Rutabaga Cheddar Soup with Crispy Bacon
I created this recipe for Rutabaga Cheddar Soup with Crispy Bacon out of a common “problem” when it comes to CSA farming: an unexpected surplus of a vegetable. In this case, that veggie was–you guessed it–rutabagas!
This winter was our first time growing rutabagas, and we discovered they grew really well here. So we ate mashed rutabagas and roasted rutabagas and rutabagas on the fire and in a stew and in a roast. We loved the rutabaga’s sweetness, how it paired well with butter, cream, and herbs or olive oil and seasoned salt.
The other day one of our children said the rutabaga reminded him of broccoli, and that comment became the inspiration for this soup. We love broccoli cheddar soup, so why not try rutabaga cheddar?
The end result was comforting and delicious, especially when paired with a sprinkling of crispy bacon and fresh thyme on top.
Rutabaga Cheddar Soup with Crispy Bacon
Equipment
- cutting board
- peeler
- chef's knife
- cheese grater
- soup pot
- stirring spoon
- blender or food processor
- baking sheet
- tongs
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 pounds rutabagas peeled, and chopped into 1.5" pieces
- 1 medium carrot sliced into 1" coins
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves only
- 2 cups chicken bone broth
- 2 cups water
- 8 strips bacon
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, packed
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Melt butter in soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, bay leaf, and 1 tsp salt. Saute 5-7 minutes, until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
- Add rutabaga, carrots, parsley, thyme, and 2 tsp salt. Saute 5-7 minutes, stirring often.
- Add chicken bone broth and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the rutabaga and carrots are tender.
- While the soup is simmering, cook bacon in preheated oven until crispy.
- Remove soup from heat, uncover, and remove bay leaf. Allow soup to cool for 10 minutes, then puree the soup in blender or food processor until smooth.
- Return pureed soup to pot and turn heat to low. Add grated cheddar and stir until cheddar has melted into the soup. Then add the cream.
- Serve the soup in individual bowls topped with crispy bacon crumbles. Garnish with parsley and thyme for extra beauty and flavor. Enjoy!
Notes
- our own organic rutabaga, carrots, and herbs.
- pasture-raised chicken bones for our bone broth.
- thick-cut bacon from our local butcher.