Leftover mashed potato cheese soup

At long last, in the middle of January, snow arrived in Boston. Not a huge amount yet, but more is on the way, and I'm going to make plenty of leftover mashed potato cheese soup to reward the hardy shovelers.

Use your favorite mashed potatoes as the base. You could even use mashed garlic sweet potatoes. Loosen them up in a Dutch oven with a bit of vegetable stock or water; add spices; whisk in the yogurt and cheese; let everything melt together. This creamy good potato soup doesn't have any cream in it; Greek yogurt helps enrich the soup. If you don't have any leftover mashed potatoes, boil some diced potatoes until tender (dicing will make the potatoes cook faster), drain, and smash right in the pot with a few tablespoons of butter and milk. Then continue with the rest of the soup recipe. It couldn't be easier, or more satisfying, on a cold winter day.

Leftover mashed potato cheese soup {vegetarian, gluten-free}

From the pantry, you'll need: vegetable stock, kosher salt, fresh black pepper, cayenne pepper, plain nonfat Greek yogurt, shredded or grated cheese.

Serves 3-4; can be multiplied.

Ingredients

4 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1-1/2 cups grated mild Cheddar cheese + extra for garnish (or use any leftover grated cheese you have in the freezer)

Directions

In a small Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, add the mashed potatoes, stock, salt and pepper (and optional cayenne). Cook over low heat until the potatoes and stock have come together; you might have to nudge them with a whisk or wooden spoon every now and then.

If you like your soup super-smooth, remove the pot from heat, and use an immersion blender at this point to purée the soup.

Add the yogurt and 1-1/2 cups grated cheese. Gently stir until the cheese melts, and the soup turns a pale orange. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Ladle into individual serving bowls, and top with a sprinkling of black pepper and a bit more cheese.

Serve hot.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More potato soups:
Roasted cauliflower and potato soup, from The Perfect Pantry
Creamy Indian spiced vegan sweet potato soup, from The Perfect Pantry
Panera Bread baked potato soup, from CopyKat.com
Andean potato and cheese soup (locro de papa), from The Kitchn

Leftover mashed potato cheese soup {vegetarian, gluten-free}

From the pantry, you'll need: vegetable stock, kosher salt, fresh black pepper, cayenne pepper, plain nonfat Greek yogurt, shredded or grated cheese.

Serves 3-4; can be multiplied.

Ingredients

4 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1-1/2 cups grated mild Cheddar cheese + extra for garnish (or use any leftover grated cheese you have in the freezer)

Directions

In a small Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, add the mashed potatoes, stock, salt and pepper (and optional cayenne). Cook over low heat until the potatoes and stock have come together; you might have to nudge them with a whisk or wooden spoon every now and then.

If you like your soup super-smooth, remove the pot from heat, and use an immersion blender at this point to purée the soup.

Add the yogurt and 1-1/2 cups grated cheese. Gently stir until the cheese melts, and the soup turns a pale orange. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Ladle into individual serving bowls, and top with a sprinkling of black pepper and a bit more cheese.

Serve hot.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More potato soups:
Roasted cauliflower and potato soup, from The Perfect Pantry
Creamy Indian spiced vegan sweet potato soup, from The Perfect Pantry
Panera Bread baked potato soup, from CopyKat.com
Andean potato and cheese soup (locro de papa), from The Kitchn

Comments

This has to be the ultimate comfort food --- bring it on!

Sue, I like this even more than mac and cheese, if you can believe it!

I bet everyone who loves mashed potatoes will love this soup!

Kalyn, what's not to love? I think of this soup as "kid friendly"!

Oh, my, I need this soup... right now! My favorite comfort foods all in one. Now I just need to make some mashed potatoes!

Janice, so perfect for this rainy day, isn't it?

Has anyone ever done this in the crock pot?