Irish Potato Soup (Printer-friendly)
A creamy, comforting classic featuring tender potatoes, leeks, and onions, perfect for chilly days or as a light meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1.5 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 1 large leek, cleaned and sliced
03 - 1 medium onion, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 medium carrot, diced
→ Liquids
06 - 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
07 - 1 cup whole milk
→ Dairy
08 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Seasonings
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 0.5 tsp dried thyme
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley
13 - Crumbled cooked bacon or shredded cheddar cheese
# How to Prepare:
01 - In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, leek, carrot, and garlic. Sauté until softened but not browned, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Add the potatoes, bay leaf, dried thyme, a generous pinch of salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat all vegetables evenly in the butter and aromatics.
03 - Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until potatoes are very tender.
04 - Remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth, or leave some texture if preferred.
05 - Stir in the milk and gently reheat without boiling. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with chives, parsley, bacon, or cheese as desired. Serve hot with crusty bread.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The balance of butter and leeks creates a silky texture that store-bought soups never quite capture.
- Its forgiving enough for beginners but has those little details that even experienced cooks appreciate on busy weeknights.
02 -
- Adding cold milk directly to hot soup can cause curdling, so warm it slightly first or add it gradually while stirring constantly.
- Dont rush the initial vegetable saute or youll miss developing the foundational flavors that make this soup memorable rather than merely satisfactory.
03 -
- Reserve a small portion of the sauteed leeks before blending and sprinkle them on top just before serving for a beautiful textural contrast.
- When reheating leftovers, whisk a teaspoon of butter into each bowl just before serving to revive the fresh-made richness that sometimes diminishes with storage.