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Bacon Potato Soup

Bacon potato soup with creamy mashed potatoes and crispy bacon bits, simmered until the cubes turn very tender. Finish with melted cheddar and a topping of crunchy bacon and chives for a rich, thick bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bacon potato soup ingredients
  • 12 strips thick-cut bacon
  • 3 lb russet potatoes
  • 1 onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1.5 cup shredded cheddar
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 cup sliced chives

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the bacon and aromatics
  1. Cook diced thick-cut bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy, then drain on paper towels and leave 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot. Visual cue: bacon should look browned and crisp with rendered fat in the pot.
  2. Sauté diced onion in the drippings for 4 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Visual cue: onion turns slightly translucent and garlic becomes fragrant.
  3. Whisk in all-purpose flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Visual cue: the mixture looks smooth and loses the raw flour smell.
Simmer and thicken
  1. Pour in chicken broth and add cubed russet potatoes, then bring to a boil and simmer for 18-20 minutes until very tender. Visual cue: potato cubes break easily when pressed.
  2. Mash about half the potatoes in the pot, then stir in heavy cream and sour cream. Visual cue: the soup turns creamy with some chunkiness remaining.
  3. Add shredded cheddar and stir until melted, then season with salt and black pepper. Visual cue: the soup becomes thick and glossy with no cheese streaks.
Serve
  1. Serve topped with crispy bacon and sliced chives. Visual cue: bacon bits sit on top and chives add a fresh green finish.

Notes

For the thickest texture, mash about half the potatoes right after they’re very tender, then stir in cream and sour cream off aggressive heat so it stays smooth. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth if needed. Freeze is not recommended because dairy can break when thawed. For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream for a similar creamy body.