Potato Soup

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A delicious and fully loaded cheesy potato soup made with red potatoes instead! All the flavors you know and love stuffed into a potato and made into a soup! via chelseasmessyapron.com

A delicious loaded Potato Soup — all the flavors you know and love from a baked potato are channeled into an ultra creamy, cheesy, and deliciously flavored soup!

Pair this comforting soup with homemade dinner rolls or a light garden salad like this roasted veggie salad or Olive Garden salad.

Hearty and warm potato soup served in a gorgeous bread bowl, topped with fresh herbs and cheese.

The Best Potato Soup

This soup tastes channels the flavors of a cheesy baked potato loaded up with all the good stuff! It’s incredibly filling and the perfect kind of comfort food — there really is nothing better on a chilly day! That is, unless we’re eating this soup and enjoying a pumpkin spice steamer!

Bacon sizzling in a pan, vegetables being cooked separately, veggies added together, all simmering in one pot.

Ingredients

  • Potatoes: They make the soup thick and filling.
  • Onion, Celery, Carrots, Garlic: These veggies add flavor.
  • Bacon: Gives a smoky taste and some fat for cooking.
  • Salt, Pepper, Thyme, Oregano, Cayenne Pepper: These spices make the soup tasty.
  • Chicken Broth: It’s the liquid part of the soup.
  • Butter, Flour: They thicken the soup.
  • Milk: Makes the potato soup creamy.
  • Sour Cream: Adds a bit of tang and creaminess.
  • Cheddar Cheese: Makes the soup cheesy and rich.
  • Chives or Green Onions: Optional for extra flavor and decoration.

QUICK TIP

Mix red and Yukon gold potatoes for this soup. Yukon golds are sweet and buttery, while red potatoes are firmer with a mild, earthy taste. Together, they make an amazing flavor combination. 

Chicken broth and cream mixture being poured and stirred into a pot, followed by the addition and mixing of sour cream, cheese, bacon, and chives.

How To Make Potato Soup

  1. Chop & Prep: Cube potatoes, dice onion, celery, and carrot. Mince garlic. Slice bacon.
  2. Cook Bacon: Fry bacon in a pot, set aside. Keep some bacon fat in the pot.
  3. Sauté Veggies: In the same pot, cook onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in bacon fat. Add potatoes and seasonings.
  4. Simmer with Stock: Add chicken stock and simmer until potatoes are tender.
  5. Mash Some Potatoes: Lightly mash a few potatoes in the pot.
  6. Make Cream Sauce: In another pot, melt butter, mix in flour, then gradually add milk until thick.
  7. Combine: Add the cream sauce to the potato soup. Stir until thickened.
  8. Add Final Ingredients: Lower heat. Stir in sour cream, cheese, some bacon, and chives/green onions if using.

Savory baked potato soup topped with fresh herbs and melted cheese in a bread bowl, ready to be devoured.

STORAGE

Storage Notes

  • Because this potato soup is cream-based it is not a great candidate for freezing. The milk solids will separate as the soup thaws, resulting in a grainy texture with a lot of separation.
  • To reheat leftovers: Add leftover Potato Soup to a pot and slowly increase the heat while stirring frequently. Don’t boil the soup or reheat it at a high temperature; this will likely cause the ingredients to separate or potentially curdle.

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Potato Soup

5 from 13 votes
A delicious loaded Potato Soup -- all the flavors you know and love from a baked potato are channeled into an ultra creamy, cheesy, and deliciously flavored soup!
Savory baked potato soup topped with fresh herbs and melted cheese in a bread bowl, ready to be devoured.
Print Recipe

Potato Soup

Savory baked potato soup topped with fresh herbs and melted cheese in a bread bowl, ready to be devoured.
5 from 13 votes
A delicious loaded Potato Soup -- all the flavors you know and love from a baked potato are channeled into an ultra creamy, cheesy, and deliciously flavored soup!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword potato soup
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 10 -12 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 400kcal
Cost $6.12

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds (~6-1/2 cups) cubed potatoes (We love a mix of red and Yukon gold potatoes)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
  • 2 stalks celery, diced (3/4 cup)
  • 1-2 large carrots, diced (1 cup)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (~3 cloves)
  • 1 package (12 ounces) smoked bacon (12 slices of bacon)
  • Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, dried oregano
  • 1/16 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional
  • 6 cups chicken stock/broth
  • 2/3 cup (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk, separated
  • 1 cup (8 oz) sour cream (I use reduced fat/lite)
  • 2 and 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, separated
  • Chives or green onions, optional

Instructions

  • PREP: Wash the potatoes and peel if desired (we like to leave the peel on -- it adds texture, flavor, and is easier!) Then cut into small cubes (1/2 inch in size). Dice the onion, dice the celery, dice the carrot. Mince the garlic. Thinly slice the un-cooked bacon (this is easiest with a very sharp knife and very cold bacon).
  • BACON: In a very large pot, over medium heat, cook all of the bacon to desired doneness, about 6-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon on to a paper towel lined plate and dab off excess grease. Set bacon aside.
  • DRAIN BACON FAT: Drain off all the bacon fat except for 3 tablespoons. I do this by lining a small bowl with foil and then pouring all the rendered bacon fat into the bowl. Quickly wipe down the pot and then measure out 3 tablespoons bacon fat from the foil lined bowl and add back into the pot. Once the bacon fat hardens, you can ball up the foil and save for another recipe or discard -- no mess 🙂
  • VEGGIES: Add in the onion, celery, and carrot to the pot and saute, stirring frequently, over medium heat, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic in the last 30 seconds. Add in the diced potatoes and toss to coat. Add in the seasonings: salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and ground cayenne pepper. (I add in 1/2 teaspoon EACH of salt and pepper here.) Toss to coat and cook for 1 minute.
  • SIMMER: Cover everything with 6 cups chicken stock. SEE NOTE 1 to finish in crockpot. Heat to boiling and then reduce the heat and cook for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
  • MASH: Using a potato masher, mash down some of the tender potatoes, leaving some still in chunks.
  • CREAM MIXTURE: In another pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook for one minute over medium heat. Very slowly, while whisking constantly, add in 2 cups (463g) of milk. Whisk until thickened. Very slowly, while whisking constantly, add in the remaining 2 cups (463g) of milk. Again, stir until thickened. Add in a generous amount of salt and pepper (I add another 1/2 teaspoon of each, but add to your preference!)
  • FINISH THE SOUP: back to the soup, pour in the cream mixture. Stir until thickened, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sour cream, chives or green onions if using (we add about 1/4 cup), 2 cups (193g) of the cheese, and half of the cooked bacon. Stir until the cheese is melted.
  • SERVE: Top individual bowls with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, remaining bacon, and any more chives/green onions as desired. Enjoy warm!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: To prepare this potato soup in the crockpot: Follow steps 1-5 and then put everything into the crockpot (besides the cooked bacon). Cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Mash the potatoes in the crockpot and then continue on with step 7. Add everything in the crockpot and cover for 15-20 more minutes on high to heat everything through and then serve. You'll want to use a 6 quart crockpot for this potato soup.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.9g | Protein: 16.1g | Fat: 24.1g | Cholesterol: 67.2mg | Sodium: 444.1mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 7.8g

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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Recipe Rating




31 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Did not use the bacon or cheddar, used Asagio and lots of pepper. Delicious. Have way too may potatoes from the harvest. Thanks for sharing. Also used veg. broth and cubes instead of chkn. Hate meat for the most part.

  2. 5 stars
    I never leave comments after I make recipes that I’ve found, but my goodness this was delicious. Even better the next day. Only thing I’d recommend is to hold off on putting the bacon in the soup while on the stove top. Save it for a topping, otherwise it gets soggy. Two thumbs up. Thanks for the delicious post!!!

  3. I just placed the items in the crockpot as per steps 1 – 6. No liquid goes into the crockpot while its cooking for 5-7 hours?

    1. I apologize for the confusion Jim — the stock or chicken bouillon cubes (with water) do go in the crockpot with everything!

  4. I am making this soup right now for my Buncos Club. I already had golden potatoes so I used them & the only other change I made is using ham. I bought a ham shank and boiled it for about an hour and used that broth for some of the liquid plus cubbed ham that I fried off. Will let you know how it turns out.

  5. Can you tell me if omitting the bacon will effect the outcome a lot? I was thinking of making this for the weekend and there are a couple of vegetarians I have to worry about. Thanks so much for your help!

      1. Thank you so much! I ended up just leaving the bacon out – it was a HUGE hit! Many, many compliments and will make again very soon! My daughter especially LOVED it 🙂

  6. 5 stars
    I made the potato soup tonight, it was delicious and very filling. We also thought it would be a good base for clam chowder.
    Keep up the good work.
    Lynn from Northwest Ohio

    1. Just however crispy (or not crispy!) you’d like it. It depends on the pan you’re using, in a cast iron skillet, about 6-8 minutes

  7. 5 stars
    Made the potato soup recipe (in the crockpot) today and WOW. Wonderful soup. My husband couldn’t stop eating it! I will definitely make this again.

    THANK YOU!

  8. 5 stars
    I LOVED this soup. I didn’t have sharp cheese, so I used mild. We don’t like celery, so I left it out. I could probably have made 2 packs of bacon with my family. Great recipe.

  9. You call it Baked Potato Soup yet you boil the potatoes, is this an error? A baked potato gives it more flavour.

  10. 5 stars
    I’m never using any other potato soup recipe again for the rest of my life! My husband called it “one of the best things I’ve ever cooked”. Soup recipes that omit mirepoix are never going to match up. So delicious and filling!

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