I make potato soup at least once every month when the weather leans toward damp and cool. There’s something about a warm, slightly cheesy bowl studded with potato chunks and bacon that immediately slows you down — the kind of dinner you want to eat with a spoon and no distractions. Potato soup is, to me, the ultimate comfort food: humble potatoes and a few pantry staples transformed into something rich, spoonable, and deeply satisfying.
This version skips heavy cream and relies on a roux (butter + flour) plus milk and broth to build a silky base. I tested it a few times with different potato varieties and cooking methods; this is the one I come back to for weeknight dinners or when friends drop by. Expect spoonable chunks of potato, a glossy broth-thickened base, melty cheddar, tangy sour cream, and crisp bacon bits on top. Below I walk you through the exact recipe I used, what to watch for, and plenty of ways to make it your own.
Ingredients Needed for Potato Soup
- Potatoes – the starchy backbone. I usually reach for Russets or Yukon Golds for a soft, spoonable texture.
- Bacon – for smoky, crunchy garnish and a little fat to flavor the base; optional if you want it vegetarian.
- Butter – used to build the roux and give the soup a rounded, rich mouthfeel.
- Onion – sweet and aromatic when softened; it forms the savory background for the soup.
- Garlic – a quick hit of fragrant depth. A little goes a long way here.
- Flour – the thickener in the roux; it gives the soup body without heavy cream.
- Milk – provides creaminess and mellows the flavors; whole milk yields the richest finish, but you can swap in a lighter option.
- Broth (chicken or vegetable) – builds flavor and thins the base to the right spoonable consistency; low-sodium is a good choice to control salt.
- Cheddar cheese – melts into the soup for savory, tangy richness; use a mildly sharp or sharp cheddar depending on your taste.
- Sour cream – adds tang and helps the soup finish luxuriously smooth.
- Salt & pepper – taste as you go; they’re the difference between bland and balanced.
- Green onions – fresh, oniony brightness to finish each bowl.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Makes about 6 servings (roughly 2 cups per serving). Total time: about 30 minutes (prep 12, cook 18). Read through the steps first — there are small timing cues that make the difference between a flat soup and a glossy, well-seasoned bowl.
- Prep the potatoes: Peel and cube the potatoes so they’re roughly the same size for even cooking. Place the cubed potatoes into a stockpot and completely cover with about 1 inch of water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, bring to a simmer, and cook 8–10 minutes or until a knife pierces them easily. Drain and set aside. I time this so the potatoes are hot when they go into the soup — that helps heat the base back up quickly.
- Cook the bacon: While the potatoes are cooking, sauté the bacon in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate with a paper towel and reserve about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in the pot. The fat left in the pot adds a smoky note to the base; if you’re skipping bacon, use a tablespoon of butter or olive oil instead.
- Build the aromatic base: Add 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the pot (or butter + bacon grease), then add about half an onion, finely chopped. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, 4–6 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant — you’ll notice the smell shift from sharp to warm and almost sweet. Don’t let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter.
- Make the roux and add liquids: Sprinkle in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and whisk it quickly into the butter and onions to form a roux. Cook that mixture for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. Then slowly whisk in 2 1/2 cups whole milk and 2 1/2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth, whisking constantly so no lumps form. Bring the mixture to a soft boil; you’ll see the liquid thicken and the surface take on a glossy sheen — that’s the roux doing its job.
- Add potatoes and season: Add the drained potatoes to the pot. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste). Let the soup come back to a simmer; as it heats you’ll see the potatoes loosen slightly and the broth take on potato starch, which helps thicken the soup further. If it seems too thin at this point, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce; if too thick, add a splash more broth or milk.
- Finish with dairy and cheese: Stir in 3/4 cup sour cream and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, then add half of the cooked bacon (reserve the rest for garnish). Bring the soup to a brief boil just until the cheese melts and the soup is glossy. Remove from heat and serve topped with the reserved bacon and sliced green onions. The cheese should be fully melted and silky; if the cheese clumps, it’s usually because the soup was too hot or added too quickly — a quick whisk off heat fixes that.
Need tips on achieving a silky, cream-forward finish without overcooking? Our creamy shrimp and corn soup explains gentle methods for finishing cream-based soups.
Tips for Customizing Your Soup
This recipe is a template. Over the years I’ve swapped ingredients when my pantry was low and learned what matters most: texture, seasoning, and a finishing acid or topping to lift the bowl.
- Texture control – For chunkier soup, mash about a cup of the cooked potatoes in the pot with a fork and leave the rest in pieces. For ultra-smooth, use an immersion blender to puree half the pot, or blend small batches in a stand blender. Don’t overblend if you want some bite.
- Make it smoky without bacon – Add a teaspoon smoked paprika or use smoked sea salt if you want the smoky depth without pork. Sautéed mushrooms with a dash of liquid smoke also work well.
- Extra vegetables – Stir in shredded carrot or diced celery with the onions for more body, or fold in frozen corn for sweet pops of flavor. If you want to brighten the soup with seasonal produce, see how we build flavor with a spring vegetable mix and adapt those veggies for potato soup.
- Make it a meal – Add cooked shredded chicken, diced ham, or crumbled sausage for protein and heft. For a vegetarian bowl, swap chicken broth with vegetable broth and add a handful of cooked lentils at the end.
- Use leftover potatoes – For an ultra-smooth base or to reuse leftovers, consider swapping in whipped mashed potatoes to thicken and enrich your soup.
- Crunch & finish – Toppings are where you make it yours: crisp bacon, chopped chives or green onions, extra shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, or a scattering of crunchy breadcrumbs or roasted garlic‑parmesan potatoes. For a smoky, caramelized flavor and crunchy topping, try adding crisped roasted garlic‑parmesan potatoes to your bowl instead of plain potato chunks.
Nutritional Information
The following is an approximate breakdown per serving (recipe yields about 6 servings):
- Calories – 428 kcal
- Fat – 25 g
- Carbohydrates – 30 g
- Protein – 22 g
Note: sodium content will depend heavily on the broth and bacon you use; choosing low-sodium broth and rinsing or reducing added salt will lower the sodium substantially. If you need a precise sodium figure for dietary reasons, calculate based on your specific brands.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Underseasoning – Potatoes are bland on their own and absorb salt. Taste and season in stages: the cooking water, the base after adding broth, and again after the cheese and sour cream. If it tastes flat, add salt (not sugar).
- Overblending – Pureeing everything makes the soup gluey because of released potato starch. If you want it creamy, puree only part of the pot or use mashed potatoes for body.
- Adding cheese too hot – If you add cheese while the soup is violently boiling, the cheese can separate or clump. Remove the pot from high heat and whisk the cheese in gradually.
- Burning the roux – When you cook the flour in butter, keep stirring and don’t let it go dark. A burnt roux tastes bitter and will ruin the soup’s flavor. Cook just long enough to remove the raw flour taste (about a minute).
- Not reserving bacon fat – That tablespoon of bacon grease is small but impactful; it lifts flavor. If you omit bacon, substitute with a little butter and a pinch of smoked paprika to mimic depth.
Healthy Swaps for Ingredients
If you’re after a lighter bowl or accommodating dietary needs, these swaps keep flavor while trimming fat or dairy:
- Milk – Use 2% or a fortified plant milk like oat for creaminess with fewer calories. Avoid almond milk if you want the soup to stay rich, as it’s thin and can thin the soup too much.
- Butter – Replace with olive oil or a plant-based margarine for fewer saturated fats.
- Sour cream – Greek yogurt is a great substitute for tang and protein; stir it in off heat to prevent curdling.
- Cheese – Use a reduced-fat cheddar or omit the cheese entirely and increase the sour cream/Greek yogurt for tang and creaminess.
- Bacon – Swap with smoked paprika, liquid smoke, or crispy sautéed mushrooms for a vegetarian-friendly smoky note.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long will this potato soup keep in the fridge and can I freeze it?Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. You can freeze the soup for up to 2–3 months—cool completely, package well, and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stovetop and stir in a splash of milk if it looks separated after freezing.
- How can I make this recipe vegetarian or vegan?Use vegetable broth, skip the bacon (or swap with sautéed mushrooms or smoked paprika for that smoky flavor), replace butter with olive oil or vegan margarine, use a plant-based milk (oat or soy) and vegan cheese/sour cream. The roux (flour + fat) still works to thicken the soup.
- What is the secret to the best potato soup?Balance of seasoning and texture: use a starchy potato (like Russets), cook until tender but not falling apart, mash or blend a portion of the potatoes for creaminess while keeping some chunks, thicken with a roux for richness instead of heavy cream, and finish with cheese, sour cream, and reserved bacon or toppings.
- How do I adjust the soup thickness — make it thinner or creamier?To thin: stir in extra broth or milk a little at a time. To thicken: simmer uncovered to reduce liquid, mash some potatoes into the soup, or whisk in a bit more roux (butter + flour) cooked briefly. For extra creaminess, add sour cream, cream cheese, or a splash of heavy cream at the end.
- Can I make this potato soup in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?Yes. Slow cooker: sauté bacon/onions first, then add potatoes and broth and cook 3–4 hours on high (or 6–8 hours low); stir in milk/cheese near the end. Instant Pot: pressure cook potatoes with broth 8–10 minutes, quick release, then finish with a roux or add milk/cheese off pressure to avoid curdling.
Conclusion
Potato soup is simple, forgiving, and endlessly customizable. In about 30 minutes you can have a bowl that feels indulgent without being fussy — a pot full of warm, cheesy, slightly tangy goodness with textural hits from bacon and green onion. I keep this recipe in heavy rotation because it’s sturdy: it recovers from small errors (a splash more milk if too thick, a pinch of finishing salt if bland) and adapts to what’s in my fridge.
Try the base as written the first time so you understand how the roux, milk, and broth interact. Once you’re comfortable, experiment with toppings, mix-ins, and healthy swaps listed above. If you make it, tell me how you finish your bowl — extra chives, smoked paprika, or crispy potatoes on top? I love hearing the small changes that make a recipe truly yours.
Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Place sliced potatoes into a stockpot and cover with 1" of water. Season with salt and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender, then drain.
- Meanwhile, sauté bacon in a Dutch oven until crispy. Transfer to a plate, reserving 1 Tbsp of grease in the pot.
- Add butter and chopped onions to the pot and sauté until tender. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Whisk in the flour, then slowly add milk and broth while whisking. Bring to a soft boil.
- Add the drained potatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in sour cream and shredded cheddar, and half of the cooked bacon. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and serve with toppings.
