Potato Soup with Dumplings

This comforting Potato Soup with Homemade Drop Dumplings is the perfect blend of rustic charm and home cooked goodness. This recipe combines creamy potatoes and a medley of aromatic vegetables, enhanced with the richness of bacon and fresh sage. The highlight is the tender drop dumplings, adding a delightful texture to every spoonful. This soup is a heartwarming blend of rustic flavors and homestyle cooking, perfect for cozy evenings.

5 from 11 votes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 55

Servings: to 8 servings

Calories: 662kcal

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

Drop Dumplings

1-¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup whole milk
5 tablespoons butter

Potato Soup

8 slices bacon chopped
1 large onion finely chopped
2 celery stalks finely chopped
2 large carrots finely chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 cup whole milk
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Instructions

Make the Dumpling Batter

Place the flour, cheese, chives, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine the ingredients well.
Add the milk and butter to a separate bowl and zap it in the microwave until the butter melts. Pour the warm milk into the flour mixture. Use a wide spatula to gently fold the mixture just until there are no dry spots of flour. Don’t over mix. The batter should look a bit lumpy. If you mix it until it is smooth, the dumplings won’t be as tender and fluffy.
Let the dumpling batter rest while you make the potato soup.

For the Soup

Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.
Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots to the pot and cook until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Toss in the garlic, sage, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, broth, and bay leaf and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover the pot with a lid.
Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and use a potato masher or fork to break up some of the potatoes. I like to leave some chunks of potatoes but if you want a smooth soup, use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot.
Add the milk and freshly ground nutmeg and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Toss in the reserved bacon.
Use a large spoon to drop golf ball sized balls of dumpling dough on top of the soup. If they stick together, separate them slightly with a spoon. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the dumplings double in size. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

Notes

The dumplings will soak up some of the liquid in the soup. You can add more broth if desired.
I prefer Yukon Gold potatoes in this soup but you can swap them for whatever type of potato you have on hand. They type of potato will affect the texture of the soup. Russet potatoes tend to make the soup starchy and grainy.
Fresh sage adds a wonderful, earthy flavor to the soup. If you don't have fresh sage, you can use dried, but reduce the quantity by half.
Be gentle when mixing the dumpling batter. Overmixing can lead to tough dumplings. The dough should be just combined, even if it looks a bit lumpy.
Letting the dumpling batter rest while you prepare the soup allows the flour to hydrate and the gluten to relax, resulting in lighter, fluffier dumplings.

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