The Scoop
First meal made in a new apartment, this potato soup comforts with cheesy, bacon-y goodness.
There’s a special kind of chaos on moving day, and I found myself right in the middle of it as I settled into my first real city apartment. Surrounded by cardboard boxes and bubble wrap, I realized I hadn’t eaten all day. Scouring through what little I had unpacked, I found a stash of Yukon Gold potatoes and a bag of sharp cheddar. A can of chicken stock hidden in my pantry cried out to be used, so I decided to christen my new kitchen with a comforting potato soup. I love starting with bacon diced into delightful little bits, ensuring its drippings became the soul of the soup. As the aroma of sizzling bacon filled my apartment, I knew I was home.
Crispy bacon set aside, I tackled the onions and garlic, letting them mingle with the bacon fat until my whole apartment felt wrapped in warmth. Adding a bit of flour and stirring like a seasoned chef, I created a magical roux. Just then, it hit me. The touch of warmed milk mixed with the chicken stock made my tired boxes fade into the background, and those small diced potatoes began to work their magic. Chef tip here: let the soup simmer until the potatoes are soft and their starch starts to thicken the broth naturally.
The final touch was pure indulgence. Adding yogurt for creaminess and tang, along with sharp cheddar to create the perfect hugging potion, my potato soup was born. Topped with additional bacon and chives, it was not just about eating—it was about savoring this new chapter of life. Whenever someone thinks a move is all hustle and bustle, remember there's also this time to pause and relish what brings us comfort.
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 5 slices bacon, diced
- 1 cup white or yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 2 cups milk, warmed
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, diced small
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more, to taste
Optional toppings:
- chives or green onions, to taste, thinly sliced
- bacon, to taste, cooked and diced
- sharp cheddar cheese, to taste, shredded
Directions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add 5 slices of the diced bacon pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are crispy.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon pieces to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain and cool.
- Reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings in the pot and discard the rest.
- In the same pot over medium-high heat, add the white onion to the bacon drippings and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it is soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the flour to the onion mixture and sauté, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute.
- Add the chicken stock to the onion mixture and stir to combine.
- Add the warmed milk and the diced potatoes to the soup mixture and cook, while stirring, to prevent burning at the bottom, until it just reaches a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of the cheese, the Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, and the reserved bacon pieces to the potato mixture and stir to combine.
- Taste the soup and season with the extra salt and the extra pepper as needed.
- Serve the soup garnished with the chives, the remaining bacon pieces, and the remaining cheese.
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