Irish Potato Soup
Creamy Irish Potato Soup is delicious and easy to prepare. With simple ingredients, it pairs wonderfully with homemade Irish soda bread (recipe on HowToFeedALoon.com) for a hearty and satisfying dining experience!
Ingredients
4 Tbsp. butter, preferably Irish
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 lbs russet or gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. garlic powder
2½ tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
4 strips cooked bacon, crumbled for garnish
2 Tbsp. snipped chives for garnish
Instructions
1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Sauté until soft, stirring often, about 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes and stir to coat with the butter. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a sharp knife.
3. Use an immersion blender to purée. The mixture will be very thick. Stir in the milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Serve hot garnished with crumbled bacon and snipped chives (if desired).
Expert Tip
In Ireland, “floury” potatoes are known for their dry texture and high starch content. The most popular varieties to use for soup are Maris Piper and Kerr’s Pink. In North America, Russet or Gold potatoes are the ideal choices.
Substitutions & Variations
Flavor Enhancers: Chopped onions and celery add depth to the flavor profile. We season the soup with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. However, the garlic powder can be omitted. Fresh garlic can also be sautéed with the onion and celery.
Dairy: Butter is ideal for sautéing the vegetables. Seek out Irish butter, if possible. Olive oil or vegetable oil can also be substituted. For the cream, we recommend whole milk, however, heavy cream (or double) or half and half can be substituted.
Broth: If you have the time, homemade chicken broth or vegetable broth adds even more flavor, but store-bought is perfectly acceptable.
To watch the How to Feed a Loon Guys make this soup, visit HowtoFeedaLoon.com. You can also subscribe to their YouTube Channel at YouTube.com/HowToFeedaLoon.
