Classic potato soup is elevated with the addition of fresh fennel and a dash of cumin. This fennel potato soup is rich, creamy, and a great introduction to cooking with fennel!
Somehow this is my third potato soup recipe on the blog, and I'm not lying when I say it's my favorite yet! While this potato soup has the comforting and rich flavors you'd expect, it also has a fantastic sweet undertone from the fennel.
Cooked fennel is much more subtle than fresh fennel, so instead of overpowering the potato soup it adds a gently sweet, herbal flavor that takes the soup to the next level.
Like all good potato soups, this one is rich and creamy. I add a can of white beans (this is a trick I first used in my butternut squash soup) which adds fiber, protein, and creaminess. You don't even notice that there are beans in the soup, seriously!
Looking for more ways to use fennel? Check out my Fennel Sausage Pasta or Fennel Pear Salad.
Ingredients
- Fennel: We're using both the bulb and two of the fennel stalks. Fennel stalks are similar to celery in that they are firm and crunchy.
- White beans: Great northern beans work well here because they are creamy and break down easily. I also tested with cannellini beans, and they do work but I prefer great northern.
- Russet potatoes: Peel the potatoes, then dice into 1-inch cubes. Russet potatoes work best in potato soup because they are starchy, which creates a smooth and velvety texture.
- Vegetable broth: I use Better than Bouillon vegetable base + water, but an equal amount of broth or stock can be used in place of bouillon.
- Dijon mustard: Just a teaspoon adds brightness and body to the soup. If this soup had a secret ingredient, it would definitely be the mustard. Don't skip it.
- Fennel seed has a strong flavor, so if you're looking for a subtle fennel flavor I would just use the fresh fennel and omit the fennel seed. I like adding fennel seed because it reinforces the sweet, anise flavor of fresh fennel.
- Cumin: Just a pinch of ground cumin adds depth and warmth to the soup.
Step-by-step photos
- Roughly chop the fennel bulb and two fennel stalks. Everything will be immersion blended, so don't worry about uniformity.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add butter. Once melted, add the fennel and salt. Saute until softened and golden, about 6-8 minutes. Add in the garlic and fennel seed, cooking until aromatic, just 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the cumin, diced potatoes, Dijon mustard, drained and rinsed white beans, and vegetable broth. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, remove the lid and boil until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
- Immersion blend the soup until smooth. You can also carefully transfer it to a blender in batches. Stir in the half and half. Taste for salt and seasonings, and add extra half & half, if desired. Serve garnished with fennel fronds. Enjoy!
Storage notes
- The potato fennel soup is best within 3-4 days. The soup thickens up a lot in the fridge. It will thin as it reheats, but you can add a splash of half and half or vegetable broth as needed.
- Reheat on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Or reheat individual servings in the microwave.
More easy soup recipes
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Recipe
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Fennel Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium fennel
- 2 medium russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed optional; adds stronger fennel flavor
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 15 ounce can great northern beans drained and rinsed
- 3 cups vegetable broth or 3 cups water + 3 teaspoons bouillon
- ¼ to ½ cup half & half
- ½ medium lemon
- fennel fronds for garnish
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove any wilted or damaged outer layers from the fennel bulb. Roughly chop the fennel bulb and two fennel stalks. Everything will be immersion blended, so don't worry about uniformity.
- Peel the potatoes, then diced into 1-inch pieces. To avoid browning, cover the potatoes in water until they are ready to be used.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add butter. Once melted, add the fennel and salt. Sauté until softened and golden, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and fennel seed, cooking until aromatic, just 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the cumin, diced potatoes, Dijon mustard, drained and rinsed white beans, and vegetable broth. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, remove the lid and boil until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
- Immersion blend the soup until smooth. You can also carefully transfer it to a blender in batches. Stir in ¼ cup of the half and half. Taste for salt and seasonings, and add extra half & half, if desired.
- Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon juice before serving. Serve garnished with fennel fronds and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- Fennel flavor: Despite using an entire fennel bulb, this fennel flavor is not overwhelming in the soup because sautéing fennel decreases the intensity of the anise/licorice flavor in fennel. This is why I like adding in a bit of fennel seed too, which has a strong flavor. Feel free to omit the fennel seed if you want to keep the fennel flavor subtle.
- Storage and reheating: Best within 3-4 days. The soup thickens up a lot in the fridge. It will thin as it reheats, but you can add a splash of half and half or vegetable broth as needed. Reheat on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Or reheat individual servings in the microwave.
Stella says
I'm in love with this soup! I just discovered Cozy Peach Kitchen by googling a recipe for fennel potato soup, which I've never had but I had the ingredients. What I appreciate about her recipes is the use of great herbs and flavor boosters, such as Dijon mustard in this case. I can't wait to make many more recipes from Cozy Peach.
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
Hi Stella, welcome! It’s my favorite when people find my recipes this way. I hope you love the other dishes you try out! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂