Fast & Creamy Vegetable Soup

This creamy vegetable soup is a pantry-and-freezer rescue meal. Frozen mixed vegetables, instant mashed potatoes, milk, and chicken bouillon come together into a thick, comforting bowl without any from-scratch fuss.

The instant mashed potatoes are the clever move here. Stirred into the hot milk and broth base, they dissolve and thicken the soup into a creamy, potato-soup consistency without needing to peel, boil, or mash a single potato. The starch also helps the soup hold together when reheated instead of separating.

Diced celery adds a fresh, crunchy contrast to the soft frozen vegetables and creamy base. It’s a small touch that keeps the texture from being monotone.

Pro Tips

• Cook and drain the frozen vegetables first as directed. Adding them frozen and undrained to the milk base will water down the soup and drop the temperature.
• Stir constantly when adding the instant potatoes. They clump fast if they hit a still pot.
• Taste before adding all the salt. The chicken bouillon granules are already quite salty.
• The soup thickens as it sits. Add a splash of milk when reheating to thin it back out.

Variations

• Add shredded cheddar cheese after removing from heat for a cheesy vegetable chowder.
• Stir in diced cooked chicken or ham for added protein.
• Use broccoli florets instead of mixed vegetables for a cream of broccoli version.