Irish Potato Soup Recipe

One potato, two potato. I’m being a bit silly, I know. Anyhow a heartwarming Irish potato soup recipe is what I have for you today. Actually, this Irish potato soup recipe is not my original. It came from a book (shaped like a potato) my Irish mother in law bought in Ireland a number of years ago. The book contains various potato-based Irish recipes and uses charming quantities. Such as “a knob of butter” which by the way is about 2 tablespoons.

OK, so I just confessed to you that this is not MY recipe. I have another confession to make: I did not cook the soup either. That’s right! Who then? My Irish mother in law of course.  One Sunday afternoon, last Fall, she showed up at our door with a pot of Irish soup.” YUM, and thank you” I said. Every now and then it is so nice not to have to cook dinner.

Although it is simple fare, this Irish potato soup recipe is amazing. It’s comfort food, like a food hug! Potatoes as everyone knows are a staple of the Irish diet, and there are countless dishes made with this versatile tuber.

The Great Potato Famine of 1845-1849 forced so many Irish families to emigrate to the United States. This tragic event was the worst famine of the 19th century in Europe. The crop failures were caused by a blight that rotted the leaves and the tubers. It did not help that the Irish had come to rely on the potato as one of their few food sources.

Making this Irish potato soup recipe is very easy.

If you don’t own a Dutch oven, you can make this hearty soup recipe in a crock pot. It can be reheated the next day, so it is perfect for lunch at the office. Now, you might be wondering if you can freeze potato soup. Well, technically you can, but I prefer not to since it changes the texture.

There are a couple techniques to make the soup really smooth.

• I  personally like to use an immersion blender when the soup is finished.
• If you want to take the soft cooked potatoes out of the soup pot before adding the vegetable stock you can force the potatoes through a sieve or potato ricer.
• Another way is, you can drop the cooked pieces of potato into a blender or food processor with some of the vegetable broth to get that silky smooth texture. All these techniques work well, but be sure to add it all back to the soup pot and let simmer and season it to your liking.

Step to Make Irish Potato Soup

1. Gather all your ingredients and have them chopped, diced, measured and ready to go.
2. In a Dutch oven on medium heat melt the butter and add the onions. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes then cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir the potatoes and onions a few times to prevent browning on the bottom.
3. Add the vegetable stock to the pot.
4. Season to taste then simmer uncovered on medium heat for 30 minutes. Check a potato chunk after 30 minutes with a fork. If it is soft, then they are done.
5. Using and immersion blender break down all the solids until you have a smooth creamy consistency.
6. Serve with some chopped bacon and parsley on top.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• • Can I make this soup in a slow cooker? Sure, it will take a bit longer but you can toss everything in and walk away for several hours if you like. It should take about 1 hour on high to get the potatoes soft then you can blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
  • How long can I save this soup? You can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
  • Can I freeze this soup? Is is best when fresh but yes you can freeze this soup. You must completely cool the soup before freezing. Store in airtight containers for up to four months. For single servings, freeze portions in a muffin tin and pop out the frozen rounds and store in freezer bags.
  • What are the best potatoes to use? For creamed or puréed soups mealy potatoes work best like russets and Idaho. Avoid waxy potatoes as those are better in whole chunks for stews, casseroles and gratins as they hold their shape but do not purée very well.

Here are some other Irish inspired recipes to checkout and bookmark for later.  If you like stew you will love this hearty Guinness beef stew with tender pieces of potato and carrots.  Another interesting dish that I like to make for Saint Patrick’s Day is Dublin coddle which is a very unique stew made with Irish bangers (an Irish sausage flavored with peppercorns and thyme_.   After dinner I would typically have Irish butter cookies that are a melt in your mouth shortbread you will love.  Sláinte!

5 from 14 votes

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Irish Potato Soup Recipe

A bowl of this warm, and delicious soup is just what you need on a cold day. This Irish potato soup recipe only requires a few ingredients. This soup is creamy and comforting. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and chopped parsley.

Course Soup

Cuisine Irish

Keyword baked potato soup, homemade soup, Saint Patrick's Day food

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings: Change to adjust-> 6 servings

Calories 233 kcal

Author Analida Braeger

Ingredients

• 6 potatoes peeled and diced (Russets work nicely.)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 onions medium, chopped
• 7 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 3 slices bacon cooked, crumbled
• 2 Tbsp parsley chopped

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a soup pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the onions and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the potatoes (diced into 1 inch cubes), stir into the onions. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir the potatoes an onions a few times to cook evenly and to prevent the ones on the bottom from browning.

3. Add the stock and seasoning to taste. 

4. Simmer for about 30 minutes uncovered on medium heat. Check a potato chunk after 30 minutes with a fork for softness, then it is done. 

5. Using an immersion blender, break down the solids as much as possible.

6. Serve hot, sprinkled with bacon, and parsley. 

Recipe Notes

Frequently Asked Questions:

• • Can I make this soup in a slow cooker? Sure, it will take a bit longer but you toss everything in and walk away for several hours if you like. It should take about 1 hour on high to get the potatoes soft then you can blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
  • How long can I save this soup? You can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
  • Can I freeze this soup? Is is best when fresh but yes you can freeze this soup. You must completely cool the soup before freezing. Store in airtight containers for up to four months. For single servings, freeze portions in a muffin tin and pop out the frozen rounds and store in freezer bags.
  • What are the best potatoes to use? For creamed or puréed soups mealy potatoes work best like russets and Idaho. Avoid waxy potatoes as those are better in whole chunks for stews, casseroles and gratins as they hold their shape but do not purée very well.

 

Nutrition Facts

Irish Potato Soup Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 233 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 17mg6%

Sodium 1623mg71%

Potassium 962mg27%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 850IU17%

Vitamin C 28.7mg35%

Calcium 74mg7%

Iron 7.1mg39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.