This Ultimate Potato Soup is rich, creamy and has all the flavors of a loaded baked potato but in a cozy creamy bowl of soup! Try it tonight!
Homemade potato Soup is an ultra-comforting, easy to make one-pot meal. This version is similar to a classic Baked Potato Soup but has extra rich layers of flavor throughout. It’s a great light, cold-season dinner and makes a delicious starter for a holiday meal!
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Sabrina’s Ultimate Potato Soup Recipe
Honestly, is there any comfort food more ideal on a cold day than a bowl of soup? I call this the Ultimate Potato Soup because it has all the flavors of loaded potato soup but blended into a thick, smooth puree. But it’s not just about that creamy texture, it has layers of rich flavor too! I start by cooking with bacon (because who doesn’t love bacon?!) then later on I add a butter and flour roux, and finally it’s topped with a tons of cheese! It truly is the ultimate, rich and creamy potato soup recipe!
Ingredients
- Potatoes: I used russet potatoes for this recipe because they are going to be blended so I don’t need them to hold their shape. You’ll want to peel and cube the potatoes so they blend easily and smoothly.
- Bacon: The bacon bits are a fantastic topping to finish the dish. And you use the bacon grease to cook the potatoes and other ingredients to give it a delicious savory, bacon-y flavor!
- Broth: I used vegetable broth for this recipe which is a bit lighter and more neutral than chicken broth.
- Aromatics: I used 1 onion and only 1 clove of garlic so that the richness of the bacon, cream, and butter shine through but you still get good flavor.
- Butter and Flour: Instead of cooking the roux in the pot like you could for a cheese sauce, you mash it in a bowl then whisk it in. You don’t have to worry about it being
- Toppings: I loaded this soup up with classic potato toppings of sharp cheddar cheese and sour cream, plus a bit of parsley. You can stir 1 cup of the cheese into the soup if you want it cheesy!
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Dutch Oven: This recipe makes a lot of soup so you’ll need a fairly big Dutch oven or pot, about 5-6 quart size.
- Immersion Blender: An immersion blender is a fantastic tool for making creamy soups. It allows you to blend the soup directly in the pot, which is convenient and minimizes cleanup.
How to Make
Time needed: 1 hour.
- Cook the Bacon
Add the bacon to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir as you go, and cook until bacon is chewy but not yet crispy. Then remove cooked bacon from the soup pot, but leave the bacon grease.
- Soften the Vegetables
Add the diced onions, potato chunks, kosher salt, and black pepper to the same pot. Then, stir to coat the vegetables in the bacon grease. Continue to cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and the potato chunks soften slightly. This should only take 8-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic cloves, then stir and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Soften the Potatoes
Pour in the vegetable stock. Stir to combine and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck bits. Bring to a simmer, and lower the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are softened fully.
- Add the Roux
In a small bowl, mash butter and flour into a paste. Then add the butter mixture to your soup pot and whisk well until the paste melts and thickens the soup.
- Cook and Thicken
Pour in the heavy cream and whisk well. Then, continue to cook uncovered for another 10-12 minutes or until the Potato Soup is thickened.
- Blend the Soup
Then, use your immersion blender to blend the bite-size pieces of vegetables. You want the mixture to be a little chunky but mostly creamy.
- Finish
Ladle soup into a bowl and top with cheddar cheese, sour cream, parsley, and bacon bits.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon , roughly chopped
- 1 yellow onion , diced
- 8 Russet potatoes , peeled and cubed
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 8 cups vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups cheddar cheese , shredded
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup parsley , minced
Instructions
- On medium heat in a large Dutch oven add the bacon.
- Cook, stirring until just chewy and a bit crispy.
- Remove bacon pieces, leave bacon grease.
- Add in onions, potatoes, salt and pepper and stir to coat and cook until onions are translucent and the potatoes are starting to soften, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, stir, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add in the vegetable stock, stir to combine and remove any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to medium low and let cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fully softened.
- In a small bowl mash together the butter and flour into a paste.
- Add the butter mixture to the pot and whisk well until the paste has melted and the soup starts to thicken.
- Pour in the heavy cream and whisk well.
- Continue to cook, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes until thickened.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup, leaving it just a little chunky, but creamy.
- Serve in a bowl topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, parsley and bacon bits.
Notes
Nutrition
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Chef’s Notes: Ultra Thick Soup
As I mentioned before, this is meant to be a super thick soup! I used a flour and butter mixture to thicken the broth and add a bit more flavor. Then I thickened it a bit more with heavy cream. Finally I blended the potatoes into the thick broth so it you get a mostly smooth, and ultra thick, creamy soup! If you prefer some chunks, I would remove about ⅓ of the cooked potatoes and blend up the rest of them until they are smooth. Gently stir the reserved potatoes back into the puree and enjoy!
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes, allow the soup to cool to room temperature before transferring it to storage containers. This helps prevent condensation and spoilage. Store the cooled soup in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
What to Pair with Potato Soup
When serving homemade soup for dinner, I always like to pair it with a roll or bread option. Dinner Rolls, Garlic Bread, or Beer Bread are all great for dipping in this creamy, rich soup. To complete the dish, You can serve roasted veggies on the side or sprinkle them on top for a healthy, tasty garnish. My Roasted Broccoli or Parmesan Brussels Sprouts would go great on this potato soup!
Nutritional Facts
How to Store
- Store: If you have leftovers, let them cool, then transfer the soup to an airtight container. It can stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Its best to reheat the soup on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally. You can add broth if it’s too thick, stirring in a tablespoon at a time until it’s thin enough.
- Freeze: You can also freeze this soup recipe for up to 6 months.
Topping Ideas for Potato Soup
- Crispy Fried Shallots
- French Fried Onions
- Chives or Green Onions
- Crunchy Croutons
- Roasted or Sauteed Mushrooms
- A Dash of Hot Sauce or Pickled Jalapenos
Variations
- Vegetarian Potato Soup: If you’d like to make this soup vegetarian, the only big change you have to make is leaving out the bacon bits. Cook the veggies in butter instead so you don’t lose the richness. You’ll need to alter the original recipe more to make it vegan. Along with leaving out the bacon, you’ll also want to use a vegan butter substitute. You’ll also need to substitute the dairy-based heavy cream for coconut cream.
- Seasonings: You can alter the flavor of this soup easily by adding a few more spices. White pepper, red pepper flakes, ground mustard, and paprika are all delicious options.
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