Less-Loaded {with Calories not Flavor!} Potato Soup

Less-Loaded Potato Soup is cozy comfort food in a bowl, lightened up of calories but not flavor.

Cooking Light Magazine’s January/February issue had a recipe makeover for Potato Soup.

The Less-Loaded version is out with the calories and saturated fat~ but in with plenty of flavor and creamy texture, without the cream!

Comfort food in a bowl for a cold, wintry day!

One of the secrets to this makeover is the addition of oven-roasted cauliflower which becomes sweet and nutty when roasted.

And without the addition of butter and cream in the soup, there is room for a little indulgence and flavor from toppings~ bacon and sharp cheddar cheese.

Recipe adapted Cooking Light

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 pound cubed peeled baking potato, about 2

1 pound cubed Yukon gold potato, about 4*

5 cups unsalted chicken stock*

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 bay leaf

1 pound cauliflower, cut into florets (about 1/2 head)*

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream*

2 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 1/2 cup)

4 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

 Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, thyme, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes, stock, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until potatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf.

 While potatoes simmer, combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, cauliflower, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper; toss to coat. Roast at 400° for 30 minutes or until browned, turning once.

 Place cauliflower mixture and milk in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour cauliflower mixture into a large bowl. Add half of potato mixture to blender; pulse 5 to 6 times or until coarsely chopped. Pour into bowl with cauliflower mixture. Repeat with remaining potato mixture. Place cauliflower-potato mixture in Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 cup green onions, and sour cream; stir until sour cream melts. Ladle soup into 8 bowls. Top evenly with remaining green onions, cheese, and bacon.

*Notes:

• I used light sour cream and  Kitchen Basics Chicken Stock, reduced sodium.
• In addition to 2 baking potatoes, I used a little over half of a 28 oz. bag of Honey Gold. The remaining potatoes in the bag I roasted in the oven (while roasting the cauliflower), adding as a topping for more potato texture in the soup.
• My cauliflower was on the small side so I used the whole head.
• I used my immersion blender instead of regular blender for less clean up.

Print Recipe

Less-Loaded {with Calories not Flavor!} Potato Soup

A recipe makeover for Potato Soup with the addition of oven-roasted cauliflower which becomes sweet and nutty when roasted. The Less-Loaded version is out with the calories and saturated fat~ but in with plenty of flavor and creamy texture, without the cream.

Prep Time35 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cauliflower, lightened up, potato soup, reduced fat, winter comfort food

Servings: 8

Equipment

• immersion blender
• Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 5 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 pound cubed peeled baking potato about 2
• 1 pound cubed Yukon gold potato about 4
• 5 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound cauliflower cut into florets (about 1/2 head)
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
• 1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions divided
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese about 1/2 cup
• 4 slices center-cut bacon cooked and crumbled

Instructions

• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat.
• Add onion, thyme, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add potatoes, stock, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bay leaf; bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until potatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat; discard bay leaf.
• While potatoes simmer, combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, cauliflower, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper; toss to coat.
• Roast at 400° for 30 minutes or until browned, turning once.
• Place cauliflower mixture and milk in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening (to avoid splatters).
• Blend until smooth. Pour cauliflower mixture into a large bowl.
• Add half of potato mixture to blender; pulse 5 to 6 times or until coarsely chopped. Pour into bowl with cauliflower mixture. Repeat with remaining potato mixture.
• Place cauliflower-potato mixture in Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 cup green onions, and sour cream; stir until sour cream melts.
• Ladle soup into 8 bowls. Top evenly with remaining green onions, cheese, bacon and cubes of roasted potato if desired.

Notes

• Without the addition of butter and cream in the soup, there is room for a little indulgence and flavor from toppings - bacon and sharp cheddar cheese.
• Use an immersion blender to puree cauliflower and potato directly in Dutch oven for less clean up and to reduce risk of exploding hot soup.
• In addition to 2 baking potatoes, I added a little over half of a 28 oz. bag of Honey Gold (Yukon Gold potatoes) to the pot of soup. The remaining potatoes in the bag I roasted in the oven while roasting the cauliflower, adding as a topping for more potato texture in the soup.
• My cauliflower was on the small side so I used the whole head.

Hope you’re staying warm & cozy!

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