Creamy Smoky Beef And Potato Soup (Printer-Friendly)
Rich, hearty soup with tender beef and creamy potatoes in a smoky broth. Ready in 1 hour.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 14 oz beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
02 - 2 slices smoked bacon, diced
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 carrots, diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
→ Dairy
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Liquids
10 - 4 cups beef broth
11 - 1/2 cup whole milk
→ Spices & Seasonings
12 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
15 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
→ Garnish
16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
17 - Extra black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the diced smoked bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
02 - Add the beef cubes to the bacon fat in the pot. Sear until browned on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the beef and set aside with the cooked bacon.
03 - Melt the butter in the same pot. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
04 - Stir in the diced potatoes, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices and coat the vegetables evenly.
05 - Return the seared beef and crispy bacon to the pot. Pour in the beef broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the beef and potatoes are fork-tender.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream and whole milk. Simmer uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup is creamy and slightly thickened.
07 - Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper as needed to your preference.
08 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and an extra pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The smoky depth from bacon and paprika makes this taste like it simmered all day, not just an hour.
- It is genuinely gluten free without tasting like you sacrificed anything at all.
- Leftovers thicken overnight into something even more incredible for lunch the next day.
02 -
- If you add the cream while the soup is at a hard boil it can break and look curdled, so always drop the heat to low first.
- Mashing a handful of the cooked potatoes against the side of the pot before adding dairy gives you a naturally thicker soup without any flour.
03 -
- Let the beef sit in the pot without stirring for at least two minutes per side because the brown crust is where all the deep flavor lives.
- Deglaze the pot with a tablespoon of the broth after searing the beef to lift every caramelized bit off the bottom before you add the vegetables.