White Cheddar Potato Leek Soup with Bacon and Chives
Say hello to your new favorite soup! Tender potatoes and sauteed leeks in a creamy white cheddar broth topped with crispy bacon and chives!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35
- Yield: ~15 cups
- Category: soup, comfort food, chowder
- Method: stove or slow cooker
- Cuisine: soup, comfort food, chowder
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon
- 2 leek stalks, trimmed, cleaned, and cut into 1/4” rings
- 1 cup julienne/shredded carrots
- 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic (can reduce it to 2 teaspoons if preferred)
- 2 Tablespoons butter, unsalted
- 2 1/2 pounds new potatoes, cubed
- 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 5–6 thyme stalks)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups freshly shredded white cheddar plus additional for garnishing
- Minced chives for garnish
Instructions
- In a large cold pot, add the bacon, turn the heat to medium, and cook until the bacon is crispy. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate then chop up. Discard all but 2 Tablespoons of the bacon drippings.
- To the hot pan, add the butter, leeks, and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until softened. Roughly 8-10 minutes. Add in the garlic, stir, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in about 1 cup of the stock and scrape up the caramelized bits off the bottom of the pot. Add in the rest of the stock, the potatoes, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, place the on but not covering fully, and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife.
- Remove the lid, and add in the cream, stirring to combine. Cook for 5 minutes more and remove from the heat. Allow to rest for about 5-10 minutes off of the heat before slowly adding in the cheese a little bit at a time.
- Once it’s all in, plate and garnish with more cheese, crispy bacon pieces, and chives.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
For Slow Cooker Instructions, see the post