Traditional, flavorful Irish Potato Soup is a warm and comforting lunch or dinner dish. The recipe is inspired by a soup we had in a Dublin pub, a Delectable Destination.
Have a large bowl of cold water ready for the cut potatoes. Wash and peel the potatoes, and then slice them into 1½-inch chunks. Place the potato chunks into the cold water as you slice them, to keep them from discoloring.
Peel the onions, and then dice them finely. (A fine dice here ensures a quick sauté later.) Once the onions are done, press down on the garlic cloves with the flat side of your knife and then slip off the skins. Finely dice the garlic.
Cook the onions and garlic:
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot placed over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the diced onions and garlic. Stir and sauté the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, until the onions have softened and are looking translucent. Remove the pan from the heat.
Put everything in the pot:
Add the stock to the stockpot with the onions and garlic. Drain the potatoes and add them to the pot as well. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the sage. Bring the the contents to a boil, and then reduce the heat a bit to keep the soup at a simmer. Continue simmering the contents until the potatoes are very soft, about 15-18 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
While the soup cooks, warm up the half and half in microwave (in short bursts) or in a small saucepan, to just beyond lukewarm. Heating it up will prevent the cream from curdling when you add it to the hot soup.
Purée:
Purée the soup using a stick immersion blender until the soup is very smooth. You can also purée the soup in batches in a blender - leave the small, clear cap off the top and cover the hole with a clean dishcloth so that steam can escape. Be very careful not to burn yourself!
Add the cream:
Once the soup is puréed return the pot to the burner and turn the heat to medium. Add in the warm half-and-half along with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt (taste your soup before you add this salt—depending on your stock it may be salty enough for your taste) and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of sage.
Stir the soup over medium heat for about 5 more minutes and then it is ready to serve.
Makes about 12 cups of soup.
Enjoy the Potato Soup as it is, with a slice of buttered Brown Bread on the side! Or, add toppings like chives, scallions, Cheddar cheese, toasted breadcrumbs, or crumbled bacon.
Keep leftover soup covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
Notes:
This soup is delicious made with either chicken or vegetable stock, giving you the option of making this soup vegetarian if you would prefer!