How to Make the Best Creamy Potato Soup: Easy Comfort Food Recipe

An easy and incredibly delicious creamy potato soup recipe that you can whip up in just one pot! This potato soup, loaded with bacon and creamy potato flavor, is a family favorite and the ultimate comfort food.

Craving something savory and comforting?

If you’re in the mood for something rich, creamy, and utterly satisfying, look no further. This potato soup recipe is packed with savory flavors, thanks to the generous addition of bacon, sour cream, and of course, cheese! Around here, we’re all about indulging in delicious comfort food.

While I do share sweet treats often, my savory recipes always lean towards ultimate comfort, and that usually means extra cheese! (Have you tried my baked mac and cheese yet? It’s a must-try!). We’re not counting calories today; we’re focusing on flavor and pure enjoyment.

I promised you this potato soup recipe when I shared my Oreo Balls. I made it when my husband, Zach, wasn’t feeling well, and honestly, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. It’s truly that good (and yes, I am very serious about my food cravings!).

While Zach usually prefers healthier meals (and I try to join him, but let’s be real, creamy, cheesy dishes are my weakness), this potato soup was a welcome change from our usual baked chicken. It’s not an everyday meal in our house, but it’s definitely a special occasion kind of comfort.

Speaking of special occasions, potato soup is definitely on the menu for this weekend. The weather has turned incredibly cold, and I’ve convinced myself that a bowl of creamy potato soup is essential for survival. Yes, potato soup makes me a little dramatic, but you’ll understand why once you taste it.

If you’re experiencing a cold snap yourself (or even if you’re not!), I guarantee you’ll love this creamy potato soup as much as we do. Keep reading for my top tips on how to make it perfectly every time!

Expert Tips for the Best Creamy Potato Soup

To ensure your potato soup is absolutely perfect, follow these simple yet crucial tips:

Uniform Potato Size: Cut your potatoes into pieces that are no larger than ¾″ and aim for uniform sizes. This ensures even cooking. There’s nothing worse than biting into a piece of potato that’s still crunchy in the middle!
Achieve the Perfect Creaminess: For that signature creamy texture, I highly recommend pureeing about half of the soup. You can use an immersion blender directly in the pot, or carefully transfer half of the soup to a regular blender, puree, and then stir it back into the pot (you might recognize this technique from my corn chowder). If you prefer an ultra-smooth soup, you can puree all of it. However, I find that pureeing half and leaving some potato chunks creates the ideal balance of texture and flavor.
Bacon Timing: Hold off on adding the bacon back into the pot until after you’ve pureed the soup. Trust me, blending bacon is not a good idea! 😉
Secret Flavor Booster: Ancho Chili Powder: The ancho chili powder is, in my opinion, a must-have ingredient. It adds a subtle depth of flavor that elevates this soup to another level. I blend it right into the soup and also sprinkle a little on top before serving. Start with ¼ teaspoon and then taste and add more if desired.

This creamy potato soup is the ultimate comfort food for a chilly weekend. Is there anything more comforting than the aroma of soup simmering on the stove while the wind howls outside? Anything!? And while I’m not a huge football fan, I know this soup would be perfect to make ahead and enjoy during game day.

Forget the game; treat yourself to a Super Bowl of soup! 🤣😂 Okay, okay, I’ll stop with the puns.

Enjoy making this incredibly comforting and easy potato soup!

Easy Steps to Make Potato Soup

The Ultimate Creamy Potato Soup Recipe

This one-pot creamy potato soup recipe is both easy to make and incredibly delicious! Loaded with bacon and potatoes, it’s the perfect comforting and hearty meal.

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Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings (recipe makes 3.5 qts of soup)
Calories: 521kcal
Author: Sam Merritt

Ingredients

6 strips uncooked bacon, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted or salted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1.5 cup/200g)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup all-purpose flour (42g)
2 ½ lbs gold potatoes, peeled and diced into pieces no larger than 1” (about 6 large potatoes/1.15kg)
4 cups chicken broth (945ml)
2 cups milk (475ml)
⅔ cup heavy cream (155ml)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
¼ – ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder**
⅔ cup sour cream (160g)
Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, chives, additional sour cream and bacon

Recommended Equipment

Dutch Oven or Soup Pot
Blender or Immersion Blender

Instructions

Cook the Bacon: In a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, cook bacon pieces until crisp and browned. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pot.
Sauté Aromatics: Add butter and chopped onion to the pot and cook over medium heat until onions are tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Create Roux: Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and stir until smooth, using a whisk if needed. This mixture is called a roux and will help thicken the soup.
Add Potatoes and Liquids: Add diced potatoes, chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and ancho chili powder to the pot. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
Simmer until Potatoes are Tender: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.
Puree for Creaminess: Remove approximately half of the soup to a blender (or use an immersion blender directly in the pot). Be careful when blending hot liquids! Puree until smooth.
Combine and Finish: Return the pureed soup to the pot. Stir in sour cream and the reserved bacon pieces.
Simmer and Serve: Allow the soup to simmer for another 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Garnish: Serve hot, topped with your favorite garnishes such as additional sour cream, bacon, cheddar cheese, or fresh chives. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*Start with a smaller amount of salt and adjust to taste, as broth saltiness varies.
**Begin with ¼ teaspoon of ancho chili powder and add more to ½ teaspoon if you desire a stronger flavor.
***For a completely smooth soup, puree all of it in batches, about half at a time. For a chunkier soup, puree just half as instructed.

Nutrition Information

Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.

Did you try this recipe? Let me know on Instagram! Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!