Old-Fashioned Potato Bacon Soup

During the late Fall and Winter months I like to make a wide variety of homemade soups and stews for my family to enjoy. About 30 years ago I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and it’s fairly easy to make.  She told me that back during the depression-era that soups like this were popular, because they were fairly inexpensive to make.

Old-Fashioned Potato Bacon Soup Recipe

4 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled
6 cups potatoes, peeled & cubed
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 carrot, finely shredded
1/3 cup onion, finely diced
2-3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 Tbsp. Parsley
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

In a large stockpot over medium heat combine together the cooked & crumbled bacon, cubed potatoes, chicken broth, shredded carrots, diced onion, sliced hard-boiled eggs, parsley, celery seed and ground black pepper. Bring soup to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. You want to simmer the soup, stirring frequently until the potatoes are fork-tender. I usually cook mine for 20-27 minutes.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the milk and all-purpose flour until frothy. I like to use whole milk, not a skim-type of milk. Slowly pour this into your soup mixture, stirring constantly. Bring back to a “light” boil, stirring frequently. This will “thicken-up” the soup. It will take about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

Ladle soup into bowls. You can sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top (for those who want it cheesy) or serve it without the cheese. Garnish with green onions if desired.

Notes: I like to add 1 to 2 TBSP. bacon drippings into my soup base, I think it adds a great flavor to it. This type of soup doesn’t freeze well, at least for me. You’ll want to refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container and consume them within 3 days.

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