Homemade Potato Soup with Bacon is a creamy stovetop soup made with Russet potatoes, bacon, carrots, celery, onion, milk, and a little heavy cream. Part of the soup is blended and stirred back into the pot, giving it a thicker texture while still leaving plenty of potato pieces in every bowl.
Why This Homemade Potato Soup Is Different
This version gets its body from two places: a simple flour-and-milk thickener and a portion of the cooked soup blended until smooth. That gives the broth a creamy texture without turning the entire pot into a puree.
Bacon adds smoky flavor from the start, while carrots and celery make this feel more like a full soup than a plain potato-and-milk recipe.
Ingredient Notes
- Russet potatoes: Their starch helps the soup thicken as it cooks.
- Bacon: Cook it first and use some of the rendered flavor in the vegetables.
- Carrots and celery: These add sweetness and texture that distinguish this soup from the simpler old-fashioned potato version.
- Milk and heavy cream: Together they give the soup a creamy finish.
- Cheese: Use it as a garnish so each bowl can be finished to taste.
Tips for Blending the Soup
Blend only about one-quarter to one-half of the soup. The goal is to thicken the broth while keeping enough potato and vegetable pieces for texture. When blending hot soup, work carefully and avoid overfilling the blender.
After returning the blended portion to the pot, stir gently and let the soup settle for a minute before deciding whether it needs more seasoning or liquid.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently and add a splash of broth or milk if the soup becomes thicker after chilling.
Ingredients
- 6 medium Russet potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 8 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon minced parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons flour, or cornstarch as a substitute
- 1 cup finely grated cheese of your choice
How To Make Homemade Potato Soup with Bacon
- Cook the bacon in a soup pot until crisp. Remove it and set aside. Pour off most of the bacon fat, leaving a little in the pot.
- Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes.
- Add the diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings you are using.
- Pour in the broth and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes begin to soften.
- Whisk the flour and milk together until smooth, then stir the mixture into the soup.
- Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Carefully transfer about one-quarter to one-half of the soup to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Return the blended soup to the pot and stir gently.
- Stir in the crumbled bacon, reserving some for garnish.
- Serve with parsley, bacon, and grated cheese on top.
For a simpler potato soup made with evaporated milk, see Old-Fashioned Potato Soup with Evaporated Milk. For a richer loaded version, try Loaded Potato Soup with Ham and Bacon.
