Potato Soup w/fresh Vegetable Stock & Cranberry/Walnut Croutons
Warm up with a bowl of creamy, comforting potato soup made from scratch with fresh vegetable stock for a rich, savory base. Chef Trips takes this classic dish to the next level by pairing it with homemade cranberry-walnut croutons that add a sweet and nutty crunch to every bite. Perfect as a hearty meal or an elegant starter, this recipe offers a healthier twist while keeping all the flavor. Customize it your way and enjoy a soup that’s as Beautiful as it is delicious!
Ingredients
Cranberry Walnut Croutons
- 1 loaf of Cranberry Walnut Bread or bread of choice cut into ¾ inch cubes
- ¼ cup of Olive oil
- 2 tsp of Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp of Garlic powder
- ¾ tsp of fine Sea salt
- ½ tsp of Black pepper
Potato Soup w/fresh Veggie stock
- 6 strips of uncooked Bacon cut into small pieces
- 3 tbsp of unsalted Butter
- 1 medium chopped Yellow onion
- 3 large cloves of minced Garlic
- ⅓ cup of Flour sub with whole wheat
- 2 ½ lbs peeled & diced Potatoes into small pieces
- 2 cups of chopped Carrots
- 2 cups of chopped Celery
- 2 cups of chopped Broccoli
- 2 cups of sliced Mushrooms
- 4 cups of Water or broth
- 2 cups of Milk sub with soy or a nut milk
- 1 ½ tsp of Salt
- ⅔ cup of Heavy cream optional, or substitute with equal parts of plain Greek yogurt and milk (of choice), whisked well.
- 1 tsp of ground Black pepper
- ¼ – ½ tsp of Chili powder
- ⅔ cup of Sour cream optional
- Shredded Cheddar cheese; Chives, and additional Sour cream and Bacon for toppings
Instructions
Cranberry Walnut Croutons
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat; set aside.
- In a large bowl, evenly drizzle the olive oil over the bread chunks. Then evenly sprinkle the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the bread. Toss gently until well combined.
- Spread the bread cubes out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake until golden, turning once halfway through cooking to brown all sides of the croutons. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the cubes, so watch to be sure that they do not burn. (Mine generally take between 15-20 minutes.)
- Remove from oven, once they are all crunchy and brown, let cool completely. Use immediately, or store in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.
Potato Soup w/fresh Veggie stock
- Place bacon pieces in a large Dutch Oven or soup pot over medium heat and cook until bacon is crisp and browned.
- Remove bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Add butter, chopped onion, and celery, cook over medium heat until they are tender (3-5 minutes). Mix well.
- Add the carrots.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Add the salt, pepper, and chili powder. Stir well.
- Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients in the pot and stir until smooth.
- Add milk and heavy cream (optional). Mix well.
- Add potatoes to the pot along with water (or broth).
- Add Mushrooms and Broccoli. Mix.
- Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (about 30 minutes).
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and mash some of the potatoes with a fork on the inside of the pot. There is no need for a blender, as all the ingredients will soften or break down the longer they simmer. Add more water if necessary.
- Add sour cream and reserved bacon pieces, and stir well.
- Allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes before serving.
- Top with additional Sour cream, Croutons, Green onion, Bacon, Cheddar cheese, or Chives.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Substitute regular pasta with whole wheat pasta.
Substitute the milk for soy or a nut milk of your choice.
Substitute the heavy cream with equal parts of plain Greek yogurt and milk (of choice), whisked together well.