Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon and Cheddar
Thick-cut bacon renders first and its fat becomes the base for the onion, celery and garlic, so smoke runs through every spoonful rather than sitting on top. Yukon Golds hold their cubes while giving up enough starch to thicken the pot, and blending half of it is what makes this potato soup velvety without extra cream. Sharp cheddar goes in off the heat so nothing turns grainy.
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 1 lb (450 g) thick-cut bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 1/2 lb (1.13 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 5 medium)
- 5 cups (1.2 l) low-sodium chicken stock plus more as needed
Roux & Cream
- 4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (32 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 2 cups (200 g) sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated, divided
- salt and black pepper to taste
- extra chopped cilantro, cheddar, and bacon for serving
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Skillet
- Blender or Potato Masher
Instructions
Bacon and Aromatics
- Cook the bacon: In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lift it onto paper towels and pour off all but about 1/4 cup of the rendered fat.
- Soften the vegetables: Add the diced onion and celery to the reserved bacon fat. Cook for 5 minutes, until softened and translucent at the edges, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, just until fragrant.
Build and Simmer
- Build the base: Stir in the cubed potatoes and cook 3 to 4 minutes so they pick up flavor. Return the bacon to the pot, pour in enough chicken stock to cover, cover the pot and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until a cube gives way easily to a fork.
- Make the roux: In a separate skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes, then add the heavy cream gradually, whisking until smooth. Stir in the tarragon and cilantro, bring barely to a boil and cook 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Blend and Finish
- Combine and blend: Pour the cream mixture into the pot and stir well. Blend about half the soup until silky, using an immersion blender or a countertop blender in batches, then stir it back through.
- Finish with cheese: Take the pot off the heat and wait 30 seconds. Stir in most of the cheddar a handful at a time, reserving some for topping, until fully melted. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved cheddar, the crisp bacon and plenty of chopped cilantro or scallions. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Notes
Blend about half the pot and no more. Over-blending bursts the starch granules and turns the texture slick and gluey.
Add the cheddar off the heat, a handful at a time, and grate it yourself from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with starch that goes grainy in hot liquid.
Make it ahead by stopping before the cream and cheese. Cool the base, refrigerate up to a day, then reheat gently and finish with the dairy.
Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge and reheat best low and slow with a splash of stock. Freeze the base only, before the cream and cheese go in, for up to 3 months.
For a vegetarian pot, use vegetable stock, skip the bacon, start with 3 tablespoons of butter and brown half a pound of cremini mushrooms in it.
Nutrition values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 545kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 1040mg | Potassium: 1200mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 350mg | Iron: 2.5mg