Everyday cooking
Potato soup with crisp bacon
Floury potatoes make a creamy soup finished with separately fried bacon.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Servings / pieces
- 4
- Topic
- Everyday cooking
Potato soup does not need a large amount of cream to gain body. Floury potatoes supply plenty of starch; mash some while leaving small pieces intact. Leek and onion give a gentle vegetable flavour alongside the potatoes. Crisp bacon is added to individual bowls so it does not soften in the soup. The quantities make four portions, suitable as a simple meal with bread. This recipe uses a potato masher rather than a blender because vigorous blending can make potato soup unpleasantly gluey. Adjust the liquid after mashing, when its final thickness becomes clear.
Method
Step by step
- 01
Prepare potatoes
Peel potatoes and cut into 2 cm cubes. Slit the leek lengthways, wash thoroughly between its layers and slice into rings. Finely dice the onion.
- 02
Soften leek
Warm the oil. Soften onion and leek over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, stock and marjoram, then bring briefly to the boil.
- 03
Cook potatoes
Lower the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the potatoes break easily with a fork. Stir across the base occasionally to prevent starch catching.
- 04
Fry bacon
Meanwhile fry the bacon in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 5–7 minutes until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. Partly crush the potatoes in the saucepan with a masher.
- 05
Finish the soup
Stir in cream and loosen with hot water if needed. Adjust salt and pepper. Divide between bowls and add bacon and parsley immediately before serving.
Times are a guide. Your hob, oven and ingredients affect the result; use the cooking cues as well as the clock.
Treat the potatoes gently
A masher leaves small pieces and works less aggressively than a stick blender. Prolonged blending can release too much starch and create a sticky texture. For a smoother soup, push gently through a sieve rather than blending for a long time at high speed.
Balance bacon and salt
Bacon already supplies salt. Season the soup cautiously first, then taste a little with bacon before making the final adjustment. Toasted bread cubes or fried mushrooms can replace the topping. Without bacon, extra salt or a little more marjoram may be useful.
Kitchen questions
One more question?
Can I use waxy potatoes?
Yes. They remain more distinct and provide less thickening. Mash a larger proportion or reduce the stock slightly for a creamier result.
Why does the soup set as it stands?
Potato starch continues binding as it cools. Stir in hot water or stock gradually when reheating rather than simply increasing the heat.
