Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon and Cheese

I know, I know. I make a lot of soup these days. I can’t help it, you see. Soup is easy, it’s ready in under an hour, and it requires only one pot. Well, those are the practical reasons. The truth is, I love soup when it’s chilly outside. It’s warm and comforting, and gives me an excuse to make bread. During the fall and winter months, I like to make a pot of soup at least once a week. There’s nothing better than curling up on the couch with a bowl of steaming soup, a hunk of homemade bread, and a good book or favorite movie. There’s always enough for lunch the next day or two, which is a bonus. So here we are at my favorite potato soup (which goes well with Pride and Prejudice, I must say).

I love this particular soup, and E asked me to make it a while back. I realized I’ve never posted the recipe here, and I’m about to put it on a weekly menu, so I figured I ought to make it available to you. Plus, it’s just that good.

The secret is the cheese – at the very end, right before serving, you add a few ounces of creamy Havarti to the pot and let it melt in.

I like to use a combination of heirloom potatoes in this soup, for color and variety. I love that both Trader Joe’s and the farmers’ markets sell mixed bags of potatoes. They’re perfect for this. You can use any potato except a russet – they’re too soft. Use a waxier potato. Redskins are great on their own, and so are Yukon Golds. Fingerlings are also nice.

Caraway is optional, here. You can actually buy Havarti with caraway seed already in it, if you want to go that route. Or you can crush a few caraway seeds and add them to the vegetables as they’re sautéeing in the bacon fat.

Did I mention you use bacon fat in this soup? Yeah, that’s the other secret. I may as well just tell you right now. Don’t be nervous – it’s not a lot of bacon fat. And Nina Planck asserts that a little fat from naturally raised, grassfed pork has some beneficial aspects. So we won’t use a lot of bacon fat, and it will be good bacon fat. Okay? If you’re still nervous about cooking with bacon fat (the way our grandmothers did every day), you can cook your bacon in a separate pan, drain off all the fat, and use a couple of tablespoons of butter or olive oil instead, but I must warn you: if you do so, you will sacrifice some of the flavor of the soup.

Let’s get on with it. Potato soup. Yum.

Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon and Cheese
Adapted from Sunday Soup by Betty Rosbottom

4-5 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (about 1 tablespoon)
3 pounds waxy redskin, Yukon Gold, or blue potatoes (which actually look purple, not blue), or a combination of waxy potatoes, scrubbed and diced (do not peel)
3 cups chicken stock
3 cups whole milk, plus extra
1/2 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds (optional)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces Havarti cheese (sliced or shredded)
Chopped fresh chives or scallions, for garnish

First, prep all the vegetables.

In a large pot or Dutch oven placed over medium heat, cook the bacon until it’s crisp but not burned.

Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, leaving the fat in the pot.

Sauté the onion and celery in the bacon fat until they start to become tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another minute or two.

Add the potatoes. Cook, stirring continually, for a minute or two to help the flavors begin to meld.

Add the chicken stock or milk. Also add the caraway if you are using it. Bring to a simmer, but do not boil. Cook, stirring frequently, 15-20 minutes more, until the potatoes are fully cooked.

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with a little more milk to make a slurry. Slowly stir into the soup. Allow a few minutes for the soup to thicken.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, add the Havarti. Stir until fully melted.

Serve with the crumbled bacon and chopped chives or scallions for garnish.

Makes enough for 6-8, depending how hungry they are. Serve with a salad and bread.

*Note: to make a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use butter or olive oil to sauté the vegetables. Use vegetable stock in lieu of the chicken stock.

Here’s the printable recipe. Enjoy!