Creamy Potato Soup: the flavorful recipe for a potato bacon soup

If you’re looking for an affordable and tasty comfort food, then look no further. Creamy Potato Soup (also known as Cream of Potato Soup) is a rich cream or milk-based soup that is both hearty and flavorful – perfect for the approaching cooler months. At first, a creamy potato soup might sound bland to some, but it’s the perfect foundation to add any other flavors you like. For a healthy version, add your favorite vegetables, but if cheesy and savory is more your thing, load it up with cheddar and bacon.

This soup is also a great end-of-the-month option. Most of the ingredients are inexpensive and can easily be substituted (except the potatoes, of course!). It makes a great base soup for adding other veggies. So feel free to add all those limp vegetables hiding in your refrigerator drawer. If you don’t have heavy cream, use half-and-half or chicken stock in its place. You can also substitute the sour cream with yoghurt, or simply leave it out. This Creamy Potato Soup has a distinctive potato taste and it can be enjoyed on its own, or as a hearty accompaniment to a main meal.

What are the Best Potatoes for a Potato Bacon Soup?

Use small, tender new potatoes for this potato bacon soup. They cook quickly and add soft texture without an especially starchy flavor.

Ingredients

To make this cheesy, creamy, and filling soup, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Diced bacon. Choose your favorite flavor or style of bacon. For example, maple bacon adds a nice touch of sweetness to this soup. Dice it to ¼-inch cubes for maximum crisp.

Flour, which will help thicken this creamy soup to its perfect consistency.

Chicken stock. Make your own stock for the best-tasting homemade soup. But if you can’t choose a high-quality low-sodium storebought chicken broth.

Milk, which adds incredible creaminess to the soup. Choose whole milk for maximum creaminess.

Small potatoes, the must-have ingredient for potato soup, of course!Shredded cheddar cheese, which adds savory, melty cheese flavor, and silky-smooth texture.

Green onions for a pop of fresh green color and sharp flavor. They also add a nice garnish to your bowls.

Sour cream, for an extra hit of tanginess on top of each bowl.

Tips for The Perfect Creamy Potato Soup

Make sure your potatoes are cut in uniform sizes. This will allow for even cooking. No one wants crunchy potatoes in a creamy potato soup!

Be careful when pureeing your potatoes – you don’t want to burn!

If you can’t find chipotle chili powder, use smoked paprika to taste.

For a variation, add veggies like broccoli or corn together with the potatoes and other ingredients in step 6.

For additional flavor, cook diced celery and carrots with the onion.

While the heavy cream does make a difference in the richness of the soup, you can also use extra stock if you don’t have cream on hand.

Other toppings you can try: green onions or chives, fresh thyme, smoked paprika, croutons, jalapenos, or smoked sausage.

To make it vegetarian: Don’t use the bacon, but remember to add additional butter or olive oil to cook the onion.

To make it gluten-free: use cornstarch to thicken the mixture instead of using flour.

For a ‘healthier’ version: use chicken stock instead of heavy cream, and use turkey bacon.

This soup can be stored in the freezer for up to a month.

How to store Potato Bacon Soup

This creamy soup is a great make-ahead recipe. Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, let the soup thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat it on the stove.

How to make Creamy Potato Soup

Cook the bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat until the bacon is brown and crispy.

Remove the bacon and let it drain on towel paper, leaving the bacon fat in the pot. You will use this to cook the rest of the ingredients which adds extra bacon flavor.

Add the butter to the pot, and cook the onion until tender and translucent.

Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant – be careful to not let it burn!

Add the flour to the onion mixture and stir until smooth.

Add the potatoes, chicken stock, milk, heavy cream, seasonings, and stir well.

Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are tender.

Turn the heat down so that the soup simmers. If you want a smooth soup, use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Alternatively, remove half of the soup, puree it in a blender, and return it to the pot.

Add the sour cream and bacon pieces to the soup, and allow to simmer for 15 more minutes.

Add the bacon, cheddar cheese, green onion and pepper. Serve and enjoy!