Description
This comforting homemade potato soup combines creamy textures with hearty ingredients like crispy bacon, sautéed vegetables, and melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for a cozy meal, it blends both smooth and chunky elements for a rich, flavorful dish enjoyed by the whole family.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 6 medium Russet potatoes, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
Meat & Dairy
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated cheese (cheddar works well)
Other Ingredients
- 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 tsp minced parsley
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp flour (or cornstarch)
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: Cook bacon slices in a large pot over medium heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Once done, remove bacon and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess fat.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot with the rendered bacon fat, add diced onion, celery, and sliced carrots. Sauté over medium heat until vegetables are softened, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add Potatoes and Broth: Add the diced Russet potatoes to the pot along with salt, pepper, and the 8 cups of vegetable or chicken broth. Increase heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cook Potatoes & Thicken Soup: Let the soup cook for 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, whisk the flour with the milk until smooth, then slowly stir this mixture into the boiling soup to thicken it.
- Simmer and Blend Portion: Reduce heat and simmer the soup for an additional 5 minutes. Then, blend about one-third of the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or by transferring to a blender, to create a creamy texture.
- Combine and Add Bacon: Return the blended portion back into the pot and stir well. Add the crumbled cooked bacon to the soup and mix to distribute evenly.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with minced parsley, additional crumbled bacon, and grated cheddar cheese. Serve hot for best enjoyment.
Notes
- The soup can be made vegetarian by omitting bacon and using vegetable broth.
- For a richer soup, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or more heavy cream as per preference.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, add an extra tablespoon of flour mixed with milk.
- Russet potatoes work best for creamy texture, but Yukon Gold can also be used.
- Leftover soup keeps well refrigerated for 3 days and can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Adjust salt and pepper according to taste during cooking and before serving.
