Description
Hearty potato and bacon soup delivers comfort in a bowl, blending rustic flavors from classic ingredients. Rich, creamy broth with crispy bacon pieces promises a warm embrace that satisfies deep hunger pangs for home-style cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 6 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
Vegetables:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lb (907 grams) Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Other Ingredients:
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (946 milliliters) chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian option)
- 1 cup (237 milliliters) heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Optional garnish:
- Chopped green onions
- Shredded cheese
- Extra bacon bits
Instructions
- Render the bacon in a spacious pot, transforming it into crispy golden fragments over medium heat. Extract the bacon pieces onto a paper towel, preserving the rich, smoky drippings in the cooking vessel.
- Introduce diced onions, celery, and carrots into the bacon-infused environment. Sauté the vegetables until they soften and become translucent, allowing their aromatics to develop. Incorporate minced garlic, stirring briefly to release its fragrant essence.
- Dust the vegetable mixture with flour, creating a light, silky roux. Continuously stir to prevent scorching and ensure a smooth, even coating.
- Gradually stream chicken broth into the pot, using a whisk to incorporate and lift any caramelized remnants from the bottom. Tumble cubed potatoes and Italian seasoning into the liquid, bringing the mixture to a robust boil before reducing to a gentle simmer.
- Allow the potatoes to tenderize, approximately 15-20 minutes, until they yield easily when pierced. For a more luxurious texture, partially mash or blend the soup, maintaining some delightful potato chunks.
- Enrich the soup with velvety heavy cream and fold in the majority of the crisp bacon, reserving a few pieces for garnishing. Season thoughtfully with salt and pepper, balancing the flavors.
- Ladle the steaming soup into serving bowls, adorning with reserved bacon bits, verdant green onions, or a sprinkle of sharp cheese to elevate the presentation.
Notes
- Crisp bacon renders out delicious fat, creating a rich flavor base for the entire soup without adding extra oil.
- Choose starchy potatoes like Russet or Yukon Gold for the best creamy texture and optimal thickening potential.
- Simmer potatoes gently to prevent breaking down completely, maintaining a hearty, chunky soup consistency.
- Customize the soup by swapping bacon for smoked turkey or vegetarian bacon bits to accommodate different dietary preferences.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg