When the depths of winter plow through the depths of your pantry, you get soups that are hearty, simple, and filling like this. Irish Cabbage Bacon and Potato Soup is a straightforward no-fuss recipe that brings warmth, comfort, and satiation to your dinner table on weekdays and weekends alike.

Here this Irish Cabbage Bacon and Potato Soup throws no curve balls. Back in the day, these ingredients would’ve have been some of the last foods left in a food cellar after a long winter. But frugal doesn’t mean flavorless, as this simple soup eats like a full meal. Rendered bacon adds flavor and a touch of fat which is economically used to sauté the onions and carrots. Cabbage and potatoes add texture and bulk to fill you up.

There’s no weird or shocking ingredient here. Carrots, onions, cabbage, bacon, and potatoes are the star ingredients and only ingredients. To cut back on cooking time, the potatoes are microwaved whole and with the skin on. Parcooking the potatoes while you’re prepping your other vegetables makes for a speedy supper. Once the potatoes are easy to handle (without burning), you can peel off the skin and chop them into chunks.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lb (about 2) potatoes, washed
• 1/2 lb bacon, cut in quarter pieces
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely sliced
• 4 to 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cabbage, roughly chopped
• Parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

Microwave potatoes one at a time until slightly cooked about 7 to 8 minutes at 600 watts. Let rest for a few minutes until easy to touch. Remove the skin and cut into medium pieces, and set aside.
In a large pot set over medium low heat, gradually cook bacon, rendering the fat until crispy. Remove bacon from the pot and set aside. Leave about 2 tablespoons worth of fat in the pot, removing the excess.
Sauté onions and carrots until softened and you can smell the fragrance of the onions, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring to evenly cook the vegetables.
Add in chicken stock, bay leaf, cabbage, diced potatoes, and cooked bacon.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cooking until the potatoes and cabbage are softened, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, remove bay leaf, and garnish with parsley.
Serve and enjoy!