This easy potato soup recipe is a staple comfort food your whole family will love! It has all the flavors of your favorite baked potato in irresistible creamy soup form. You can make this soup any texture you desire, either smooth and velvety or hearty and chunky. It’s a fantastic option for cool nights when you are craving comfort food and great for the whole family.
Top baked potato soup will all the fixings for a filling dish, like crispy bacon bits, shredded cheese, sour cream, and chives – yum! Make it at the beginning of the week and reheat it for easy but filling lunches or simmer up a pot for an easy weeknight family dinner. For more tasty soup recipes, try my butternut squash soup recipe, taco soup recipe, or tortellini soup recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Bacon – a key ingredient to the savory flavor of this recipe! Use thick-cut or regular-cut bacon, chopped.
Potatoes – I prefer to use Yukon gold potatoes for a chunkier soup, as they hold their shape best during cooking. Alternatively, you can use russet potatoes or red potatoes.
Flour – regular all-purpose flour helps to thicken the soup when cooked with the potatoes. It gives the soup it’s classic creamy texture!
Chicken Broth – adds a more robust flavor to the soup than using just water for the liquid. Use a low-sodium chicken stock if you prefer a less salty soup.
Milk – use whole milk for the creamiest texture and best flavor. Alternatively, you can substitute in an equal amount of half-and-half.
Heavy Cream – brings the texture of this soup to an extra thick and rich creaminess! I recommend using heavy whipping cream.
Sour Cream – full-fat sour cream adds a great tangy flavor that perfectly compliments the soup’s buttery notes and gives each bowl that iconic baked potato flavor. Bring to room temperature before adding to the recipe.
How to Make Potato Soup
1. Chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves, then set them aside.
2. Place the chopped bacon in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until crisp on all sides, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon pieces and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon grease drippings in the pot. Reduce to medium heat.
3. Remove and reserve half of the bacon drippings from the pot. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion turns translucent, for about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the chopped potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the potatoes start to stick to the pot, add some reserved bacon drippings. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes.
5. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring, scraping the bottom of the pot with the spoon to loosen any flour or vegetables that stick to the bottom.
6. Add the milk, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low or medium-low, just enough to maintain a low simmer (do not boil). Partially cover and continue simmering until the potatoes are very tender, about 40 minutes. For a less chunky soup, mash the potatoes with the back of a large spoon or a potato masher. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately with cooked bacon bits and other desired toppings.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Don’t toss the bacon drippings! After you cook the bacon, be sure to save the drippings to cook the onion and garlic in. It adds a lot of great flavor to the soup. If you don’t want to use bacon in the soup, skip this step and melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the pot before adding the veggies.
- Create a smooth texture. If you prefer a smooth soup texture rather than chunky, use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency once it’s cooked.
- Make it gluten-free. Omit the flour and instead whisk in one tablespoon of cornstarch into the milk. Then add the milk to the recipe as outlined. Or, you can substitute your favorite brand of 1-to-1 gluten-free flour. Either option will make the soup just as thick!
- Add extra toppings. Load it up! Try adding seasonings like fresh thyme, red chili flakes, and extra black pepper, or add a dash of hot sauce. Use a mix of shredded cheeses like cheddar and smoked Gouda, or try shredded goat cheese. Or stick to the classics- sour cream, chives or green onions, and cheddar cheese!
- Options variations. Sneak in some extra veggies by adding chopped cabbage, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, corn, peas, or leeks when you add the potatoes to the pot. Additionally, you can add a blend of seasonings, such as Cajun or Italian seasoning mix, for different flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Allow this potato soup recipe to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat until heated through. I do not recommend freezing the soup, as it doesn’t hold its texture well when defrosted.
Serve this creamy potato soup recipe for lunch or dinner with dinner rolls, cheddar biscuits or garlic bread – perfect for dipping! Or make it extra fancy for your next group gathering by serving it in a bread bowl! Pair with a kale salad or roasted carrots for a full spread your guests will love.
Yes! Easily make this loaded potato soup recipe vegetarian by omitting the bacon and replacing the drippings with 4 tablespoons of olive oil, butter, or vegetable oil. Then, simply swap the chicken stock with an equal amount of vegetable broth or stock.
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If you’ve tried this Potato Soup recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Potato Soup
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon chopped (about 8oz/225g)
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 pounds gold potatoes peeled and chopped into 1” pieces (1350g)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (30g)
- 4 cups chicken broth (960ml/907g)
- 1½ cups milk (360ml)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream (240ml), room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream (120g), room temperature
Toppings
- shredded cheddar cheese
- chopped chives or green onion
- sour cream
Instructions
- Place the bacon in a large Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until crisp, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon pieces and drain on a paper-towel lined plate, leaving the drippings in the pot. Set aside. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Remove and reserve half of the bacon drippings. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add some reserved bacon drippings if the potatoes start to stick. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring, scraping the bottom of the pot with the spoon to loosen any stuck on flour or vegetables.
- Add the milk, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat just high enough to maintain a low simmer, low to medium-low. (Try to keep it from boiling hard.) Partially cover and continue simmering until the potatoes are very tender, about 40 minutes. For a thicker and less chunky soup, mash the potatoes with the back of a spoon or a potato masher to your desired consistency. Stir in the cream and sour cream. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately topped with sour cream, cheese, chives, and the cooked bacon.
Notes
- Don’t toss the bacon drippings! After you cook the bacon, be sure to save the drippings to cook the onion and garlic in. It adds a lot of great flavor to the soup. If you don’t want to use bacon in the soup, skip this step and melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the pot before adding the veggies.
- Create a smooth texture. If you prefer a smooth soup texture rather than chunky, use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency once it’s cooked.
- Make it gluten-free. Omit the flour and instead whisk in one tablespoon of cornstarch into the milk. Then add the milk to the recipe as outlined. Or, you can substitute your favorite brand of 1-to-1 gluten-free flour. Either option will make the soup just as thick!
- Add extra toppings. Load it up! Try adding seasonings like fresh thyme, red chili flakes, and extra black pepper, or add a dash of hot sauce. Use a mix of shredded cheeses like cheddar and smoked Gouda, or try shredded goat cheese. Or stick to the classics- sour cream, chives or green onions, and cheddar cheese!
- Options variations. Sneak in some extra veggies by adding chopped cabbage, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, corn, peas, or leeks when you add the potatoes to the pot. Additionally, you can add a blend of seasonings, such as Cajun or Italian seasoning mix, for different flavors.
