Homemade Potato Soup with Bacon

Creamy potato soup topped with crispy bacon, shredded cheese, chopped green onions, and cracked black pepper in a black pot with a blue ladle.

Homemade Potato Soup with Bacon

This creamy potato soup is a one-pot comfort food made with crispy, thick-cut bacon, tender golden potatoes, and a silky creamy broth with Dijon mustard. Topped with sharp white cheddar, more bacon, and scallions. Make it on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot, or in a Slow Cooker. Serve it with garlic butter dinner rolls or thick slices of crusty homemade bread.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword creamy potato soup, potato soup

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Calories 394kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Soup

6 oz bacon thick-cut, (170 g), about 6 to 8 strips, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick / 57 g)
1 small yellow onion diced
2 stalks celery diced
6 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 lbs potatoes (900 g), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups chicken stock (950 ml)
1 bay leaf
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
1 cup whole milk (240 ml)
¾ cup heavy cream (180 ml)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Garnishes

crispy bacon Reserved
white cheddar cheese freshly grated
Scallions finely sliced
Salt to taste
black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Render the bacon. Put the chopped bacon in a cold Dutch oven, then turn the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and leave all of the rendered fat in the pot.
Add the butter to the bacon fat and let it melt. Add the onion and celery and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for about 2 minutes.
Simmer the potatoes. Add the potatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender and pierce easily with a fork. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Blend. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until completely smooth and creamy, or stop earlier for your preferred consistency. You can also transfer the soup in batches to a countertop blender, working carefully with hot liquid.
Final touches. Stir in the whole milk, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, keeping the pot below a boil at around 185°F (85°C). Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve. Ladle into warmed bowls and top with the crispy bacon, freshly grated sharp cheddar, sliced scallions, and freshly cracked black pepper.

Notes

I include step-by-step photos and tips below this recipe card if you'd like a visual guide.
Potatoes: I prefer golden or Yukon potatoes because they have a buttery flavor and smooth texture. Note that Russets are a bit grainier and less buttery than waxy potatoes.
Cheese: I highly recommend shredding your own cheese rather than getting pre-shredded. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch and turns grainy in hot soup.
Roux: When you add in the flour, make sure to cook it down before moving on to the next step. If it’s not fully cooked, it can leave a starchy taste in your mouth.
Keep the heat low after you add the dairy. Cream can separate if it boils, especially with mustard in the pot.
Salt levels: Potatoes are notorious for absorbing salt! Check the soup throughout the process to make sure you are salting it to your preference.
Special Tools: Chef's Knife | Cutting Board | Measuring Spoons | Measuring Cups | 3 to 5 Quart Dutch Oven | Immersion Blender (or a countertop blender)

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container. The potato soup thickens considerably as it chills, so add a splash of stock or milk when you reheat. Warm it over medium-low heat, stirring, and don't let it boil.
Freezing: Dairy-heavy soups don't freeze well as-is. Freeze the soup before adding the milk and cream; it will last for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat gently, then stir in the dairy and finishing ingredients. Freeze it flat in zip-top bags so the portions stack and to save space.
Make ahead: You can cook and blend the soup through step 6 a day in advance. Refrigerate it, then reheat gently and add the dairy just before serving. Cook the bacon the day before too, and re-crisp it in a dry skillet for a minute.

Slow Cooker Method

Cook in a skillet first: Cook the bacon in a skillet, then set it aside for the garnish. Cook the vegetables and flour in the bacon fat, then transfer to the slow cooker with the potatoes, stock, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Slow cook: Cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
Blend: Remove the bay leaf, blend with an immersion blender, then stir in the dairy, Dijon, and Worcestershire during the last 20 minutes.
Garnish each bowl with the reserved bacon, grated cheddar, and scallions.

Instant Pot Method

Sauté: Cook the bacon on Sauté, remove it, and set it all aside for the garnish. Cook the vegetables in the fat and stir in the flour.
Turn Sauté off and whisk in the stock, scraping the bottom clean to avoid a burn notice.
Pressure cook: Add the potatoes and bay leaf, seal, and pressure cook on HIGH for 6 minutes with a quick release.
Blend: Remove the bay leaf, blend, then stir in the dairy and finishing ingredients on Keep Warm.
Garnish each bowl with the reserved bacon, grated cheddar, and scallions.

Nutrition