Description
Hearty Irish bacon cabbage and potato soup delivers comforting flavors from traditional Irish cuisine. Rich ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a warm and satisfying bowl perfect for chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 slices bacon (thick-cut or Irish back), chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold), peeled and diced
- 2 cups (200 g / 7 oz) green cabbage, shredded
- 4 cups (1 l / 33.8 fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 cups (500 ml / 16.9 fl oz) water
- ½ cup (120 ml / 4 fl oz) heavy cream (optional)
- 2 tbsps fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Crusty bread (for serving)
Instructions
- Bacon Preparation: Crisp bacon in a spacious pot until golden, then remove pieces while preserving the rendered fat, creating a flavor-rich foundation for the soup.
- Aromatic Base Development: Sauté onions and garlic in bacon drippings, allowing them to soften and release their intricate flavors, establishing a robust aromatic groundwork.
- Liquid Integration and Potato Cooking: Add potatoes, chicken stock, and water to the pot. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, allowing potatoes to become fork-tender and absorb the developing flavor profile.
- Cabbage Incorporation and Texture Refinement: Introduce shredded cabbage into the simmering liquid, letting it soften while maintaining a slight crispness. Utilize an immersion blender to partially break down the soup, creating a rustic, textured consistency with visible vegetable fragments.
- Final Enrichment and Seasoning: Stream heavy cream into the soup, stirring to create a luxurious, velvety texture. Season meticulously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, balancing the flavor components with precision.
- Serving Presentation: Ladle the soup into serving bowls, garnish with reserved crispy bacon pieces and freshly chopped parsley. Serve alongside a crusty artisan bread to complete the hearty, comforting meal.
Notes
- Optimize Bacon Rendering: Cook bacon slowly over medium-low heat to guarantee maximum fat extraction and crispy texture without burning.
- Cabbage Texture Control: Add cabbage in stages and monitor cooking time to maintain a perfect balance between tenderness and slight crunch, preventing mushiness.
- Blending Technique: Use immersion blender sparingly, creating a rustic soup with some intact vegetable pieces for authentic, hearty mouthfeel.
- Dairy-Free Adaptation: Substitute heavy cream with coconut milk or vegetable broth for a lighter, vegan-friendly version without compromising rich flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg