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Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon: Best Easy Recipe

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This creamy potato soup with crispy bacon bits is the ultimate comfort food. It’s quick, easy, and made with simple ingredients, delivering a velvety texture and smoky flavor in every spoonful.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Optional garnishes: chopped fresh chives, shredded cheddar cheese, extra black pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon: Place the bacon strips in a cold Dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium and cook, flipping occasionally, until the bacon is deeply browned and very crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Once cool, crumble or chop it into small bits. Do not discard the rendered fat in the pot.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: You should have about 2 to 3 tablespoons of bacon fat left in the pot. If you have less, add a little butter to make up the difference. Add the diced onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot as you stir.
  3. Add the potatoes and seasonings: Add the diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika to the pot. Stir everything together so the potatoes are coated in the bacon fat and aromatics. Let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
  4. Pour in the broth: Add the chicken broth to the pot. The liquid should just cover the potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. The potatoes are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork and they practically fall apart.
  5. Blend the soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot until it is completely smooth and velvety. If you prefer a chunkier texture, blend only half the soup and leave the rest as is. If using a standard blender, work in batches and be very careful with the hot liquid.
  6. Stir in the cream: Return the pot to low heat. Pour in the heavy cream and stir until it is fully incorporated. Let the soup warm through for another 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let it boil after adding the cream, or it might curdle. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
  7. Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving with a generous sprinkle of the crispy bacon bits, a handful of shredded cheddar cheese if you like, and a few chopped chives. Serve immediately.

Notes

For best results, reserve some bacon for garnish to maintain crunch. Cut potatoes evenly for uniform cooking. Season in layers to build flavor. If soup thickens after refrigeration, thin with broth or milk when reheating. For freezing, add cream after thawing and reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: creamy potato soup, bacon potato soup, easy potato soup, comfort food, gluten-free soup

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