Irish Potato Soup with Cheese and Red Ale
Kitchen Tested 
- Yield 10 servings
- Prep 10 mins
- Cook 70 mins
Serve this hearty soup with a spinach salad and crispy baguette.
March Boughton Photography / styling by Teresa Blackburn
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion
- 3 medium leeks, white and light green part only, sliced
- 3/4 cup sliced celery
- 8 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, coarsely chopped
- 1 can (12-ounce) Irish red ale
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole or 2% low-fat milk
- 7 ounces grated Kerrygold Dubliner’s cheese
- 3/4 cup finely minced parsley (optional)
- 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese, preferably Cashel (optional)
- Crisp cooked bacon crumbled (optional)
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 6- to 8-quart stockpot. Add onion, leek and celery; cook over medium heat about 10 minutes.
- Add potatoes, ale, stock, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes.
- Melt remaining butter in a medium saucepan; gradually add flour, whisking until smooth. Cook 3 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in milk, whisking until hot and thickened. Add cheese; stir until melted.
- Stir cheese mixture into potato mixture until combined. Cook over very low heat 10 minutes.
- Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with parsley, blue cheese and bacon, if desired.
Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon
