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

The reason why your soup might be turning gluey or even slimy is that you're overworking your spuds.

Second, you can change your cooking method. If you slice and fry the potatoes first, you can get their starches cooked (and add some tasty Maillard reaction browning) before putting them in the blender with the rest of the soup. Third, you can try a different kind of potato.

Potatoes – use starchy or all rounders, they fall apart when simmered which means less blending for creamy soup = less risk of gluey soup*.

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.

If you object to the slimy texture, you can put some cornmeal into your dish and that will absorb the sliminess.

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.

High-intensity mashing methods like using blenders, hand mixers, or food processors overwork the potatoes, which breaks down their cells. For the best, balanced texture, use a potato masher to gently mash some of the boiled potatoes directly in the soup pot.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Cooking causes the starch granules within the potato cells to absorb water and swell. Some cells will inevitably burst, releasing tacky gel that helps give mashed potatoes their cohesiveness.

Why isn't my potato soup thick? ›

Pour in a little cream to add thickness and a silky texture.

Adding cream to your soup will help thicken it, and it will give the potato soup a creamy, silky texture. In addition, the cream adds a rich flavor that goes perfectly with potato soup.

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.

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.

It turns out, then, that contrary to internet opinion, it is possible to redeem your potato leek soup if somehow it becomes gluey. Ladle some into a freezer bag, freeze it flat, thaw it, and pour off the water.

You need to dilute by a five parts or so Take a quarter of the soup (a cup full) and dilute it with 5 cups of ideally milk, or otherwise stock or water. You will also need quite a lot of salt and pepper - taste as you go. Reheat, but don't boil if you can avoid it. Then continue as in the original recipe.