Description
This Ultimate Potato Soup is a creamy, comforting classic perfect for chilly days. Made with golden potatoes, savory bacon, and a blend of milk and heavy cream, this hearty soup is both satisfying and easy to prepare. Topped with cheddar cheese, chives, and extra bacon, it’s a crowd-pleaser that balances smooth and chunky textures beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 6 strips bacon, cut into small pieces
- 3 tablespoons butter, unsalted or salted
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1.5 cup/200g)
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (42g)
- 2 ½ pounds gold potatoes, peeled and diced into pieces no larger than 1 inch (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
Finishing Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sour cream (160g)
- Shredded cheddar cheese, for topping (optional)
- Chives, for topping (optional)
- Additional sour cream, for topping (optional)
- Additional cooked bacon pieces, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: Place bacon pieces in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat and cook until crisp and browned. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Sauté Onions: Add butter and chopped onion to the pot and cook over medium heat until onions are tender, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Create Roux: Sprinkle flour over the onion and garlic mixture and stir until smooth, using a whisk if needed to prevent lumps.
- Add Potatoes and Liquids: Mix in diced potatoes along with chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and ancho chili powder. Stir well to combine.
- Cook Potatoes: Bring the mixture to a boil, then cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.
- Puree Soup: Reduce heat to a simmer. Remove about half of the soup (approximately 5 cups) to a blender and puree until smooth, or use an immersion blender to blend half the soup directly in the pot.
- Combine and Finish: Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir in sour cream and reserved bacon pieces. Allow soup to simmer gently for 15 minutes to meld flavors.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and top with additional sour cream, cooked bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and chives as desired. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Start with less salt and adjust after tasting, as salt levels vary by broth brand.
- If new to ancho chili powder, begin with ¼ teaspoon and increase to ½ teaspoon based on your taste preference.
- For a completely smooth soup, puree all soup in batches instead of just half.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter version, though it will be less rich.
- Use an immersion blender for easier and safer pureeing when hot.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
