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Creamy Potato Soup

October 29, 2019 | Soup

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This Creamy Potato Soup is flavorful, thick, smooth, and ultra creamy. Make this soup on a cold day to warm up from the inside out. You might just even go back for a second bowl.

Top view of a bowl of creamy potato soup topped with shredded cheese, bacon, and green onions.

It’s soup season and this thick and creamy Potato Soup is one of my favorites! If you love creamy soup, try Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, and Market Street Clam Chowder too!

Creamy Potato Soup

This Potato Soup is so yummy! So much flavor from the bacon, onion, and celery; plus, it’s loaded with two kinds of potatoes– russet and red. If you’re looking to feed a large group, this recipe will do just that.

A close up of a bowl of Potato Soup with a second bowl in the background and a small dish of bacon on the side.

How to make Potato Soup: 

  1. Cook the bacon in a stock pot over medium heat. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate and discard all but 3 tablespoons of grease.
  2. Cook the onion and celery in the reserved bacon grease until translucent. Add the garlic and cook another 30-60 seconds.
  3. Add in the potatoes, water, bouillon, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork tender (about 5-7 minutes)
  4. Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Melt the butter in another sauce pan over medium heat and whisk in the butter. Cook for 2 minutes while constantly stirring. Whisk quickly as you slowly pour in the milk. Cook until thick and creamy. Stir in the cream cheese and sour cream.
  5. Pour béchamel into the soup and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves.
  6. Serve garnished with bacon, cheese, green onions.

Process shots of making a thick and creamy béchamel sauce and adding it to a pot of potatoes and broth.

How to make soup thicker:

  • Add a béchamel sauce– Begin by making a roux (butter and flour cooked together) and then whisk in milk. Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat and allow it to simmer while stirring for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. This method results in a ultra smooth and creamy soup base.
  • Blend part of the soup- Use an immersion blender (or remove some soup and use a regular blender) to puree some of the soup. This is a great method for a lower fat and calorie soup, however it does not have as smooth of a texture. Be sure to remove bay leaves before blending.

What kind of milk is used in cream based soup?

If you want a creamy soup, use whole milk. Yes, you can technically use a lower fat milk but it won’t be as thick. 

For even thicker and creamier soup you can use a combination of whole milk and half-and-half cream.

Close up shot of Creamy Potato Soup sprinkled with shredded cheese, green onions, and bacon pieces.

Best potatoes for soup:

New Red Potatoes– If you want there to be chunks of potatoes in your soup, red potatoes are the winner. They contain less starch (waxy) and retain their shape when cooked. They also add great color.

Russet Potatoes– These are high in starch and fall apart easily when cooked. They will be very soft and just fall apart in your mouth. They can also start to break down in the soup and aid in thickening it.

Yukon Gold Potatoes– These have a texture in between that of red and russets. They retain their shape well but can also be mashed.

Russet potatoes and red potatoes on a marble surface.

What size to cut vegetables for soup: 

Potatoes– Bite size! I recommend cutting them into 1/2 inch cubes.

Onions and Celery– Small! About 1/4 inch. They will soften quickly and will be hardly noticeable.

A ladle full of potato soup sprinkled with black pepper.

LOOKING FOR MORE SOUP RECIPES? CHECK OUT THESE:

  • Cabbage Soup is a great a way to use up cabbage and it’s super low in calorie.
  • Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup is the soup of the winter! It’s loaded with veggies and big chunks of tender beef.
  • For a veggie loaded soup that is packed with flavor, make Minestrone Soup!
  • Butternut Squash Soup is so smooth, creamy, and sweet. It’s one of my very favorite winter soups
  • Roasted Cauliflower and Chick Pea Soup is hearty, kind of nutty, and has just the right amount of spice.
  • Lemon Lentil Soup is made with all sorts of healthy ingredients, it’s naturally vegan and gluten-free, and it’s so incredibly comforting and delicious.

TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS CREAMY POTATO SOUP:

  • Pot & Skillet Set– These are the skillets and pots I use. They have a heavy bottom making them sturdy and cook the food evenly. I use these multiple times a day. I use the 3-quart sauce pan and 5-quart dutch oven for this recipe.
  • Hand Blender – This immersion blender makes it so easy to blend up soups or even salad dressing.
  • Liquid Measuring Cup– Adequately measure your liquid ingredients! I like to measure everything in the same measuring cup  to cut down on dishes.

Two hands on the sides of a bowl of potato soup topped with cheese, bacon, and green onion.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Creamy Potato Soup

This Creamy Potato Soup is flavorful, thick, smooth, and ultra creamy. Make this soup on a cold day to warm up from the inside out. You might just even go back for a second bowl.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time45 mins
Servings: 10
Calories: 538kcal
Author: Garnish and Glaze

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bacon, chopped (1/2 inch)
  • 1 cup onion, diced small
  • 1 cup celery, diced small
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 3 pounds large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 6)
  • 1.5 pounds medium size red potatoes, with skin on, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 4)
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 6 cups whole milk
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sour cream

For Toppings:

  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

  • Cook bacon in a large stock pot over medium heat. Drain bacon onto a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 3 tablespoons fat in the pot.
  • Add onions and celery and cook 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook 1 more min. Add potatoes, chicken broth, and herbs. Simmer until fork tender, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, melt butter in another pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 2 minutes. Meanwhile, make the roux. Melt the butter in another sauce pan and whisk in the butter. Cook for 2 minutes while constantly stirring. Whisk quickly as you slowly pour in the milk. Cook until thick and creamy. Stir in the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.
  • Add creamy roux to the potato mixture along with half the bacon. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
  • Garnish with cheese, bacon, and green onion.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Creamy Potato Soup
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Potato Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 538 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 17g106%
Cholesterol 92mg31%
Sodium 1882mg82%
Potassium 1201mg34%
Carbohydrates 54g18%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 1024IU20%
Vitamin C 16mg19%
Calcium 259mg26%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @GarnishandGlaze on Instagram and use hashtag #GarnishandGlaze

Related topics:
Soupbacon cheese green onion potatoes

Comments

  1. jim says

    August 1, 2020 at 7:59 am

    sounds fantastic!! but as a heart failure patient if the soup didn’t kill me my doctor would….lol,lol,lol, its basically over my daily allowance on everything. i do wish i could make mine like this i’d prefer the creamy base over pureed potatoes 🙁

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      September 5, 2020 at 2:27 pm

      Thanks Jim! Creamy always wins. That’s a bummer but good job for listening to your doctor!

      Reply

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