Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon-Scallion Vinaigrette

A rich potato puree with a tangy and salty bacon-scallion garnish

This recipe from Food52 is the kind of comforting meal that's great to make on a cold day when you want an excuse to stay inside and read a book while you let the pot simmer. The potato soup is a simple base of mirepoix (carrots, onion, celery), russet potatoes, and chicken stock that simmers together and then gets blended with low-fat sour cream until smooth. It's rich and creamy and is thick enough to coat your spoon and keep you full for awhile. The best part is the tangy bacon-scallion vinaigrette made with crisp bacon bits, sliced green onions, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. It adds a ton of flavor, and more importantly, acid, to brighten up the soup and add complexity.


More Soup Recipes:
- French Onion Soup Gratinee
- Lemon Tahini Carrot Soup
- Butternut Squash, Sage, & Apple Soup


Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon-Scallion Vinaigrette:
Ingredients
- 2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 7 c. low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 c. low-fat sour cream
- 2-3 carrots, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- kosher salt
- pepper

Recipe

• Add the bacon to a large pot over medium-high heat.
• Cook for 5 minutes, or until bacon is crispy and fat renders. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and keep the fat in the pan.
• Add in onion, celery, carrots, and a big pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until softened.
• Add in garlic and thyme and cook for another minute, then add in the potatoes and stock.
• Season with another large pinch of salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover with a lid.
• Simmer the soup for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Puree with a hand blender, blender, or food processor until smooth.
• Check the soup for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
• Just before serving, combine the cooked bacon with scallions, vinegar, and olive oil.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the bacon-scallion vinaigrette.

Serves six-eight