Warm, yummy, and so easy to make… who doesn’t love that grouping of words together?! Irish Potato Soup does it all and then some. You dip your spoon into a creamy, cheesy, savory mix, loaded with tender potatoes, nourishing veggies, salty bacon, and lots of flavor! Top it with more melty cheese, crispy bacon, and herbaceous chives to really get the full effect. Dinner time never felt so fulfilling! Not until Irish Potato Soup made its appearance at least!
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 10 strips bacon, divided
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth, unsalted
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup sour cream
For serving:
- 1/3 cup chives, chopped
- 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
Step 1 –In a skillet, cook the bacon until crispy.
Step 2 –Allow the bacon to cool and crumble it into small pieces. Place 1/2 of the crumbled bacon into a slow cooker and reserve the other 1/2 in the fridge for serving.
Step 3 –Add the onion, the celery, the garlic, and the potatoes into the slow cooker.
Step 4 –Add the broth, the parsley, the salt, and the pepper to the veggie mixture.
Step 5 –Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low-heat for 8 hours or high-heat for 4 hours.
Step 6 –Use a potato masher or an immersion blender to mash some of the potatoes in the slow cooker.
Step 7 –In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter until it begins to sizzle.
Step 8 –Whisk the flour into the butter for 1 minute.
Step 9 –Slowly, add the milk, 1/4 cup at a time, whisking after each addition until the milk is completely mixed in.
Step 10 –Cook the mixture, while constantly whisking, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
Step 11 –Turn off the heat and stir 2 cups of the cheese and the sour cream into the sauce mixture.
Step 12 –Mix the sauce into the soup and stir to combine.
Step 13 –Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the reserved bacon, the remaining cheese, and the chives.
Step 14 –Serve.