Warm and comforting, this smoky potato cheddar soup topped with crispy potato skins is the perfect Dracula-inspired dish to serve on a cold day! Serve this soup with a slice of freshly baked easy artisan no knead bread or explore more gothic literary recipes with our Frankenstein feast.
At a Glance: Smoky Potato Cheddar Soup
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cooking Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: ~1 hour
- Servings: 8 servings
- Flavour: Warm and smoky, cheesy
- Skill Level: Easy
- Why this Works: Warm and comforting potato soup with a hint of smokiness and topped with crunchy potato skins is perfect to warm you up on a cold night.
Dracula, the Feast
Bram Stoker's Dracula takes us on a gothic journey like no other. The dark and dangerous figure, Count Dracula, ominously lurks in shadowed castles and slips quietly into candlelit bedrooms, revealing the fears and terrors of the story's central characters. To honour this gothic masterpiece, we are following the story through food, starting with a fateful journey into the Carpathian Mountains, terrifying encounters at the misty sea cliffs of Whitby, the drawing rooms of Victorian London, and the final dangerous race back to Transylvania. Each recipe draws on the places and people at the heart of the novel, echoing the themes of light and darkness, innocence and seduction, superstition and science, life and death. We invite you to sink your teeth into these recipes one at a time, at a Halloween gathering, or at your next book club!
Return to Castle Dracula
After the passing of Lucy, it isn't long before Mina begins to show the same symptoms. Believing the only way to save her is by destroying Dracula, Van Helsing and the others follow the Count back to the Carpathians. While Harker and others pursue Dracula's travelling box, Van Helsing and Mina head to the castle alone. As they rest in the snowy mountains, Van Helsing prepares a meal over the fire, but Mina is too far gone to eat. Then, from the swirling snow, three ghostly women take shape, circling the firelight like mist and calling for Mina to join them...
Warm and comforting, this delicious potato soup is exactly the sort of dish to fortify you on a nighttime journey through snowy mountains. A hint of woodsmoke is captured in the pinch of smoked paprika that flavours the soup and the smoky cheddar melted in at the end. The potato skins are thinly sliced and fried until golden brown and crispy, adding the perfect textural contrast to the rich and creamy soup. For a final flourish, the soup is topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh green onions.
If you're looking for more comforting soup recipes then check out our roasted garlic soup with cheesy croutons or our split pea soup.
Ingredients for Smoky Potato Cheddar Soup
Potatoes: I prefer using russet potatoes for this recipe as they have a thicker peel which is fried to make a crispy topping.
Cheddar: Smoked cheddar cheese adds a ton of smoky flavour to this creamy soup. You could use another type of smoked cheese instead, such as gouda or Gruyère if you prefer. I recommend choosing a good melting cheese which will blend well into the creamy soup.
Smoked paprika: Smoked paprika adds a hint of smoke and a rich colour to the soup.
Vegetable broth: I used vegetable broth to keep this dish vegetarian, although chicken broth would work as well.
Cream: A splash of cream at the end adds richness to the soup.
Flour: This soup is thickened with flour. The flour is whisked into the cream before adding to the soup near the end of cooking. You could substitute with cornstarch if you want to make the soup gluten free.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Storage: Store the soup in fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. While you can freeze the soup to store it longer, the texture of the potatoes will change slightly. The soup will still be fine to eat but the quality will be slightly lower than when fresh.
Reheating: Reheat the soup on the stove or in the microwave. If heating on the stove be sure to stir the soup regularly to avoid it sticking and burning to the bottom of the pan.
How to make Smoky Potato Cheddar Soup
1. Prep the potato skins
Wash and scrub the potatoes. Use a peeler to peel thin strips of the skin off the potatoes. Try to peel them in thin strips rather than large, thick slices which won't crisp up as well after frying. Place the potato skins in a mixing bowl with cold water, swishing them around to remove the excess starch. Drain the water and then fill again with clean water. Set aside while you prepare the soup.
Dice the potatoes and transfer to another bowl. Cover with water until ready to use.
2. Prep the soup
In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Sauté for 4 to 6 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and smoked paprika and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
Add the diced potatoes along with 5 ½ cups of the vegetable broth, kosher salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
3. Fry the potato skins
Line a baking sheet with paper towel and se aside. Drain the potato skins and spread out on a tea towel to dry them thoroughly. Add the vegetable oil to a wide skillet and place over medium high heat. Add the potato skins to the hot oil.
Fry the skins, stirring regularly, until they become golden brown and crispy, about 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and spread them out on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. The skins will crisp up even more as they cool.
4. Finish the soup
In a mixing bowl combine the heavy cream and flour. Whisk until the cream is completely smooth and there are no lumps. Add the remaining ½ cup vegetable broth and whisk to combine.
When the potatoes are tender, add the cream mixture to the soup and immediately stir to prevent lumps. Bring the soup to a gentle boil and cook until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat and add the shredded cheese. Stir in the cheese until melted.
5. Serve the Smoky Potato Cheddar Soup
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions, and a handful of the crispy potato skins. Enjoy!
For more Dracula recipes, try our Robber Steak with Garlic and Paprika Cream or our garlic butter three ways with easy artisan no knead bread.
More Gothic Literary Recipes
Smoky Potato Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lb russet potatoes about 3 to 4 potatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 6 cups vegetable broth divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus extra
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups shredded smoked cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream to serve
- 3 green onions to serve
Instructions
- Wash and scrub the potatoes. Use a peeler to peel thin strips of the skin off the potatoes. Try to peel them in thin strips rather than large, thick slices which won't crisp up as well after frying. Place the potato skins in a mixing bowl with cold water, swishing them around to remove the excess starch. Drain the water and then fill again with clean water. Set aside while you prepare the soup. Dice the potatoes and transfer to another bowl. Cover with water until ready to use.
- In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Sauté for 4 to 6 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and smoked paprika and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the diced potatoes along with 5 ½ cups of the vegetable broth, kosher salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, prepare the crispy potato skins. Line a baking sheet with paper towel and se aside. Drain the potato skins and spread out on a tea towel to dry thoroughly. Add the vegetable oil to a wide, deep skillet or saucepan and place over medium high heat. Add the potato skins to the hot oil.
- Fry the skins, stirring regularly, until they become golden brown and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and spread out on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. The skins will crisp up even more as they cool.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the heavy cream and flour. Whisk until the cream is completely smooth and there are no lumps. Add the remaining ½ cup vegetable broth and whisk to combine.
- When the potatoes are tender, add the cream mixture to the soup and immediately stir to prevent lumps. Bring the soup to a gentle boil and cook until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat and add the shredded cheese and stir until fully melted.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions, and a handful of the crispy potato skins. Enjoy!
