This savory, creamy, and oh-so-comforting Cheesy Potato Soup is loaded with smoky bacon, three types of potatoes, hearty veggies, and a rich cheesy cream base. It’s seriously the best soup!
Reasons To Love Cheesy Potato Soup
- Rich flavor: Smoky bacon and a trio of potatoes in a cheesy base. Does it get any better than this?!
- Ultimate comfort food: Creamy, hearty, and downright satisfying. A family fave!
- Easy to make: Straightforward steps.
- Customizable: Easily adaptable to include your favorite ingredients.
- Leftovers are delish: Tastes even better the next day as flavors meld!
Cheesy Potato Soup Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: Used to create the cream base and to cook bacon in.
- Hardwood smoked bacon: This delivers a smoky flavor and delicious soup topping!
- Yellow onion and Carrot: Finely diced for best integration.
- Gold potatoes: Choose firm, unblemished potatoes.
- Sweet potatoes: The fresher, the sweeter.
- Minced garlic: Fresh or jarred.
- Spices: The spice blend adds loads of flavor to this soup!
Ingredients, Continued
- Chicken broth: High-quality store-bought broth for best flavor. Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
- White flour: Standard all-purpose flour works best.
- Whole milk: Full-fat for creaminess; avoid low-fat versions.
- Sharp Cheddar cheese: Freshly grated Cheddar melts better. Sharp Cheddar adds more flavor.
- Optional garnishes: Fresh thyme, crusty bread, and hash browns take this soup from wow to WOW!
How To Make Cheesy Potato Soup
- Cook bacon: In a pot, cook bacon, then set aside.
- Sauté veggies: In bacon fat, sauté onions, carrots, and potatoes. Add seasonings.
- Simmer: Pour in stock, boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender.
- Milk mixture: In another pot, cook butter and flour, then whisk in milk.
- Combine: Add milk mixture into soup, mash some potatoes, add cheese, stir until melted.
- Serve: Top with bacon, garnish as desired, and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Crisp the bacon: Cook until crispy for better texture.
- Slow sauté: Thoroughly soften onions and carrots for flavor. Don’t rush this!
- Adjust seasonings: Taste and season as you go.
- Add cheese slowly: stir in cheese, a small handful at a time, mixing in between additions for smooth melting.
- Adjust thickness: Thin with milk or broth if needed.
What To Serve With Cheesy Potato Soup
- Crusty Bread or Dinner Rolls: Ideal for dipping.
- Garden Salad: Or a tasty Caesar Salad.
- Roasted Veggies: Brussels sprouts or asparagus.
- Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: Add ham for more protein.
- Apple Salad: Sweet and tangy.
Storage
- Cool soup to room temperature.
- Refrigerate in airtight containers for 3-5 days.
- Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Reheat on low heat, stirring frequently; avoid boiling.
More Comforting Soup Recipes:
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Taco Soup
- Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Cheesy Potato Soup
Cheesy Potato Soup is packed with smoky bacon, three types of potatoes, hearty veggies, and a rich cheesy cream base.
Equipment
- Large cast-iron pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 8 slices bacon finely diced
- 1-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion
- 1-1/2 cups finely diced carrot
- 2-1/2 cups diced gold potatoes 1/2-inch thick, unpeeled, see note 1
- 2-1/2 cups diced sweet potatoes 1/2-inch thick, peeled
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1-1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (32-ounce) carton chicken broth
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 cups whole milk see note 2
- 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese or extra-sharp, see note 3
- Hearty buttered bread for serving
- Toppings as desired see note 4
Instructions
- In a large cast-iron pot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the bacon and cook until browned and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain all the fat except for 2 tablespoons, keeping the pot unwashed. Add the diced carrot and onion, seasoning with salt and pepper. Sauté for 7–9 minutes until tender, without rushing. Then, add the gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, and seasonings, and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth and increase the heat to bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Stir occasionally.
- In a separate pot, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually add milk while whisking. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens (see note 5).
- Reduce the heat to low and stir the milk mixture into the soup. If desired, use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes while leaving others in chunks. Turn off the heat and gradually add the grated cheese, a handful at a time, stirring gently until melted. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Ladle soup into bowls, topping each with reserved bacon and optional sweet potato hash browns (see note 4). Garnish with fresh thyme if desired. Serve with crusty bread or rolls for dipping, or in bread bowls.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Golden potatoes have thin skins, so no need to peel. If using a different variety, peel them first.
Note 2: Low-fat milks don't offer the same thickness, creaminess, or flavor. It's best to stick with whole milk if possible.
Note 3: Sharp Cheddar provides more flavor than mild or medium, which is crucial here. Use a block of cheese and shred it fresh for a smoother melt.
Note 4: Sweet potato hash browns are the best topping for this soup! I pop them in the air fryer just before the soup is ready. You can also top this soup with fresh thyme and serve with hearty buttered bread.
Note 5: Cook the mixture until it's thick enough to leave a clear trail on a wooden spoon. If you draw a line with your finger, it should stay put, not run together.
Storage: Cool the soup to room temperature, then refrigerate in airtight containers for 3–5 days. For longer storage, freeze for 2–3 months. When reheating, do so on low heat, stirring frequently, and avoid boiling.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 883mg | Potassium: 1090mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 18517IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 217mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
