This potato leek soup with bacon is perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any other time. It's an easy 30-minute recipe that tastes like it was simmering on the stovetop all day. Add some shredded cheese, extra bacon, or a drizzle of heavy cream, and dig in.
2-3stripsbacon(cooked, crumbled - reserve some for adding to the top when serving)
1tablespoonchives(chopped)
¼cupheavy cream(more to drizzle as garnish when serving, if desired)
2tablespoonsmoked white cheddar(grated, optional garnish)
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Instructions
In a large stock pot, melt butter over medium high heat and add sliced leek. Saute the leek for a few seconds by itself, then add the minced garlic and continue to saute until the leek begins to wilt (2-3 minutes).
Add seasoning (thyme, salt, pepper) once the leek has begun to wilt. Add the chicken broth and diced potatoes, stir and add the turmeric. Stir again and cover. Reduce heat to medium and cook at a low boil until the potatoes are fork tender and come apart easily, about 15 minutes.
Once the potatoes are tender, use a hand blender to puree the soup base until it is your desired level of smoothness (we like ours a bit rustic, with a few chunks that can still be found in the soup). Add the crumbled bacon, chopped chives, and heavy cream. Stir and serve.
Top with your choice of garnish. We used some more crumbled bacon, a few sprigs of thyme, some freshly grated smoked white cheddar and a swirl of heavy cream.
Video
Notes
We like to leave our potato leek soup a bit rustic (a few chunky pieces) versus blending it until completely smooth. You can do whichever you prefer!
If using a standard blender, do not fill it more than halfway with soup. Leave the hole in the lid open and cover it with a clean dish towel to let the steam escape.
If your soup is too thick, you can add more broth to thin it out. If it is too thin, you can always blend some cooked potato and stir it in or let it simmer for a few more minutes to thicken up!