Creamy Cheesy Potato Soup with Bacon

Still Cold?

Waiting for a January Thaw? 

Warm-up with a bowl of Cheesy Potato Soup with Bacon. Pair the soup with artisan bread and a light salad. 

Cheesy Potato Soup with Bacon 

Cook's Notes: Now I know there are a plethora of potato soup recipes around but this one is definitely a "shining star." The surprising add-ins spices give the soup a depth of flavor. It was "off the charts for me."
Yellow or Yukon Gold potatoes contain more moisture than high-starch potatoes (like russets), so they don't fall apart as easily. This type of potato is a good choice for this soup. Soup will be thicker on the second day so use more chicken broth to thin it out. The recipe serves 4-6 depending on the size of the bowl.

 Cooking Tips:

• Cut your potatoes into pieces no larger than 3/4″ and try to keep them around the same size so that they cook at the same time. Nothing worse than biting into a crisp, raw-inside chunk of potato!
• To make this soup nice and creamy, I recommend pureeing about half of it either by using an immersion blender or by transferring a portion of the soup to a blender, pureeing, and then stirring the pureed soup back into the pot. If you want a completely smooth soup you can puree all of it, but I prefer to have a few actual pieces of potato, so I think pureeing half gives it the best taste and texture.
• Don’t return the bacon to the pot until after you have pureed some of the soup. It’s best not to blend the bacon 😉.
• The ancho chili powder is, in my humble opinion, a must and gives this soup the most perfect depth of flavor. I blended it into the potato soup and also sprinkled it on top before serving. I recommend adding just a 1/4 teaspoon and then taste testing before adding more. 

DID YOU KNOW? Ancho chile powder is a staple in Mexican cuisine and is one of the most popular spices in the region, part of its ‘holy trinity’ -- this powder has a moderate heat and is made from dried and ground poblano chiles. This spice is usually used in sauces and salsa. Chili powder and a dash of red pepper flakes for the ancho chile powder can be substituted.

Ingredients:

• 5 strips (uncooked) bacon cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons butter unsalted or salted will work
• 1 cup each celery and onions
• 3 large garlic cloves minced
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 ½ lbs. gold potatoes peeled and diced into pieces no larger than 1 inch about 5-1/2 cups
• 1-32 oz. box of chicken broth, low sodium
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder or 1/4 tsp. chili powder with a dash of red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese 

Directions:

• Place bacon pieces in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until bacon is crisp and browned. Remove bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Add butter chopped onions and celery and cook over medium heat until onions are tender (3 minutes).
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
• Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients in the pot and stir until smooth (use whisk if needed).
• Add diced potatoes to the pot along with chicken broth, heavy cream, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and all spices. Stir well.
• Bring to a boil, reduce to medium and cook uncovered until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (about 20 minutes).
• Reduce heat to simmer and remove approximately half of the soup to a blender (be careful, it will be hot!) and puree until smooth (half is about 5 cups of soup, but just eyeballing the amount will be fine. Alternatively you can use an immersion blender.).
• Return the pureed soup to the pot. Add cheddar cheese and bacon, allow soup to simmer on low for 15 minutes before serving. Top with chopped scallions or fresh chives.

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Apple Walnut Quinoa Salad-perfect pairing for the soup.