Potato Soup, Lightened Up
A cool-weather staple, creamy potato soup can have anywhere from 300 to 500 calories and 35 grams of fat per serving! Our lightened-up versions taste just as good as the cream-laden recipes and, since the main ingredients are potatoes, won’t bust your budget.
Thanks to the starch content, potatoes make a creamy soup all by themselves. All you have to do is combine sautéed vegetables and diced potatoes with chicken or vegetable broth. Cook until the potatoes are tender and puree the mix using a blender or food mill. For a deeper flavor, try roasting the potatoes first.
A typical potato soup recipe made with heavy cream has 10 times more fat than one using with whole milk, so make the switch! Or, for a calorie-controlled bit of richness, swap out cream for extra broth or water and top individual portions with a small dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche.
- Buy bags of potatoes when they’re on sale -- store them in a cool, dry place for two to three months.
- Make a meal out of a broth soup by adding chunks of potatoes like in this Rhode Island Clam Chowder.
- Make large batches of soup, pack it in quart containers and store them in the freezer.
- Keep calories under control by using lots of sautéed veggies such as celery, carrots, leeks and onions.
- Swap out classic toppers -- bacon and cheese -- with whole wheat croutons and chives.
-
Healthy recipes to try: