Go Back

Bacon Potato Soup

Bacon potato soup with a creamy, spoonable texture—made by simmering russet potatoes until very tender, then stirring in cream, sour cream, and melted cheddar. Finished with crispy bacon bits and sliced chives for a rich, savory bowl.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bacon Potato Soup
  • 12 strips bacon thick-cut, diced
  • 3 lb russet potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 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
  • 1 sliced chives for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the bacon and aromatics
  1. Cook the diced bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy, then drain on paper towels and return 2 tablespoons of drippings to the pot. Visual cue: bacon should be browned and crisp with rendered fat left behind.
  2. Sauté the diced onion in the drippings for 4 minutes. Visual cue: onion turns translucent and slightly softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Thicken and simmer the soup
  1. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Visual cue: the mixture looks slightly thicker and loses the raw flour smell.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and add the cubed potatoes, then bring the pot to a boil. Visual cue: strong bubbling across the surface.
  3. Simmer for 18-20 minutes until the potatoes are very tender. Visual cue: a fork slides through the largest cubes with little resistance.
Make it creamy and finish
  1. Mash about half the potatoes in the pot, leaving the rest chunky. Visual cue: you’ll see creamy thickening streak through the soup.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream. Visual cue: the soup turns smoother and more uniformly creamy.
  3. Add the shredded cheddar and stir until melted, then season with salt and black pepper. Visual cue: cheddar fully disappears and the soup looks glossy and thick.
  4. Serve topped with crispy bacon and sliced chives. Visual cue: garnish sits on top in a fresh green and crisp, browned layer.

Notes

Pro tip: when mashing, stop once you’ve left some potato cubes—this keeps the hearty “chunky-cream” texture. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave, stirring until smooth. Freezing: yes, but expect slight texture change when reheated. For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream (keep sour cream and cheddar as written for best melt).