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.
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.
How to make Potato Soup:
- 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.
- Cook the onion and celery in the reserved bacon grease until translucent. Add the garlic and cook another 30-60 seconds.
- 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)
- 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.
- Pour béchamel into the soup and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves.
- Serve garnished with bacon, cheese, green onions.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Creamy Potato Soup
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.
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