Creamy Smoky Beef Potato Soup (Printable)

Tender beef and creamy potatoes in a rich smoky broth, ideal for cold nights

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 14 oz beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into ½-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 medium 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 - ½ cup whole milk

→ Spices & Seasonings

12 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
13 - ½ tsp dried thyme
14 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
15 - ½ tsp salt, or to taste

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
17 - Extra black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove 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 well browned on all sides, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove 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 together for 2 minutes to bloom the spices.
05 - Return the seared beef and crispy bacon to the pot. Pour in the beef broth and bring to a boil. 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 salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and an extra pinch of black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The smoky depth from bacon and paprika makes it taste like it cooked all day when it barely took an hour.
  • Heavy cream transforms everything into something that feels indulgent without needing any fancy technique.
  • It reheats beautifully for lunch the next day, and honestly I think it might even taste better then.
02 -
  • If you boil the cream aggressively it can break and leave you with a grainy texture, so keep the simmer gentle and patient.
  • Mashing a handful of the cooked potatoes right in the pot before adding cream gives you a naturally thicker soup without any flour or cornstarch.
03 -
  • Start the bacon in a cold pot rather than a hot one and you will get render more fat and crispier bits with less splattering.
  • Let the beef sit without stirring for a full 90 seconds before you flip it because that patient pause is what creates the deep brown crust that flavors the entire broth.

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