Top baked potato soup will all the fixings for a filling dish, like crispy bacon bits, shredded cheese, sour cream, and chives – yum! Make it at the beginning of the week and reheat it for easy but filling lunches or simmer up a pot for an easy weeknight family dinner. For more tasty soup recipes, try my butternut squash soup recipe, taco soup recipe, or tortellini soup recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Bacon – a key ingredient to the savory flavor of this recipe! Use thick-cut or regular-cut bacon, chopped. Potatoes – I prefer to use Yukon gold potatoes for a chunkier soup, as they hold their shape best during cooking. Alternatively, you can use russet potatoes or red potatoes. Flour – regular all-purpose flour helps to thicken the soup when cooked with the potatoes. It gives the soup it’s classic creamy texture! Chicken Broth – adds a more robust flavor to the soup than using just water for the liquid. Use a low-sodium chicken stock if you prefer a less salty soup. Milk – use whole milk for the creamiest texture and best flavor. Alternatively, you can substitute in an equal amount of half-and-half. Heavy Cream – brings the texture of this soup to an extra thick and rich creaminess! I recommend using heavy whipping cream. Sour Cream – full-fat sour cream adds a great tangy flavor that perfectly compliments the soup’s buttery notes and gives each bowl that iconic baked potato flavor. Bring to room temperature before adding to the recipe.
How to Make Potato Soup
- Chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves, then set them aside.
- Place the chopped bacon in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until crisp on all sides, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon pieces and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon grease drippings in the pot. Reduce to medium heat.
- Remove and reserve half of the bacon drippings from the pot. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion turns translucent, for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the potatoes start to stick to the pot, add some reserved bacon drippings. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring, scraping the bottom of the pot with the spoon to loosen any flour or vegetables that stick to the bottom.
- Add the milk, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low or medium-low, just enough to maintain a low simmer (do not boil). Partially cover and continue simmering until the potatoes are very tender, about 40 minutes. For a less chunky soup, mash the potatoes with the back of a large spoon or a potato masher. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately with cooked bacon bits and other desired toppings.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Don’t toss the bacon drippings! After you cook the bacon, be sure to save the drippings to cook the onion and garlic in. It adds a lot of great flavor to the soup. If you don’t want to use bacon in the soup, skip this step and melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the pot before adding the veggies. Create a smooth texture. If you prefer a smooth soup texture rather than chunky, use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency once it’s cooked. Make it gluten-free. Omit the flour and instead whisk in one tablespoon of cornstarch into the milk. Then add the milk to the recipe as outlined. Or, you can substitute your favorite brand of 1-to-1 gluten-free flour. Either option will make the soup just as thick! Add extra toppings. Load it up! Try adding seasonings like fresh thyme, red chili flakes, and extra black pepper, or add a dash of hot sauce. Use a mix of shredded cheeses like cheddar and smoked Gouda, or try shredded goat cheese. Or stick to the classics- sour cream, chives or green onions, and cheddar cheese! Options variations. Sneak in some extra veggies by adding chopped cabbage, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, corn, peas, or leeks when you add the potatoes to the pot. Additionally, you can add a blend of seasonings, such as Cajun or Italian seasoning mix, for different flavors.
If you’ve tried this Potato Soup recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
