Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon, Cheddar, and Sour Cream Recipe
This creamy potato soup recipe is a hearty and comforting dish perfect for chilly days. Made with crispy bacon, sautéed onions, garlic, and tender potatoes, it is blended to a smooth yet chunky texture and enriched with cream, milk, and sharp cheddar cheese. Topped with sour cream, green onions, extra cheese, and bacon, this soup is deliciously satisfying and easy to prepare in under an hour.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth, unsalted
- 1½ cups milk
- ½ cup cream
- 3 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Finishing Ingredients
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Toppings (optional)
- Green onion, diced
- Cooked bacon, diced
- Additional shredded cheese
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: Add the chopped bacon to a large dutch oven or pot and cook over medium-high heat until the bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside, leaving the bacon grease in the pot.
- Saute Onion: Add the diced yellow onion to the bacon grease and cook over medium heat until softened and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add Flour: Stir in the all-purpose flour and cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste and begin thickening.
- Create Broth: Pour in the unsalted chicken broth, milk, and cream. Add the diced potatoes, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir everything together to combine.
- Simmer: Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the potatoes are tender and can be easily mashed, about 20-25 minutes.
- Blend: Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup to create a creamy texture while leaving some potato chunks for body. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer portions of soup to a blender or food processor, blend until smooth, and return to pot.
- Add Final Ingredients: With the heat off, stir in the sour cream and shredded sharp cheddar cheese until melted and well combined. Return the cooked bacon to the soup and gently stir.
- Serve: Ladle the warm soup into bowls and garnish with diced green onions, additional cooked bacon, extra shredded cheese, and sour cream as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Adjust thickness by adding more broth or milk to reach your preferred consistency.
- Use Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes for best texture and flavor.
- If preferred, heavy cream can be substituted for sour cream for a richer soup.
- This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
Keywords: creamy potato soup, bacon potato soup, cheesy potato soup, easy potato soup, comfort food soup
