Calling all potato lovers! You will want to make this potato soup recipe over and over again. It’s really that good! I have been making this easy and tasty potato soup recipe for over 20 years. I love making it and everyone (including me) loves eating it! It’s super easy because you only need one pot and a potato masher. No blender required!
The bacon is my favorite part of this soup. If you have been following our blog, you know that we love cooking with bacon! This yummy soup has the bacon cooked in for flavor throughout and it’s used as a crispy treat on the top.
Along with the bacon flavor, the base of the soup is simply onions, celery, and garlic sautéed in butter! A perfect base for any soup. Some potato soup recipes have carrots in them. I don’t use carrots in this potato soup but there’s no reason why you couldn’t add them in when you sauté’ the onions, celery, and garlic.
I peel the potatoes, cut them up into eighths, and stir them into the sautéed onions, celery and garlic in the pot. I give the potatoes a quick stir to incorporate all of the flavors into the potatoes. The only spices added to this recipe are salt and white pepper. You don’t need a lot of salt because you will cook the potatoes in chicken broth instead of water. I like substituting chicken broth when water would normally be used to add extra flavor. The chicken broth already has sodium in it so I start with only 2 teaspoons of salt. You can always add more salt, but you can’t take it away! I use the white pepper in this soup instead of black pepper so you don’t see the black pepper flakes amongst the creamy white soup, and white pepper has a nice, warm peppery flavor that tastes great in this soup.
In addition to the crispy bacon on top I add shredded mild cheddar cheese and sliced green onions. If you don’t like green onions or just don’t have any in your refrigerator, you don’t need to add them. They are not a necessary ingredient. I also add some of the shredded cheddar cheese into the soup to thicken it up. The cheese melted into the hot soup gives it such a tasty texture.
A tasty potato soup would not be complete without a bit of half and half. I add it right at the end for a decadent flavor that everyone loves. If you are looking for a salad to pair with this yummy potato soup try this Spinach Bacon Salad. The soup and salad would be great together for lunch or dinner. Both of these recipes would be a big hit at a friend’s house for dinner or supper club!
A big pot of soup cooking on the stove always smells good. It will feed your family and any friends who might stop by. It’s definitely a go to recipe in our house. I know your family and friends will love eating it too.
I hope you enjoy making and eating this yummy potato soup! As always, please let us know how you like making and eating this recipe. We love hearing from you!
Save RecipeIngredients
- 8 Pieces of Bacon Cut Up Into 4 to 5 Pieces (Smaller pieces of bacon makes them easier and faster to cook)
- 3 Tablespoons of Butter
- 1 Medium Onion Finely Chopped
- 3 Stalks of Celery Finely Chopped
- 2 Tablespoons of Minced Garlic
- 8 to 10 Large Russet Potatoes Peeled and Cut Into Eight Chunks
- 3 Cups Chicken Broth (approximately)
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 2 Teaspoons White Pepper
- 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided into 1 cup each
- 1/2 Cup Half and Half
- 4 to 6 Green Onions Chopped for Garnish
Instructions
- Fry the cut up pieces of bacon in a large stock pot until crispy then place on a paper towel lined plate to cool.
- Leave the bacon grease in the pot and add the butter to melt.
- Add the onion and celery and sauté"until soft, approximately 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and sauté"another 2 minutes.
- Add the cut up chunks of potatoes.
- Add the chicken broth. (Make sure there is enough broth to just cover the potatoes.)
- Add the salt and white pepper.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low .Cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes until potatoes are soft.
- Mash the cooked potatoes into small pieces.
- Add 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Stir.
- Remove from heat and stir in the half and half.
- Serve soup into individual bowls.
- Top the soup with the remaining shredded cheese, crispy bacon, and green onions.
- Enjoy!