Description
This Creamy Irish Potato Soup is a comforting and hearty dish made with crispy bacon, tender Yukon gold or russet potatoes, aromatic leeks and onions, and a rich blend of herbs and heavy cream. Perfect for a cozy meal, this soup combines smooth texture with savory flavors, delivering a classic taste of Irish-inspired home cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats
- 16 ounces bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
Vegetables
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 leek, cleaned and finely sliced
- 8 cups Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and diced
Liquids & Broth
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
Herbs & Spices
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Gather and prepare ingredients: 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.
- Cook bacon: 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.
- Sauté onions and leeks: 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.
- Drain excess grease: Carefully remove and discard any excess bacon grease from the pot to avoid an overly greasy soup.
- Add broth and potatoes: Pour the chicken broth into the pot and add the diced potatoes. Stir everything together to combine the ingredients evenly.
- Season the soup: 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.
- Cook 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.
- Thicken the soup: 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.
- Add heavy cream and adjust seasonings: 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
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit bacon or use vegetarian bacon alternatives.
- You can use russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes based on your preference; Yukon gold yield a creamier texture.
- If you want a thicker soup, blend more potatoes or add a bit of flour or cornstarch slurry to thicken.
- The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- Add fresh chopped chives or green onions as garnish for extra flavor and color.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
