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A close-up, overhead view of a creamy potato soup recipe, garnished with bacon bits, chives, sour cream, and cheddar cheese in an ornate blue bowl.

Ultimate Creamy Potato Soup

This creamy potato soup is the ultimate comfort food — rich, velvety, and loaded with hearty ingredients like bacon, potatoes, and sour cream. Perfect for chilly days or any time you need a cozy meal.
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Course: Comfort Food, Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 strips uncooked bacon, chopped
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1.5 cups / 200g)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (42g)
  • 2½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 6 large potatoes / 1.15kg)
  • 4 cups chicken broth (945ml)
  • 2 cups milk (475ml)
  • ⅔ cup heavy cream (155ml)
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • ¼–½ tsp ancho chili powder (optional)
  • ⅔ cup sour cream (160g)
  • Shredded cheddar cheese (for topping, optional)
  • Fresh chives, chopped (for topping, optional)
  • Additional sour cream (for topping, optional)
  • Reserved bacon pieces (for topping, optional)

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or large soup pot
  • cutting board and sharp knife
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons
  • Immersion blender or standard blender
  • Whisk
  • Wooden spoon
  • Ladle

Method
 

  1. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove and set aside. Leave bacon fat in the pot.
  2. Add butter and chopped onion to the pot with bacon fat. Cook 3–5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to form a roux.
  4. Add potatoes, chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream. Stir well. Season with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
  6. Remove about half the soup and blend until smooth, or use an immersion blender directly in the pot to partially blend.
  7. Return blended soup to the pot. Add sour cream and reserved bacon. Stir to combine.
  8. Simmer another 15 minutes to thicken. Stir often and adjust seasoning to taste.
  9. Ladle into bowls and top with extra sour cream, cheddar, chives, and bacon if desired.

Notes

Yukon Gold potatoes are best for texture, but Russets work too. Swap in vegetable broth for a vegetarian version. Bacon adds flavor, but smoked paprika can be used instead. Adjust ancho chili to your spice preference.