Savory Potato and Bacon Corn Soup

Ingredients 0/13

Step 1

Fry the bacon in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat until it’s nice and crispy, which should take about 10 minutes. Once the bacon is done, add the onions and celery to the pot and give everything a good stir so the veggies soak up that flavorful bacon grease. Toss in the garlic and cook it all together for a minute or two.

Step 2

Pour in a quart of water, cover the pot, and let the veggies steam until they’re just starting to get tender, about 5 minutes. After that, add the remaining quart of water along with the cream, then turn the heat down to medium.

Step 3

While that’s warming up, melt some butter in a separate pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook it, stirring constantly, until it forms a smooth paste and loses that raw flour taste—about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes to this mixture and cook them together, letting the paste brown just a bit.

Step 4

Slowly stir the potato mixture into the pot with your veggies and cream. Let everything simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup is smooth and the potatoes are tender. You’re aiming for the soup to reach around 170 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 5

Meanwhile, heat a cast iron skillet over medium and cook the corn and red bell pepper together until they’re golden and a little caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir this colorful mix into your soup, then season everything with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste. Give it one last stir, and it’s ready to enjoy!