Description
This rich and comforting homemade potato soup recipe combines tender diced Russet potatoes, sautéed vegetables, crispy bacon, and creamy dairy for a hearty meal. The soup is partially blended for a perfect balance of smooth texture and chunky bites, flavored with fresh parsley and topped with melted cheddar cheese. Ready in just 35 minutes, it makes a perfect cozy dish for any day.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 6 medium Russet potatoes, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
Broth & Dairy
- 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
Additional Ingredients
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 tsp minced parsley
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp flour (or cornstarch)
- 1 cup grated cheese (cheddar works well)
Instructions
- Cook bacon: In a large pot, cook the bacon slices over medium heat until crispy. Once done, remove bacon and set it aside on paper towels to drain excess fat.
- Sauté vegetables: Using the remaining bacon fat in the pot, sauté diced onion, celery, and sliced carrots until they are softened and fragrant, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Add potatoes and broth: Add the diced potatoes to the pot along with salt, pepper, and the 8 cups of vegetable or chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Cook and thicken: Boil the soup for about 10 minutes until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, whisk the flour with the milk until smooth, then slowly pour this mixture into the soup while stirring to prevent lumps.
- Simmer and blend: Reduce heat and simmer the soup for 5 more minutes to thicken. Then, carefully blend a portion of the soup using an immersion blender or by transferring some soup to a blender until smooth to achieve a creamy texture with some chunkiness.
- Combine and add bacon: Return the blended soup to the pot, stir well, then fold in the crumbled bacon pieces for extra flavor.
- Garnish and serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with minced parsley, additional crumbled bacon, and a generous sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese. Serve hot for best enjoyment.
Notes
- You can substitute gluten-free flour or cornstarch to make this recipe gluten-free.
- For a richer soup, add the heavy cream right after blending the soup.
- If you prefer a vegetarian version, omit bacon and use vegetable broth.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Use an immersion blender carefully to prevent splashes of hot soup.
