Description
Indulge in a rich and comforting bowl of Creamy Irish Potato Soup, filled with crispy bacon, leeks, and a blend of herbs and spices. This hearty soup is perfect for cold days or whenever you crave a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 16 ounces bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 leek, cleaned and finely sliced
- 8 cups Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
Seasonings:
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Clean, peel, and dice the potatoes. Finely dice the yellow onion and clean and thinly slice the leek. Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces to prep for cooking.
- In a large pot, add the bacon and cook over medium heat until crispy. Once cooked, remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the grease in the pot for added flavor in the next steps.
- Add the diced onions and sliced leeks to the bacon grease in the pot. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and fragrant to build the soup’s flavor base.
- Carefully remove and discard any excess bacon grease from the pot to avoid an overly greasy soup.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pot and add the diced potatoes. Stir everything together to combine the ingredients evenly.
- Add the bay leaves, dried thyme, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper to the pot. These herbs and spices enhance the flavor profile of the soup.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and cooked through.
- Use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes in the pot, which thickens the soup naturally. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth, depending on your preferred texture.
- Stir in the heavy cream to add richness and creaminess to the soup. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Notes
- You can garnish the soup with additional crispy bacon, chopped chives, or a dollop of sour cream for extra flavor.
- For a lighter version, you can use half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 1100 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg