Description
A creamy, comforting one-pot soup made with russet potatoes, bacon, cheddar cheese, and cream. Perfect for busy weeknights when you need a delicious dinner in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 3 large russet potatoes (about 1.5 lbs / 700g), peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or reserved bacon grease)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 6 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
- 3–4 green onions, sliced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: Sour cream for topping
- Optional: 1 cup chopped broccoli florets
- Optional: Chili flakes for heat
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice potatoes, onion, and garlic. Cook bacon until crispy, crumble it, and reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat bacon grease or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Make the roux: Sprinkle flour over the onions and garlic. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add liquids and potatoes: Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring to prevent lumps. Add diced potatoes and bring to a boil.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender enough to mash easily.
- Mash and cream: Mash about 30-40% of the potatoes directly in the pot to thicken the soup. Stir in heavy cream and shredded cheddar cheese until melted and smooth.
- Season and serve: Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with crumbled bacon, green onions, and optional sour cream.
- Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
[‘Use russet potatoes for the best creamy texture; avoid waxy potatoes like Yukon Golds.’, ‘Shred your own cheese to prevent graininess caused by anti-caking agents in pre-shredded cheese.’, ‘Mash only some of the potatoes to maintain texture while thickening the soup.’, ‘Do not boil the soup after adding cream and cheese to prevent separation.’, ‘This soup does not freeze well due to the dairy; store in the fridge for up to 4 days.’, ‘If the soup is too thick when reheating, add a splash of broth or milk.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 12
Keywords: loaded baked potato soup, one pot dinner, weeknight dinner, comfort food, creamy potato soup, bacon soup, easy soup recipe