This Potato Bacon Soup is rich and creamy and packed with smoky bacon! 

A creamy broth, chunks of potato, and of course it wouldn’t be a bacon soup without lots of bacon. This dish is easy to make and will satisfy even the heartiest of appetites!

potato bacon soup in a bowl

Savory Potato Bacon Soup

This is a great soup recipe. We love it because:

  • this soup is fast enough for a weeknight meal
  • most of the ingredients are things I usually have on hand
  • we love the rich flavors
  • it keeps for about 4 days and reheats well for lunches

ingredients for Potato Bacon Soup on a marble board

Ingredients

BACON A bacon soup needs bacon and lots of it! We prefer a thick cut bacon.

If you don’t have bacon, you can use pre-cooked bacon crumbles. Brown them in a pan with a bit of oil before cooking the onion. This crisps the bacon and flavors the oil at the same time.

DAIRY I use a bit of heavy cream in the broth. If you’d like you can substitute either light cream or a bit of evaporated milk. Regular milk can be used but the soup won’t be as creamy and you’ll need to increase the cornstarch a little bit.

BROTH Use low sodium so the soup isn’t too salty, or make your own homemade chicken stock for use in lots of recipes.

POTATOES  Baking potatoes (russets or Idaho potatoes) are nice and starchy and for great flavor and texture.

Potato Bacon Soup ingredients in a pot

Variations

  • We like to add sliced leek, cheddar cheese, cooked sausage, or even leftover chicken.
  • A dollop of sour cream is great on top!
  • Feel free to add other mix-ins like jalapenos, green chilis, sundried tomato, chopped basil, or even sliced black olives.

How to Make Potato Bacon Soup

This delicious soup is really easy to put together!

  1. Cook & drain bacon. Sauté onion, garlic, & celery in bacon grease per printable recipe below.
  2. Stir in broth, potatoes, thyme, & simmer, then stir in cream.
  3. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry to desired texture and stir in half the bacon.

Season, serve immediately with Parmesan, bacon, & sliced green onions on top.

Potato Bacon Soup in a pot with a ladle

Recipe Perfection

  • For a thicker soup, mash or blend a portion (or all) of the soup.
  • If using a thin skinned potato (red or Yukon gold) you can leave some of the peels on the potatoes for a rustic look and a bit more fiber.
  • Adding shredded cheddar cheese will make the soup extra creamy.
  • Stir in some of the bacon for flavor but reserve some for the top so it stays nice and crispy.

Leftovers

  • Keep leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. The flavor will actually improve!
  • Reheat soup on the stovetop or in individual servings in the microwave.
  • Freeze potato soup in zippered bags with the date labeled on the outside and it will keep for about 3 months. When it’s thawed, it may be grainy because cream and potatoes don’t freeze well, but that can be remedied by adding fresh potatoes, a dash of cream, and fresh seasonings.

More Rich Soups We Love

Did you love this Potato Bacon Soup? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! 

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
Potato Bacon Soup in a bowl with a spoon
4.99 from 73 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Creamy Potato Bacon Soup

Creamy, hearty, and flavorful, this Potato Bacon Soup is perfect for lunch or dinner on a cold day.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
buy hollys book

Ingredients  

  • 8 slices bacon chopped
  • ½ onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 16 ounces baking potatoes peeled and diced ½-inch, about 2 medium potatoes
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • shredded Parmesan cheese and sliced green onions, for garnish, optional

Instructions 

  • Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Add onion, garlic, and celery to the bacon fat and cook 3-4 minutes or until onion softens slightly.
  • Stir in chicken broth, potatoes, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in cream and simmer for 5 minutes longer.
  • Combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water to create a slurry. Whisk into the simmering soup and simmer 1 minute. Stir in half of the bacon. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
  • Spoon into bowls, top with parmesan cheese, remaining bacon and green onions.

Notes

To make prep quick: Chop the onions & celery while the bacon is cooking. While the onion is cooking, peel and dice the potatoes.
For a thicker soup, mash or blend a portion (or all) of the soup before adding the bacon.
If using a thin skinned potato (red or Yukon gold) you can leave some of the peels on the potatoes for a rustic look and a bit more fiber.
Cheddar cheese is a great addition to this soup. Stir in some of the bacon for flavor but reserve some for the top so it stays nice and crispy.
4.99 from 73 votes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1.25cup | Calories: 506 | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 982mg | Potassium: 824mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 988IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine American
Potato Bacon Soup in a bowl with a title
Potato Bacon Soup in a bowl with writing
Potato Bacon Soup in a bowl with a spoon and text
Potato Bacon Soup with bacon and a title

Categories:

,

Recipes you'll love

About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
See more posts by Holly

Follow Holly on social media:

pinterest facebook twitter instagram

Free eBook!

Subscribe to receive weekly recipes and get a FREE Bonus e-book: Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals!

You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of emails you receive.

4.99 from 73 votes (54 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Very good. I normally do not keep whip cream in my home because I WILL, with much guilt, put it on my bran flakes at breakfast -so – I used a can of evaporated milk (sorry). Grated cheese on top before serving.
    Made spicy cheese biscuits to go with it. We loved this soup.5 stars

    1. That sounds like a delicious twist, Bev! Using evaporated milk is such a clever substitute, and I bet the grated cheese on top added a great touch. Spicy cheese biscuits to go with the soup? Yum! So happy to hear you loved it.

    1. I haven’t tried it and while the soup won’t be as rich, it should work. You can add a little bit of extra cornstarch if needed.

  2. I make this soup once a week, I’m obsessed. It’s so comforting and easy to eat. I suffer from gastro issues and I have a really weak appetite because of it. This soup is great because it’s got lots of calories and I can always stomach it.5 stars