The Major Reason Your Potato Soup Turned Out Slimy - Tasting Table (2024)

FAQs

The Major Reason Your Potato Soup Turned Out Slimy - Tasting Table? ›

Overly mashed, super starchy potatoes are the major reason for slimy soup, so take special preparations to prevent unappealing textures. First, choose a balance of starchy and waxy potatoes, then treat them gently, and you can avoid putting hours of work into a bowl of starchy slime.

If the potatoes are pulverized too thoroughly, they will leach gelatinized starch into the broth. This starch will bond with the broth, causing the body of the soup to become slimy.

Check each potato for injuries or wounds and discard those that seem suspect. Also, potatoes that have suffered from late blight (the infamous Irish Potato Famine blight) often turn to slime, too.

The recommended method here is to press the potatoes through a ricer (instead of using a blender), which gives the soup a light and clean texture and eliminates the gluey consistency common in other recipes.

When you blend, mash, or strain potatoes, you release more and more starches from the flesh. After a certain point, this can quickly overwhelm the liquid in your soup recipe, as the starches absorb liquid while turning more and more gluey, gummy, and thick.

Tell-tale signs that your potato soup has gone bad include a sour smell, a change in the colour or a film of mould on the surface. Also, if your soup has been in the fridge for more than a week, it's best to discard it to ensure food safety.

To enhance the taste of your potato soup, experiment with various seasonings. Classic choices include bay leaves, thyme, and a pinch of nutmeg. For a hint of spice, try a touch of cayenne pepper or paprika. Remember to taste as you go to ensure the perfect balance of flavors.

Overly mashed, super starchy potatoes are the major reason for slimy soup, so take special preparations to prevent unappealing textures.

As already discussed, pastiness is caused by too much potato starch being worked into the mashed potatoes. The main way we combat this problem is by rinsing away starch, both before and after cooking potatoes for fluffy mashed potatoes. Rinsing off starch means that there is less of it that can end up in the dish.

Corn-starch slurry is an easy way to thicken soups and sauces quickly. Mix equal parts corn starch and cold water (1 tablespoon is a good starting point) in a bowl until all the corn starch is dissolved and the resultant liquid is consistent. Then pour slowly in soup while storing continuously.

How to make potato soup more thick? ›

To thicken potato soup without creating lumps, you can use a roux made of equal parts butter and flour. Melt the butter in a separate pan, add the flour, and whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk the roux into the soup, and let it simmer until thickened.

One trick to make your potato soup a little less grainy is to add some form of dairy –- cream, milk, or even cheese. Because dairy is generally creamy in texture, that characteristic will carry over into your soup. Crisis averted.

You can also add some grated cheese. I would use a hard cheese like Parmigiano or Romano. Now just season to taste. With a simple soup like potato, I would stick to salt and pepper only.

Blanch in hot water

Blanching potatoes in hot water helps to remove even more starch. They only need to be cooked for a few minutes until tender. The tiny starch granules absorb the hot water and swell and burst, transferring the starch from the potato to the boiling water.

Another simple way of removing starch from potatoes is by simply blanching them in hot water.

Check the texture: If the soup has become slimy or has a strange texture, it's a sign that it's gone bad. Taste a small amount: If you're still not sure, you can taste a small amount of the soup. If it tastes off or has a strange flavor, it's best to err on the side of caution and throw it out.

As they age, or with improper storage, potatoes may develop sprouting and green spots. If there isn't any sprouting, you can use the color change as an indicator of spoilage. If the skin looks greenish or if there's sprouting present, you'll need to remove the sprouts or toss the whole potato, depending on severity.

If your soup has too much onion, one effective way to balance the flavor is by diluting it with broth or water. Start by removing a portion of the soup and setting it aside. In a separate pot, heat up some vegetable or chicken broth, or simply water, and gradually add it to the soup while tasting along the way.

A pinch of seasoning can make all the difference to freshen up the flavors in a ho-hum soup. Most canned soups have plenty of sodium, so skip the salt and stick with spices like cumin or curry powder or try dried herbs like basil or rosemary.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

Why is my potato soup bland? ›

Why is my potato and leek soup bland? Although leeks are known for its powerful taste, your potato and leek soup can occasionally come out bland. The reasons are usually two: you didn't season your soup at all, worrying it might be too salty because of the leeks; or you added to much water for the stock.

Raw potatoes should be firm to the touch with tight skin that's free of large bruises, black spots, or other blemishes. If a potato has become soft or mushy, you should throw it out. Though it's normal for potatoes to smell earthy or nutty, a musty or moldy odor is a hallmark of spoilage.