Irish Bacon, Cabbage and Potato Soup is a warming, rustic soup of smoky crisp bacon, tender potatoes, sweet softened cabbage and carrot in a savory chicken broth. Make it on a chilly weeknight or for St. Patrick’s Day; it is ready in well under an hour in one pot.
How to make bacon cabbage potato soup: Crisp the bacon, soften onion and carrot in the drippings, add potatoes and cabbage, pour in chicken stock with a bay leaf and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Stir the bacon back in and season.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pot: the bacon fat flavors everything cooked after it.
- Humble ingredients: cabbage, potatoes, carrot, onion and bacon.
- Hearty but brothy: filling without heavy cream.
- Quick: 10 minutes of prep and about half an hour on the stove.
Ingredient Notes
Bacon: Half a pound, cut into small pieces. It gives the soup its smoky flavor twice: once from the fat left in the pot, and again when the crisp pieces go back in at the end.
Cabbage: Half a head of green cabbage, roughly chopped. It shrinks a lot as it cooks and turns soft and sweet.
Potatoes: Half a pound, washed and diced. Waxy or all-purpose potatoes hold their shape in the broth; russets break down a little and thicken it.
Chicken stock: Four to five cups. Start with four and add the last cup if you like a brothier soup. For a deeper flavor, replace half of it with beef broth.
Bay leaf: One leaf simmers with the soup for a subtle herbal note. I always fish it out before serving.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cabbage, roughly chopped
- 1/2 lb potatoes, washed and diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely sliced
- 4 to 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Parsley, chopped, for garnish
How to Make Irish Bacon, Cabbage and Potato Soup
1. Crisp the bacon. In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
2. Soften the vegetables. Add the onion to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the carrot and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add potatoes and cabbage. Stir in the potatoes and cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften slightly.
4. Simmer. Pour in the chicken stock and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.
5. Finish. Remove the bay leaf, return the bacon to the pot and stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. Serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley. Serve warm.
Why the Bacon Goes Back In at the End
If the bacon simmered in the broth the whole time, it would turn soft and chewy. Taking it out once it is crisp keeps its crunch and its smoky, salty bite for the finished bowl.
The fat it leaves behind is not wasted. Onion, carrot, potatoes and cabbage all cook in it first, so every vegetable picks up that bacon flavor before the stock goes in.
If the bacon gives off a lot of fat, I pour some off and keep about two tablespoons in the pot. That is plenty to soften the vegetables without leaving a greasy layer on the soup.
Tips for Success
Why is my soup greasy?
Too much bacon fat stayed in the pot. Spoon off all but a couple of tablespoons before adding the onion.
Why are the potatoes still firm?
They were cut too large or the soup did not simmer long enough. Dice them small and simmer until a fork slides through easily.
Why is it bland?
Stock and cabbage need salt. Taste at the end, after the bacon is back in, and season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
Why did the cabbage turn mushy?
It simmered too long. Cabbage only needs the 15 to 20 minutes with the potatoes; once a potato piece is tender, take the pot off the heat so the cabbage keeps a little shape.
Variations
- Richer broth: use half beef broth and half chicken stock.
- Creamy version: stir in a splash of cream or mash a few potato pieces against the side of the pot to thicken it.
- Add sausage: sliced smoked sausage, browned with the bacon, makes it heartier.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and use them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Reheat soup to a rolling boil, or until it reaches 165°F. Store the crisp bacon separately if you can, and add it back when you reheat.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with crusty bread or rustic German bread and butter. For more cabbage dishes, try 3-ingredient slow cooker bacon and cabbage, unstuffed cabbage roll soup or stuffed cabbage rolls. For another potato soup, there is baked potato soup, and Polish sausage, sauerkraut and potatoes is another cozy cabbage-and-potato dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Irish bacon?
Yes. Irish bacon (back bacon) is leaner and meatier than American bacon, so it gives less fat; add a tablespoon of butter or oil to the pot to cook the vegetables.
What kind of cabbage is best?
Green cabbage. It holds up in the broth and turns sweet and tender. Savoy cabbage works too and cooks a little faster.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Crisp the bacon on the stove first, then add everything except the bacon to the slow cooker and cook until the potatoes are tender. Stir the bacon in at the end.
Final Notes
Crisp the bacon well and add it back at the very end. If you have a question or make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Irish Bacon, Cabbage, and Potato Soup
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Ingredients
- 1/2 lb bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cabbage roughly chopped
- 1/2 lb potatoes washed and diced
- 1 carrot peeled and finely sliced
- 4 to 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- Parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pot.
- In the same pot, add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the sliced carrot and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the diced potatoes and chopped cabbage. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften slightly.
- Pour in the chicken stock and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.
- Remove the bay leaf, return the cooked bacon to the pot and stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
