It's been a few years since we featured this satisfying soup (back in 2015), but it's a favorite this time of year. We've updated it with Instant Pot steps for even more low maintenance cooking. A green salad adds fresh flavors and crunch on the side.
Green onions - 3 stalks , chopped, white and green parts separate
Bacon - 6 strips , chopped
Potatoes, russet - 1 1/2 lbs , peeled and cubed
Cheese, cheddar - 4 oz , grated
Flour, all-purpose or whole wheat - 3 Tbsp
Thyme, dried - 1/2 tsp
Stock, any type - 6 cups
Sour cream - 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup
(sub plain or Greek yogurt)
Tart Apple and Spinach Salad:
Shallots - 1/2 clove , thinly sliced
Vinegar, red or white wine - 1 Tbsp
Mustard, Dijon - 1 tsp
Honey - 1 tsp
Oil, olive - 3 Tbsp
Apples, any tart, green-skinned variety - 1 , sliced
Baby spinach - 5 oz
Choose Cooking Method
Prep
Onions / Green onions / Bacon - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Potatoes - Peel potatoes and cut into large cubes. (If doing this more than an hour ahead, soak in a bowl of water to prevent potatoes from turning brown.)
Cheese - Grate cheese. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead)
Slow cook soup: Heat a skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Keep ~2 Tbsp (30 ml) of fat in the pan and drain the rest. Add onions, white parts of green onions (reserve the green parts), and some salt and saute until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour and thyme and saute until vegetables are coated. Combine onion mixture with potatoes and stock in the bowl of a slow-cooker. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours, until potatoes are tender.
Make dressing - Slice shallots. Combine with vinegar, mustard, honey, and olive oil. Season with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
Apples - Slice apples.
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When soup is finished cooking, add first part of sour cream and blend with an immersion blender until it reaches preferred consistency (either completely smooth or with some pieces of potato remaining). Season with some salt and pepper.
Toss spinach and apples in dressing.
Serve soup with cheese, bacon, remaining sour cream, and green parts of green onions on top. Enjoy with salad on the side!
Prep
Onions / Green onions / Bacon - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Potatoes - Peel potatoes and cut into large cubes. (If doing this more than an hour ahead, soak in a bowl of water to prevent potatoes from turning brown.)
Cheese - Grate cheese. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead)
Make dressing - Slice shallots. Combine with vinegar, mustard, honey, and olive oil. Season with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
Apples - Slice apples.
Unlock this meal along with hundreds of smart meal plans and never stress about "What's for dinner?" again
Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Keep ~2 Tbsp (30 ml) of fat in the pan and drain the rest.
To heated Dutch oven, add onions, white parts of green onions, and some salt and saute until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add flour and thyme and saute until vegetables are coated. Add potatoes and stock. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, ~20 minutes.
When soup is finished cooking, add first part of sour cream and blend with an immersion blender until it reaches preferred consistency (either completely smooth or with some pieces of potato remaining). Season with some salt and pepper.
Toss spinach and apples in dressing.
Serve soup with cheese, bacon, remaining sour cream, and green parts of green onions on top. Enjoy with salad on the side!
Prep
Onions / Green onions / Bacon - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Potatoes - Peel potatoes and cut into large cubes. (If doing this more than an hour ahead, soak in a bowl of water to prevent potatoes from turning brown.)
Cheese - Grate cheese. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead)
Make dressing - Slice shallots. Combine with vinegar, mustard, honey, and olive oil. Season with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
Apples - Slice apples.
Unlock this meal along with hundreds of smart meal plans and never stress about "What's for dinner?" again
Turn on the simmer function of an Instant Pot. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Keep ~2 Tbsp (30 ml) of fat in the pot and drain the rest.
To heated Instant Pot, add onions, white parts of green onions (reserve the green parts), and some salt and saute until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add flour and thyme and saute until vegetables are coated.
Add potatoes and stock (reduce liquid by 10-20% to account for lack of evaporation in the Instant Pot). Be sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan (this will help to avoid the burn error).
Turn off simmer function and allow to cool for a minute or two. Close and lock the lid. Set the pressure valve to 'Sealing'.
Cook soup on manual / high pressure for 8 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and then manually release any remaining pressure.
When soup is finished cooking, add first part of sour cream and blend with an immersion blender until it reaches preferred consistency (either completely smooth or with some pieces of potato remaining). Season with some salt and pepper.
Toss spinach and apples in dressing.
Serve soup with cheese, bacon, remaining sour cream, and green parts of green onions on top. Enjoy with salad on the side!