Potato Cheddar Soup

If there is one meal that takes the cake for the coziest, tastiest, and crave-worthy dinner, it’s this Potato Cheddar Soup. Hearty, creamy, potato-y, and filled with so many veggies. it’s the soup that had me hooked after one taste! The method is similar to most all soups - cook all the veggies together so they’re soft + tender. The twist is blending up about 70% of the veggies and leaving the rest as is, giving this soup an ideal texture. It’s creamy + smooth while still having delightful chunks of potato, carrot, and onion layered in each spoonful. Serve it with an assortment of toppings + warm sourdough to customize your bowl of soup to your liking, and it’s a heavenly dinner experience. Simple to make + I’m eager to make it again!

 
 

For the soup

  • 6 slices of bacon, cut into lardons

  • 2 tbsp butter

  • 4 celeery stalks. finely chopped

  • 1 onion, diced

  • 2 carrots, halved + sliced

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • salt + pepper

  • 2.5 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled + diced into bitesize cubes

  • 2 tsp fresh thyme

  • 1/2 tsp paprika

  • 1 tsp chile powder

  • 5-6 c. broth

  • 1/2 c. heavy cream

  • to garnish: shredded cheddar + chives

Start by placing a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon until totally crispy. Once totally cooked, remove the bacon from the pot + transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Leave 2 tbsp of the bacon fat in the pan.

Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add in the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Cook until tender - about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, season the veggies with salt + pepper, stir, and add in the potatoes, thyme, paprika + chile powder. Let the potatoes cook for 2-3 minutes, then add in 5 cups of broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pan + reduce the heat to low. Let the soup cook for 20 minutes - the potatoes should be nice & tender.

Transfer about 70% of the veggies + a large marjority of the broth to a blender. Puree until perfectly smooth. Add the puree back to the pot with the reserved veggies + return the pot to medium low. Stir in the heavy cream + bring the soup back to a low simmer. Let the soup simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, adding in a bit more broth if you want a thinner consistency. Cover the pot + turn the burner to low, keeping the soup warm until you’re ready to eat.

Serve the soup with a pile of shredded chese, bacon, and chives sprinkled on top. It’s heavenly!

Lesley ZehnerComment