I recently had the opportunity to sample three new hearty potato soups from Pacific Natural Foods.  I have to admit I am not a huge soup fan but when I do indulge my tastes tend to skew towards the more chunky and creamy varieties.  I received their Chipotle Sweet Potato, Thai Sweet Potato, and Rosemary Potato soup varieties that were perfectly matched to my soup preferences.

I will be the first to admit that I am not fan a pre-made soups as I find them terribly overpowering in the salt department – so I was a bit skeptical initially when the products arrived – though my concerns would soon be alleviated at first taste.  The first thing I always do is look at the ingredient list on a product to identify any allergens or questionable ingredients.  What’s great about these soups (and with Pacific Natural Foods in general) is that you can actually identify every ingredient because they are real, everyday ingredients.  It’s nice not to have to compromise quality or taste for convenience – and these products could not be any easier to whip up – just heat and eat.

Now on to the reviews…

First up was the Chipotle Sweet Potato.  This was a blend of both regular and sweet potatoes which added another level of complexity from a taste and consistency standpoint.  You could really taste the earthiness of the white potatoes perfectly complimented by the rich sweetness of the sweet potatoes.  While the primary flavor was chipotle, it was not overpowering of overly spicy.  You had the slight kick of the chipotle that helped to round out the wonderful onion, garlic, cumin, and cilantro notes that melded perfectly in the cream base.

Next came the Thai Sweet Potato variety, which, again was a welcome surprise.  This is a straightforward sweet potato base with winter squash and  the added influence of Asian spices.  This was a more mild flavored soup in my opinion with subtle notes of chili, lemongrass, and ginger all perfectly balanced and perfectly complimented by the creamed coconut in the base.

Last up was the Rosemary Potato variety.  This was a wonderfully simple soup, well chowder actually,  that was packed with flavor.  Chunky potatoes with celery, onion, and carrots swimming in a rich cream sauce with the perfect compliment of rosemary – I mean, how can you go wrong?  I actually decided to add some roasted gluten-free organic chicken sausage to this one and it made for the perfect hearty comfort meal.

Pacific Natural Foods also makes finding products that suit specific food allergies or dietary restrictions easy by allowing visitors to their site the ability to sort their complete product line based on individual needs and preferences.  Head on over to their Web site and give it a try.  While you are there, check out their complete range of products from beverages to soups and everything in between.