Creamy Potato Bacon Soup is a rich, comforting soup filled with tender potatoes, smoky bacon, and a thick, velvety broth. It’s hearty enough for dinner but still simple enough to make in one pot for an easy weeknight meal.
The bacon is where the flavor starts. Cooking it first leaves behind just enough flavorful drippings for the onion and garlic, giving the entire soup a savory, smoky base before the potatoes even go in.
This soup has everything I want from cold-weather comfort food: creamy broth, tender potatoes, crispy bacon, and plenty of savory flavor in every spoonful.
It’s also easy to control the texture. Mash just a few potatoes for a chunky soup or mash more of them when you want something especially thick and creamy.
And because everything comes together in one pot, cleanup stays manageable. Add some warm bread or biscuits and you have a complete, cozy dinner.
As the potatoes simmer, they become soft and release some of their starch into the broth. Mashing a portion directly in the pot gives the soup a naturally thicker texture while still leaving plenty of tender potato chunks.
Heavy cream goes in toward the end for that classic creamy finish. Add the crispy bacon back just before serving so you get smoky pieces throughout without losing all of their texture.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need familiar soup ingredients:
- Russet potatoes
- Bacon
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Heavy cream
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Cheddar cheese, optional
How To Make Creamy Potato Bacon Soup
Step 1: Add the bacon to a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Cook until browned and crisp, then transfer it to a paper-towel-lined plate. Crumble or chop once cool enough to handle.
Step 2: Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pot. Add the diced onion and cook for about 4–5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
Step 3: Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Step 4: Add the butter. Once melted, sprinkle in the flour and stir continuously for about 1 minute to create a smooth base without letting the flour brown.
Step 5: Gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
Step 6: Add the diced potatoes, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are completely fork-tender.
Step 7: Use a potato masher to gently mash some of the potatoes directly in the pot. Leave plenty of chunks intact for texture.
Step 8: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Add most of the cooked bacon, reserving some for serving.
Step 9: Simmer gently for another 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Avoid bringing the soup to a vigorous boil after adding the cream.
Step 10: Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and finish with the reserved crispy bacon.
Creamy Potato Bacon Soup Variations
Cheesy Potato Bacon Soup
Stir shredded sharp cheddar into the finished soup over low heat until melted and smooth.
Loaded Potato Soup
Top each bowl with cheddar, extra bacon, sour cream, and sliced green onions for a loaded baked potato-style variation.
Extra-Bacon Potato Soup
Increase the bacon and reserve plenty of crispy pieces for topping each serving.
Garlic Potato Bacon Soup
Increase the fresh garlic for a stronger savory flavor throughout the creamy broth.
Chunky Potato Bacon Soup
Mash only a small portion of the potatoes so the finished soup contains plenty of substantial potato pieces.
Storing Creamy Potato Bacon Soup
Let leftovers cool, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate within two hours. The soup will keep for about 3–4 days.
What Potatoes Work Best?
Russet potatoes are especially good because their high starch content helps naturally thicken the soup as they soften and break down.
Do I Need To Peel The Potatoes?
Peeling gives the soup a smoother, more traditional creamy texture. You can leave some or all of the skins on if you prefer a more rustic soup.
How Can I Make The Soup Thicker?
Mash more of the cooked potatoes directly into the broth. The released starch thickens the soup naturally without needing additional flour.
Why Is My Potato Soup Too Thick?
Potato soup continues thickening as it sits. Stir in additional chicken broth or a little milk until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Can I Use Milk Instead Of Heavy Cream?
Yes. Whole milk will create a lighter soup, although it won’t be quite as rich or creamy.
Can I Make Potato Bacon Soup Ahead?
Absolutely. It reheats well, although you’ll probably need a splash of broth or milk because the potatoes continue absorbing liquid during storage.
Reheat gently over low to medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash of chicken broth or milk if the refrigerated soup has become too thick.
What To Serve With Creamy Potato Bacon Soup
- Buttermilk biscuits: Warm, fluffy biscuits are perfect for dipping into the thick, creamy broth.
- Crusty bread: A rustic loaf or baguette makes it easy to scoop up every last bit of soup.
- Fresh salad: A crisp salad with tangy vinaigrette helps balance the rich cream and bacon.
- Roasted broccoli: Crisp-edged broccoli provides a nice vegetable contrast to the soft potatoes.
- Dinner rolls: Soft, warm rolls make this already-comforting soup even more satisfying.
- Grilled cheese: A crispy cheese sandwich turns a bowl of potato soup into an especially hearty meal.
Don’t discard all of the bacon drippings after cooking the bacon. Leaving a small amount in the pot gives the onion and the entire soup much more smoky, savory flavor.
And wait until the potatoes are completely tender before mashing them. Properly cooked Russets break apart easily and create a much smoother, naturally thickened broth.
Creamy Potato Bacon Soup
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese optional
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp. Remove and crumble, reserving about 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in the pot.
- Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the butter. Once melted, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Gradually stir in the chicken broth.
- Add the potatoes, salt, and black pepper.
- Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Mash some of the potatoes directly in the pot to thicken the soup while leaving plenty of chunks.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and most of the cooked bacon.
- Simmer gently for another 3–5 minutes.
- Stir in the optional cheddar until melted, if using.
- Serve warm topped with the reserved crispy bacon.
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