Depression-Era Potato Soup Is Cheap, Filling, And Only 3 Ingredients

The Great Depression, the decade-long economic downturn that began in 1929, was a time of scarcity that required folks to get creative in the kitchen. It gave birth to inexpensive dishes like peanut-butter stuffed onions and water pie, in which water is a main ingredient. One Depression-era dish that's still around is potato soup, although it tends to include more ingredients today. During the heart of the Depression, there was a potato soup recipe that required only three main ingredients — potatoes, milk, and butter. The recipe was from a May 1935 edition of the Journal Tribune from Biddeford, Maine, and begins: "Potato soup is nice and inexpensive." That's still true today.

The recipe calls for four potatoes that have been boiled and mashed, mixed with a quart of heated milk, and a walnut-sized pat of butter. It's then flavored with salt and pepper. That's it. The soup is simple, hearty, and cheap, which is exactly what folks in the 1930s needed. Given today's cost of living, you might want to try this recipe yourself. If it's a bit too plain, we've found some other Depression-era potato soup recipes that seem a bit more flavorful.

Potatoes were a staple food during the Great Depression since they were cheap and filling, and as a basis for a soup, a family could stretch them into an entire meal with only a few other ingredients. While the Journal Tribune recipe was the simplest, and thus one of the cheapest versions, there were other potato soup recipes from the era with additions to boost the nutrition and tastiness.

A "Scotch" version from the Daily News in New York City includes celery, leeks, and onion tops for a bit more nutrition, flavor, and texture. It also calls for flour to thicken it, bacon bits for flavor and more protein, and a dash of paprika. Then there's one from New Orleans, where food has always been a serious business, even during the Depression, that sounds both delicious and economical. 

In this recipe from November 1936 from the New Orleans States-Item, the potatoes are cooked in the water used to boil a ham (which is a separate dish). This stock, which is also flavored with cloves, bay leaves, a little brown sugar, and sliced onions, becomes the basis for the soup. It's finished off with diced celery, parsley, and bacon bits. As you can see, even during a time of economic insecurity, there were a variety of ways to fill bellies and satisfy tastebuds with potato soup, from the simple three-ingredient version to the more complex, yet still economical, New Orleans recipe.