Recipes 'Round The World! 🌍 Ireland: Emerald Isle Oatmeal Soup

Irish cuisine celebrates the humble oat—a staple grain that has sustained generations through centuries of coastal winds and rolling green hills. This creamy, comforting soup blends steel-cut oats with leeks, herbs, and a touch of cream, creating a bowl as verdant and nourishing as the Emerald Isle itself. Simple, wholesome, and deeply satisfying.

𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 (𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝟰–𝟲)

3 tbsp Irish butter

2 large leeks (white and light green parts), sliced and rinsed well

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup (150 g) steel-cut oats (or rolled oats for quicker cook)

5 cups (1.2 L) vegetable or chicken stock

1 large potato, peeled and diced

2 bay leaves

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream or whole milk

2 cups (60 g) fresh spinach or kale, chopped

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Fresh parsley and chives, chopped, for garnish

Irish soda bread or wheaten bread, for serving

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and onion; sauté 6–8 minutes until soft and fragrant.

Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.

Stir in oats, coating them in the butter. Toast lightly for 1–2 minutes.

Add stock, potato, bay leaves, and thyme. 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟱–𝟯𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 (steel-cut) or 15–20 min (rolled oats) until oats and potato are tender.

Remove bay leaves. Stir in cream and spinach/kale; simmer 3–5 minutes until greens wilt.

Season with salt and white pepper. For a smoother texture, partially blend with an immersion blender (leave some texture).

𝗧𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲

𝗟𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗯𝗼𝘄𝗹𝘀; 𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀

Drizzle with extra Irish butter or cream

Serve with thick slices of Irish soda bread or wheaten bread

Perfect with a pint of Guinness or strong Irish tea

𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 & 𝗩𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Dairy-free: use olive oil and oat milk or coconut milk.

Extra protein: stir in shredded cooked chicken or crispy bacon bits.

Heartier: add diced carrots or celery with the leeks.

Texture: leave chunky for rustic style, or blend smooth for silky elegance.

Storage: refrigerate up to 3 days; oats will thicken—thin with extra stock when reheating.

𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗚𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱

Ireland enchants with its patchwork of emerald fields divided by ancient stone walls, dramatic cliffs where Atlantic waves crash against rugged coastlines, and cozy pubs where traditional music fills the air with fiddles and bodhrán drums. This warming oatmeal soup might be savored in a thatched cottage in County Clare after walking the Cliffs of Moher, enjoyed in a Dublin gastropub where literary history lives in every corner, or shared in a Connemara farmhouse where turf fires glow and sheep dot windswept hills.

The dish embodies Ireland's gift for creating profound comfort from simple ingredients—where oats represent sustenance and resilience, where every meal honors the land's bounty, and where hospitality transforms strangers into friends over shared bowls and stories. As you explore the Ring of Kerry's breathtaking coastal roads, wander through medieval castles where Celtic legends echo, or witness the mystical beauty of the Giant's Causeway, this nourishing soup connects you to Ireland's generous spirit—where oats and greens carry the essence of the Emerald Isle, where every spoonful warms like a peat fire, and where the simple act of breaking bread together becomes a celebration of life's enduring comforts and the timeless Irish concept of céad míle fáilte (a hundred thousand welcomes).

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