Description
This Ultimate Potato Soup Recipe is a creamy, comforting classic loaded with tender gold potatoes, smoky bacon, and a perfect blend of cheeses and spices. Cooked slowly on the stovetop in a Dutch oven, this soup is partially pureed for a delightful texture of smooth and chunky potatoes, finished with sour cream and optional toppings like cheddar, chives, and crispy bacon for an indulgent meal perfect for chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 6 strips (uncooked) bacon, cut into small pieces
- 3 Tablespoons butter (unsalted or salted)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1.5 cups/200g)
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (42g)
- 2 ½ lbs gold potatoes, peeled and diced into pieces no larger than 1″ (about 6 large potatoes/1.15kg)
- 4 cups chicken broth (945ml)
- 2 cups milk (475ml)
- ⅔ cup heavy cream (155ml)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
Finishing Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sour cream (160g)
- Shredded cheddar cheese (optional, for topping)
- Chives (optional, for topping)
- Additional sour cream (optional, for topping)
- Additional bacon (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Cook bacon: Place bacon pieces in a large Dutch oven or wide soup pot over medium heat. Cook until bacon is crisp and browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving bacon fat in the pot.
- Sauté onion: Add butter and chopped onion to the pot with bacon fat. Cook over medium heat until onions are tender and translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, roughly 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it.
- Make roux: Sprinkle the flour evenly over the onions and garlic in the pot. Stir continuously using a whisk or spoon until the mixture forms a smooth paste and cooks lightly, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add liquids and potatoes: Add diced potatoes, chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and ancho chili powder to the pot. Stir everything together to combine well.
- Boil and cook potatoes: Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, approximately 10 minutes.
- Partial puree: Reduce heat to simmer. Remove about half of the soup (around 5 cups) carefully and transfer to a blender in batches or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Puree until smooth and return it to the pot. This creates a creamy yet chunky texture.
- Add sour cream and bacon: Stir in sour cream and the reserved cooked bacon pieces. Mix well to incorporate.
- Simmer: Allow the soup to simmer gently for 15 minutes to let flavors meld and soup thicken slightly.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with additional sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped chives, and extra bacon if desired. Enjoy your rich, hearty potato soup!
Notes
- Start with less salt and adjust to taste since broth saltiness varies by brand.
- If unfamiliar with ancho chili powder, begin with ¼ teaspoon and increase to ½ teaspoon after tasting.
- For a fully creamy soup, puree all the soup in batches, but partial pureeing provides a nice texture contrast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (about 250 ml)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
