When you think of the words German and Potato together you may instantly think of salad as the conclusion to the phrase. Not so in this Mahalo guide page. Utilizing a popular version of potato salad, this guide page provides information on how to make German potato soup. Many people consider potato soup a comfort food, as it's creamy, warm, and filling. You can prepare German potato soup ahead of time in a crockpot and have it ready as your main course for dinner without rushing to prepare a last minute meal. German potato soup can also be served as a part of a dinner party meal as a starter soup.

German potato soup is inexpensive to make. Most of the ingredients are kept on hand in the pantry or refrigerator. Potatoes bought in larger quantity can be cooked and frozen for later use in soups to further reduce grocery costs.

The potato, a simple vegetable, combines with a few other ingredients in this soup to make a dish to be enjoyed by many. Consider adding this soup to a winter weekly meal plan for the family. German potato soup, served as the main course, can be accompanied by a fresh baked bread. Served as a starter to the meal, the soup is a good choice for serving with a lighter main course.

• 10 slices bacon
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 5 cups beef broth
• 3 cups water
• 3 pounds potatoes, sliced thin
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 tablespoons basil

Alternate German potato soup Ingredients:

1. Substitute chicken broth for beef http://chetday.com/potatosouprecipe.htm/ref?
2. Substitute heavy cream for eggs and sour cream <ref> http://www.chef4all.com/german-potato-soup.html
3. For more nutrients and color, add julienne carrots to the recipe when onions are added

1. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes
2. Remove bacon from pan onto paper towel to drain
3. Cook onions and garlic in bacon fat until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Stir in flour and cook until it begins to get brown, usually about a minute
5. Stir in broth, water, and potatoes and simmer until the potatoes break down a bit and the soup is a little bit thicker, usually about 35 to 40 minutes
6. Beat the egg yolks and sour cream together in medium bowl
7. Whisk 1 cup of hot soup into the egg mixture, then stir the mix into the soup
8. Crumble the bacon and add to soup
9. Add basil and stir constantly over medium low heat until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes
10. Remove from heat. Do not allow to continue to cook or eggs and sour cream will curdle

The earliest records of potato cultivation date back to 8000 B.C. Potatoes were first grown in Germany in 1621. In 2008, the International Year of the Potato, the vegetable was still ranked fourth highest in the world for consumption of a food item. A German potato salad was typically served hot and contained bacon or ham. The hot salad was originally created to use of left over potatoes. Potatoes were not an acceptable food to many in Germany in their early years of cultivation and were only eaten by the lower classes and the animals. http://timelines.ws/subjects/Food.HTML

Potato salad recipes used varieties of ingredients based on what was available. Because the salad was a hot food, its transition to a soup was a reasonable one. Any German potato salad recipe can be converted to a German potato soup meal by adding additional cream, milk, or broth. When adapting the recipe, additional thickener may be needed to maintain a creamy soup. If the potato salad has a vinegar taste, and that flavor is desired, an additional portion of vinegar may be needed along with the extra liquid added. http://www.kitchenproject.com/german/recipes/GermanPotatoSalad/history.htm