Creamy Collard Green Soup with Bacony Croutons
Bacon flavored croutons? Yes, please.
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Recipe Summary
Any Southerner knows that bacon and collards are a match made in heaven. Our Test Kitchen wanted to design a dish that pays tribute to this classic combination in a new, slightly unconventional way. Without further ado, meet our Creamy Collard Green Soup with Bacony Croutons.
This soup is all about layering dynamic flavors to create a final product that’s simple in spirit, but complex on the palate. It all starts with the foundational flavor of bacon grease, which is used to cook the alliums (like onion and garlic) and the croutons. From there, we build up the soup with chicken stock, potatoes, and collards. The final result is a soup fortified by greens with a deep, earthy flavor.
The hot sauce, stirred in right before serving, adds a touch of acid and spice without overwhelming the flavor profile of Southern braised collards. Whatever you do, don’t skip the croutons. Baking the sourdough croutons with bacon drippings results in a smoky, extra-crispy topping for your collards soup. If you want to prepare this soup ahead of time, the chilled soup can hold up to 3 days in an airtight container without the heavy cream and the hot sauce.