Irish Potato Soup
Creamy, bacon-infused Irish Potato Soup is pure comfort in a bowl. Made with simple ingredients and ready in under an hour, it's the perfect hearty meal for St. Patrick's Day or any chilly night.
Ingredients
- 6 strips of bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed into small pieces
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 3-4 cups broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ of a lemon, optional
- 1 Tbsp chopped chives
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Toppings:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- More chopped chives
- Sliced green onions
- Chopped red onions
- Crumbled bacon
- A dollop of sour cream
Equipment
Instructions
- Place the bacon pieces in a 4-to-5-quart soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Cook until the pieces are browned and crispy.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the bacon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Set this portion aside for garnishing later.
- Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the pot with the remaining bacon drippings.
- Sauté the vegetables until they begin to soften, approximately 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the flour and add the minced garlic, stirring continuously for 1–2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add the cubed potatoes to the pot and pour in the broth.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and let it cook for 15 minutes.
- To test for doneness, press a potato cube against the side of the pot with a spoon. It should break apart easily without being mushy. If they are still firm, continue simmering for another 5 minutes and test again.
- Once the potatoes are tender, lower the heat to its minimum setting and pour in the heavy cream.
- For a rustic, semi-chunky soup: Use an immersion blender to briefly pulse a few times, breaking up only some of the potatoes.
- For a silky, smooth soup: Blend the entire pot until velvety.
- For a brothy soup: Simply leave the soup as-is without blending.
- Stir in the chopped chives and a portion of the reserved crispy bacon (remember to keep some back for the toppings).
- Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Since broth saltiness varies, begin with ½ teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper, then adjust after stirring and tasting.
- Ladle the soup into individual bowls.
- Offer an array of toppings so everyone can customize their bowl: shredded cheddar, extra chives, sliced green onions, chopped red onions, the remaining crumbled bacon, and a dollop of sour cream.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Storage: Store leftover Irish potato soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or larger portions on the stovetop until heated through.
- Freezer: Once completely cool, store this Irish soup in the freezer for up to 3 months, either in an airtight container or individual portions in freezer-safe bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat to serve with fresh garnish, if desired.
- Vegetarian potato soup: Simply omit the bacon and use olive oil or butter to sauté the veggies and garlic.
- Dairy-free Irish potato soup: Substitute the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk or a generous splash of unsweetened oat milk.
- Gluten-free Irish potato soup: Replace the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with a gluten-free alternative like cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with cold water) or a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend, adding it at the same step in the recipe directions to thicken the soup.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 231kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 480mg, Potassium: 590mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1697IU, Vitamin C: 28mg, Calcium: 35mg, Iron: 1mg