It’s been pretty cold and yucky here for the past few days and a nice rich bowl of some potato soup just sounded like the absolute perfect thing for dinner. A few weeks back my brother tried his hand at making a potato leek soup for dinner, and while it was good, there were a few tweaks that I wanted to make. Having two cooks in one house is a blessing and a curse.

I wanted my variation for the potato leek soup to be thick. Thick, rich, and all made in ONE POT. So, that's what I set out to do. What makes this an Irish potato soup? I honestly have no idea, other than it’s supposedly a pretty common dish in Ireland. And it’s easy to see why.

This soup turns out smooth and creamy with a few chunks of potato and leek left in there for some added texture. I decided to start this soup out with the bacon and used up the leftover grease from the bacon to cook down the onions and leeks. And yes, you really REALLY have to give those leeks a GOOD cooking to soften them up.

After that, it all goes for a simmer with the potato and some stock and you end up with a delicious soup that is perfect dinner to warm everyone up on these cold rainy nights. This soup isn’t all that different from a loaded baked potato soup outside of the addition of leeks and onions.

I topped mine off with just a few green onions and a bit of shredded cheddar for color and bonus garnish points. I would have served it with a side salad, but it just wasn’t needed. I found this soup to be a meal in itself. No side needed here!

Step-by-Step Photos:

Nutritional Claims: Balanced • Sugar Conscious • Dairy Free • Egg Free •Milk Free • Peanut Free • Soy Free • Fish Free • Shellfish Free • Crustacean Free • Celery Free • Mustard Free • Sesame Free • Lupine Free • Mollusk Free • Alcohol Free • No Sugar Added • Sulphite Free