🥔🥓 Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon
A rich, cozy potato soup loaded with crispy bacon, tender potatoes, and a creamy, savory broth. Perfect for a comforting lunch or dinner!
Ingredients
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt, or to taste
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp smoked paprika, optional
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, optional
2 green onions, sliced
Extra bacon, crumbled, for topping
Instructions
Cook the bacon:
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot.
Sauté the vegetables:
Add the diced onion to the bacon grease and cook for 4–5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Make the creamy base:
Add the butter. Once melted, sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for about 1 minute.
Add broth and potatoes:
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Add the diced potatoes, salt, pepper, thyme, and smoked paprika.
Simmer:
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.
Make it creamy:
Stir in the milk and heavy cream. Simmer gently for another 5 minutes—don’t let it boil vigorously.
Thicken:
For a thicker soup, mash some of the potatoes directly in the pot with a potato masher, leaving some chunks whole.
Add cheese and bacon:
Stir in the shredded cheddar, if using, and about half of the cooked bacon. Stir until the cheese melts.
Serve:
Ladle into bowls and top with remaining crispy bacon, sliced green onions, and extra cheddar.
