Paula Deen BLT Soup

Paula Deen BLT soup is a creamy bacon and tomato soup with iceberg lettuce, chicken broth and a mayonnaise sour cream dollop that comes together in 30 minutes. This easy weeknight soup dinner fits Sunday dinner, game day and church supper, since it feeds 8 from one pot.

Whisk the mayonnaise and sour cream together into a smooth dollop, because that cool topping is what makes this taste like a BLT sandwich. Skip it and you just have a plain cream soup with bacon in it.

Paula cooks the diced bacon first and builds the whole soup in that same pot, so the bacon fat and browned bits flavor everything that follows. Stirring in instant-blending flour keeps the soup smooth, so you don't have to fuss with a roux.

Paula Deen BLT Soup

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Course: SoupCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

290

kcal

Bacon, wilted green onions and julienne lettuce simmer in a flour-thickened chicken broth, then heavy cream rounds it out. A cool mayonnaise and sour cream swirl on top gives each bowl that tangy sandwich bite.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Sour cream
  

• 1 cup heavy cream
  

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  

• 1 cup diced into 1/2 inch pieces fresh tomatoes
  

• 1/8 teaspoon fresh grated Nutmeg
  

• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
  

• 3 1/2 cups fresh or canned, heated to a simmer chicken broth
  

• 1/2 cup instant-blending flour
  

• 3 cups julienne iceberg lettuce
  

• 2 tablespoons Butter
  

• 1/2 cup diced green onions
  

• 5 slices diced small, plus crisp, crumbed bacon for garnish bacon
  

Directions

• Brown the bacon: Cook 5 slices of diced bacon in a 3-quart pot over medium heat until lightly browned. Then add 1/2 cup diced green onions and cook, stirring, until they wilt.
• Sauté the lettuce: Add 2 tablespoons butter and stir until it melts. Once it does, add 3 cups julienne iceberg lettuce and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the flour: Sprinkle 1/2 cup instant-blending flour into the pot. Stir until it is well blended with everything else.
• Add broth and tomatoes: Remove the pot from the heat and add 3 1/2 cups hot chicken broth, 1 cup diced tomatoes, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper. Heat the soup to boiling, stirring constantly.
• Simmer the soup: Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Then add 1 cup heavy cream and mix well.
• Make the topping: Mix together 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 1/4 cup sour cream until smooth. Set it aside while the soup finishes.
• Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and add a dollop of the mayonnaise mixture to each portion. Then top it with crumbled crisp bacon.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, OXO wooden spoon set, Hellmann's real mayonnaise, 30 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use something other than iceberg lettuce?

Romaine works if that is what you have, and it holds up to the heat well enough. Iceberg wilts into soft ribbons that melt into the soup, which is why the recipe uses it.

How do I store leftover BLT soup?

Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge, and reheat it gently on the stove over low heat. Cream soups can separate if they boil hard, so go slow and keep the topping and bacon separate until you serve.

Can I make BLT soup ahead of time?

You can make the soup base ahead and warm it up when guests arrive. Wait to stir the topping together and crumble the bacon until just before serving, so both stay fresh.

What if I don't have instant-blending flour?

Instant-blending flour dissolves smoothly into hot liquid, which is why the recipe calls for it. Regular all-purpose flour can clump, so if you use it, cook it with the butter for a minute and stir well as you add the broth.

What is the most common mistake with this soup?

Letting the soup boil hard after the cream goes in is the biggest one, since it can turn grainy. Keep the heat low and gentle once the cream is mixed in, and the soup stays silky.