and the soup ends up lumpy instead of creamy, with pieces that feel undercooked against the smooth base.

Cranking the heat too high after adding the cream and cheese can cause the dairy to split. The fat pulls away from the liquid, so instead of a smooth, velvety soup, the pot fills with a grainy, slightly oily mixture that looks curdled.

Adding the herbs at the very beginning with the onions and garlic makes them cook for too long. The parsley and thyme darken and lose their fresh smell, and by the end the soup looks dull and the herbs turn into soft, tired flecks instead of bright green bits.

Pouring in all the broth without checking the level can leave the soup too thin once it’s blended. Even with the cream and cheese, the texture stays more like a drinkable broth than a thick, spoon-coating potato soup.