Brrrrrr!  While we don’t have snow, it’s pretty darn cold in Charlotte today.   The temperature is just above freezing and I’ve spent the day in woolly socks and a bulky sweater.  Our dog, Lady, has been my only impetus to go outside and I’ve consumed far too many cups of peppermint tea.   In short, it’s soup weather.

My friend Jon requested a soup recipe from Minced last week and I had plans to make a hearty chili or an elegant bisque today.  However that would require going to the grocery store and frankly I would prefer to stay inside.  Thankfully, I remembered my mother’s recipe for French Soup that was one of my favorites growing up.

My mother often prepared this soup for lunch on Sundays with tuna salad sandwiches.   As kids, its buttery potato flavor was reminiscent of mashed potatoes and while it’s technically known as French Soup, it has always been called Mashed Potato soup in my family.

Humble ingredients make this soup (I’m willing to bet you have all the ingredients in your fridge now ), but the final product is far from boring. Silky smooth with great buttery flavor, it’s a bellyful of warmth on a cold and dreary winter day. Bon appetit and stay warm!

French Soup (aka Mashed Potato Soup) – Printer Friendly Recipe
Makes 3 cups

This recipe only makes 3 cups of soup, but it can easily be doubled or tripled. Don’t worry about making too much – you won’t have any problems eating it!

¼ cup unsalted butter
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Yukon gold potato, peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 ½ cups less sodium chicken broth
½ cup half and half
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.   Add the carrot, potato, celery, and onion and sauté briefly, about 3 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.

Simmer the soup for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.  Carefully ladle the soup into a blender and purée.   Note: Be careful pureeing hot soups in the blender.  I recommend pureeing in small batches to prevent the soup from coming out the top of the blender and causing burns.

Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in the half and half.   Gently reheat the soup; do not let it boil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve and enjoy!