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Soups

Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon

TIME

1 h

DIFFICULTY

Easy

SERVINGS

8

CALORIES

228 kcal

CARBS

30 g

PROTEIN

8 g

FAT

9 g

Z Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon

About this recipe

Potatoes were first domesticated thousands of years ago in the Andes near Lake Titicaca, which lies between Bolivia and Peru. Andean communities continue to cultivate a rich diversity of native potato varieties. This creamy bacon soup is a contemporary comfort-food recipe built around that ancient Andean crop.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT

A creamy, hearty texture with tender potato pieces Smoky bacon and savory vegetables in every bowl Easy one-pot comfort food with simple, familiar ingredients

Ingredients

  • 6 slices uncooked bacon (about 142 g), chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), diced
  • 1 medium carrot (about 60 g), peeled and diced
  • 1 medium celery stalk (about 40 g), diced
  • 3 garlic cloves (about 9 g), minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 31 g)
  • 2 lb russet potatoes (about 907 g peeled), cut into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) cubes
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (710 ml)
  • 2 cups whole milk (480 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt (about 5 g), plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 0.5 g), plus more to taste
  • Optional toppings: sour cream, grated sharp cheddar, and thinly sliced scallions

Preparation

  1. Chop the bacon. Dice the onion, carrot, and celery; mince the garlic. Peel the potatoes and cut them into evenly sized 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) cubes.
  2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 8–12 minutes. Transfer it to a plate with a slotted spoon and leave the rendered drippings in the pot.
  3. Add the onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute to cook off its raw taste.
  5. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, and milk. Stir and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
  6. Cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the soup has thickened, about 15–20 minutes.
  7. For a creamier texture, mash some of the potatoes in the pot, or blend a portion and stir it back in. Stir in the cooked bacon and taste; adjust the salt and pepper.
  8. Serve hot with optional sour cream, cheddar, or scallions.

Tips

  • Cut the potatoes into similar-sized cubes so they cook evenly.
  • Keep the soup at a gentle simmer after adding the milk; avoid a hard boil.
  • Mash only part of the potatoes to thicken the soup while keeping some pieces intact.
  • Season gradually, especially if the broth or bacon is salty.
  • Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within 4 days.

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