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Applewood Bacon, Poblano and Buttermilk Potato Soup

A smoky potato soup with tender poblano peppers, crisp applewood bacon, and a tangy buttermilk finish that stays silky when added off the heat.

Creamy potato soup with green poblano pieces, crisp applewood bacon, and chives in a ceramic bowl.

This soup begins with diced applewood-smoked bacon in a cool pot, so its fat renders slowly before the pieces crisp. That fat seasons the poblano peppers and onion, while a few mashed potatoes give the broth body without blending away the vegetables. Buttermilk goes in after the bubbling stops, bringing a gentle tang to the rich base.

Start with a cool pot

Bacon put into a hot pot can brown before enough fat escapes. Starting it cool and keeping the heat low lets the fat melt out gradually, leaving crisp pieces for the soup and a flavorful cooking medium for the vegetables. Lift the bacon out once crisp so it does not go soft during the potato simmer.

Give the poblanos time to soften

Diced poblanos and onion cook in the rendered bacon fat until the onion turns translucent and the peppers lose their raw edge. Garlic follows briefly, then flour coats the vegetables before broth goes in. Stirring the broth in gradually keeps that small amount of flour from clumping.

Diced applewood bacon slowly begins to render in a Dutch oven beside prepared poblano peppers and onion. — Applewood bacon begins to render slowly in a cool Dutch oven before the poblanos and onion join the pot.

Let the potatoes thicken their own soup

Yukon Gold potatoes become tender in a gentle simmer and hold enough shape to keep the soup hearty. Mashing only some of them releases starch into the broth, making it creamy while leaving visible cubes of potato and green poblano. Stop once the broth coats a spoon; the dairy will loosen it slightly.

Finish gently and keep the bacon crisp

Once the pot stops bubbling, whisked buttermilk and cream can be stirred in without a hard simmer that might separate them. A little bacon goes into the soup for smoky flavor, and the rest stays on top for crunch. Taste before using the last of the salt, then scatter chives over each warm bowl.

Tender potato cubes and green poblano pieces sit in silky soup under crisp bacon and chives. — The finished soup shows intact potatoes and poblanos beneath crisp bacon and chopped chives.

Applewood Bacon, Poblano and Buttermilk Potato Soup

6 servings

70 minutes total

Ingredients

• 8 oz applewood-smoked bacon, diced
• 2 medium poblano peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup whole buttermilk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp finely chopped chives

Method

Slowly render the bacon
Put the diced applewood-smoked bacon in a cool Dutch oven, then turn the heat to low. Cook slowly for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
Look for: The bacon is crisp and the pot holds a clear layer of rendered fat without scorched bits.
Prepare the vegetables
While the bacon renders, seed and dice the poblano peppers, dice the yellow onion, mince the garlic, and cut the peeled Yukon Gold potatoes into even cubes. Keep the potatoes separate from the other vegetables.
Look for: The poblano and onion pieces are similar in size, and the potato cubes will cook evenly.
Soften the poblanos and onion
Raise the heat to medium, add the diced poblano peppers and onion to the bacon fat, and cook for 7 minutes, stirring often. Let the vegetables soften without deeply browning; scrape up any flavorful bacon bits as they loosen.
Look for: The onion looks translucent and the poblano pieces have softened but remain green.
Add garlic and flour
Stir in the minced garlic for 30 seconds, then sprinkle in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The flour should coat the vegetables and lose its raw smell without turning dark.
Look for: No dry flour remains and the mixture smells savory rather than raw.
Simmer the potatoes
Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring to dissolve the flour. Add the potato cubes and 3/4 tsp of the kosher salt, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes pierce easily with a fork.
Look for: The broth lightly bubbles and a fork slides through the largest potato cube.
Thicken with the potatoes
Use a potato masher to crush some of the cooked potatoes against the bottom of the pot for 3 minutes, leaving plenty of intact cubes. Stir until the released starch makes the broth creamy while the soup still has distinct potato and poblano pieces.
Look for: The broth coats a spoon but whole potato cubes remain visible.
Finish with buttermilk
Turn off the heat and let the bubbling stop. Whisk the buttermilk and heavy cream together in a bowl, then slowly stir them into the soup. Warm gently with the burner off; do not boil after adding the buttermilk.
Look for: The soup is smooth and creamy, with no curdled flecks or active bubbles.
Season and add bacon
Stir half the reserved crisp bacon into the warm soup. Add the black pepper and taste, then use up to the remaining 1/4 tsp kosher salt if needed; the bacon and broth may already provide enough salt.
Look for: The soup tastes savory and lightly tangy without needing a hard simmer.
Ladle and garnish
Ladle the potato soup into warm bowls and top each serving with the remaining crisp bacon and finely chopped chives. Serve promptly while the potatoes are tender and the bacon garnish is still crisp.
Look for: Each bowl shows potato cubes, green poblano pieces, crisp bacon, and fresh chives.