• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

Main Menu
  • Browse All Recipes
  • By Course
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizers
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Desserts
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Drinks/Cocktails
    • Sauces & Dressings
  • By Method
    • Crockpot
    • Instant Pot
    • One Pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Casseroles
  • By Season
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Winter
  • By Cuisine
    • Asian
    • Italian
    • Mexican
    • European
    • Indian
    • Romanian
    • Mediterranean
    • Middle Eastern
    • American
  • By Ingredient
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Beef
    • Seafood
    • Lamb
    • Vegetarian
    • Pasta
    • Spices
  • By Holiday
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Thanksgiving
    • Game Day
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patrick's Day
    • Cinco de Mayo
    • Mother's Day
    • Memorial Day
    • Father's Day
    • 4th Of July
    • Labor Day
    • Halloween
Cookbooks
Shop Favorites
About Jo
Contact
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
TikTok
FREE recipe eBook!
Search...
All Recipes
Soups
Baking
Pasta
Sides
Sandwiches
Instant Pot
30 Minute
One Pot Meals
Dips & Dressings
Lunch Dinner Pork Potatoes
4.6 from 51 votes

Creamy Potato Soup

Jump to RecipeVideoPrintRate
By: Joanna Cismaru •2/19/23 55 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

pin for creamy potato soup.

This Creamy Potato Soup is smooth, creamy, and delicious. It can only be described as serious comfort food in a bowl that’s quick and easy to make. A simple recipe perfect for a cold day.

a Dutch oven with freshly made creamy potato soup garnished with cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions.
Table of Contents Open
  • Easy Creamy Potato Soup
  • Why You’ll This Creamy Potato Soup
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
    • Other Toppings:
  • How To Make Potato Soup
    • Cook The Potatoes
    • Fry The Bacon
    • Sauté The Veggies
    • Create The Base Of The Soup
    • Finish The Soup
    • Garnish And Serve
  • How Do You Thicken Up Potato Soup
  • Is It Better to Thicken Soup With Flour Or Cornstarch?
  • Expert Tips
  • Storing Leftovers
  • Other Delicious Soup Recipes To Try
  • Creamy Loaded Potato Soup
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Video
    • Notes
    • Nutrition Information
  • Did You Make This?

Easy Creamy Potato Soup

Creamy soups don’t have to be bad for you. Clocking in at 325 calories a serving, this soup is not too shabby in the calorie department. But besides a decent calorie count, this soup has a lot going for it, literally and figuratively.

It’s easy, relatively quick, rich and creamy, not to mention full of flavor and oh so comforting, especially this time of year. The best thing about this soup is that you can load it up with all your favorite toppings such as cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream, green onions and whatever else you can think of.

So this soup here embodies everything I love about baked potatoes, the cheese and the bacon, oh yeah the bacon. So how can you go wrong here? You can’t!

a serving of creamy potato soup in a white bowl with a spoon in it.

Why You’ll This Creamy Potato Soup

  • Easy Recipe! This soup doesn’t require any special skills and it’s made with easy to find ingredients. You don’t need to be a chef to make a super tasty meal like this creamy potato soup recipe.
  • Baked Potato Soup! With a creamy texture, big chunks of fork-tender potato, lots of crispy bacon, and topped with shredded cheese and green onions, this soup is everything you love about a loaded baked potato soup.
  • Meal Prep Perfect! Ideal, for make-ahead meals! This soup is perfect for lunch or dinner and keeps incredibly well in the refrigerator for days and in the freezer for months. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

ingredients needed to make creamy potato soup.
  • Potatoes – such as Yukon gold or russets. My favorite are Yukon gold though because they really are an all purpose potato, they’re nice and buttery plus I love their golden color.
  • Bacon – I like to use a thick cut applewood smoked bacon, but any bacon will do. For a vegetarian version, simply omit the bacon and sprinkle the soup with a bit of smoked paprika for a little smoky flavor.
  • Onion and garlic – No soup is complete without onion and in my opinion garlic. The onion caramelizes nicely and provides a little bit of sweetness to soups.
  • Flour – All-purpose flour is all you need. The flour is used to thicken the soup.
  • Half And Half – Half cream and half milk, this 10% cream is great to make the soup extra creamy and delicious.
  • Chicken broth – The main broth in our soup, try and go with a low sodium version or no sodium added broth.
  • Herbs – Dried basil and oregano are used to provide a little depth of flavor to our soup.
  • Salt and pepper – To taste.

Other Toppings:

  • Cheddar cheese
  • Green onions
  • Sour cream

How To Make Potato Soup

Like most of my recipes, this soup is easy peasy! Just follow the simple steps below and you’ll have a delicious meal on the table in under an hour!

Cook The Potatoes

process shots showing how to make cheesy mashed potatoes.

The first step is to start cooking the potatoes! Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Then add the potatoes and cook them for about 15 minutes or until they are fork-tender. You can also bake them in the oven for about 45 minutes at 425°F (218°C).

Fry The Bacon

process shots showing how to make creamy potato soup.

Next, you need to cook the bacon. To do this, add the strips of bacon to a large skillet and fry them over medium heat until perfectly crisp. Next, place the cooked bacon on a plate lined with paper towels to drain and then crumble it into pieces. Now, reserve 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon grease and discard the rest. You can also cut the bacon into pieces before frying it if you prefer.

Sauté The Veggies

process shots showing how to make creamy potato soup.

After you’ve fried the bacon, add the reserved 2 tablespoons of bacon fat to a large Dutch oven or pot. Then add the onion and sauté it over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until it’s soft and translucent. Next, add the garlic and sauté for just another 30 seconds until aromatic.

process shots showing how to make creamy potato soup.

Finally, stir in the dried basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper to begin building flavor. 

Create The Base Of The Soup

process shots showing how to make creamy potato soup.

To start, sprinkle the flour over the sautéed veggies and cook the mixture for about a minute while stirring. This is done to remove the raw flour taste.

process shots showing how to make creamy potato soup.

Now, pour in the chicken broth a cup at a time while stirring to blend it in and prevent any lumps.

process shots showing how to make creamy potato soup.

Then stir in the heavy cream and bring the soup to a boil. 

Finish The Soup

process shots showing how to make creamy potato soup.

Once the soup comes to a boil, add the cooked potatoes and cook everything together for another 10 minutes over medium-low heat while stirring from time to time. Then after the soup has thickened up, stir in just half of the crumbled bacon bits. Finally, give it a taste and add more salt and pepper to season if necessary.  

Garnish And Serve

When your creamy potato soup is ready, ladle it into your favorite bowls. Then top it with the remaining crispy bacon and some yummy toppings like shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions if you like!

overhead shot of potato soup in a large Dutch oven garnished with cheese, bacon and green onions

How Do You Thicken Up Potato Soup

There are different ways to thicken potato soup. In this recipe, I use a combination of flour and half and half to do the job. The flour works by creating a roux that thickens the soup. Whereas, the half and half helps to thicken soups due to its high-fat content. However, to make potato soup gluten-free it can also be thickened by pureeing about a third of the soup with an immersion blender or mashing some of the potatoes with a potato masher. If you choose not to use any cream I suggest adding a bit of butter for flavor.

Is It Better to Thicken Soup With Flour Or Cornstarch?

In the culinary world, cornstarch is not the preferred method of thickening soups. But they both work, yet in different ways. In soups like this one, flour is better because we are forming a roux with the bacon fat and then adding stock. However, cornstarch can be used in place of the flour by mixing a little cornstarch with broth and then whisking it into the soup. But keep in mind that you only need half the amount of cornstarch to replace all-purpose flour. 

a serving of creamy potato soup in a white bowl with a spoon in it.

Expert Tips

  1. Use the right potatoes. You want to use a low starch or waxy potato like the Yukon golds because they will give you a creamier soup versus a starchier potato like the russets.
  2. If you’ve got the time, the best way to get a really delicious soup is to use homemade chicken broth.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftover soup in airtight containers and refrigerate within two hours of cooking. It will last 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 4 to 6 months in the freezer.

a white bowl full of creamy potato soup garnished with cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions.

Other Delicious Soup Recipes To Try

  • Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup
  • Avgolemono Soup
  • Tomato Tortellini Soup
  • Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Egg Drop Soup
  • Sausage and Bean Soup
  • Mulligatawny Soup

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

a serving of creamy potato soup in a white bowl with a spoon in it.
Print
4.59 from 51 votes

Creamy Loaded Potato Soup

Prep 15 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Total 55 minutes
Rate Recipe
This Creamy Potato Soup is smooth, creamy, and delicious. It can only be described as serious comfort food in a bowl that's quick and easy to make. A simple recipe perfect for a cold day.
8

Ingredients

  • 6 medium potatoes (cut into cubes and cooked)
  • 8 slices bacon (thick cut)
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon basil (dried)
  • 1 teaspoon oregano (dried)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
  • 2 cups half and half

Toppings

  • cheddar cheese
  • green onions

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Add the cubed potatoes to a pot of salted boiling water and cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. You can alternatively bake them in the oven at 425°F for about 45 minutes until fork tender.
  • Cook the bacon until crisp, then crumble into small pieces or cut it first into small pieces then fry. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve 2 tbsp of the rendered bacon fat and discard the rest.
  • In a large Dutch Oven or soup pot add the bacon fat and onion; cook the onion until soft and translucent, should take about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Stir in the dried basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir. Cook for about one minute to get rid of the raw flour taste. Add the chicken broth a cup at a time, stirring to remove any of the lumps as necessary. Once all the broth has been added, add in all the heavy cream. Bring to a boil.
  • Add the cooked potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. The soup should thicken nicely. Stir in half the bacon bits and reserve the other half for topping over the soup. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
  • Spoon into bowls, top with remaining bacon and load it up with your favorite toppings.

Equipment

  • 6 Quart Dutch Oven

Video

Notes

  1. Use the right potatoes. You want to use a low starch or waxy potato like the Yukon golds because they will give you a creamier soup versus a starchier potato like the russets.
  2. If you’ve got the time, the best way to get a really delicious soup is to use homemade chicken broth.
  3. Store leftover soup in airtight containers and refrigerate within two hours of cooking. It will last 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 4 to 6 months in the freezer.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1servingCalories: 325kcal (16%)Carbohydrates: 35g (12%)Protein: 11g (22%)Fat: 17g (26%)Saturated Fat: 7g (44%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 36mg (12%)Sodium: 372mg (16%)Potassium: 801mg (23%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 231IU (5%)Vitamin C: 27mg (33%)Calcium: 98mg (10%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
© Author Joanna Cismaru

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

a serving of creamy potato soup in a white bowl with a spoon in it.

Did You Make This?

We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @jocooks or hashtag #jocooks so we can see your creations!

Rate Recipe
Add Your Photo!
  • 600
  • 1
Home Recipes
Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More
iPad showing title of ebook 30 recipes from around the world
Subscribe

Get our FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Loading

guest
Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

guest
Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

55 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Chris W.
Chris W.
Posted: 15 days ago

Jo, this soup recipe is insanely good! I wanted another bowl but clearly it’s pretty filling. Didn’t change a thing except I had some cream to use up so I combined that with the 1/2&1/2. Thank you – thank you.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Chris W.
Posted: 15 days ago

My pleasure, Chris! So glad you liked it!

0
Reply
Judy
Judy
Posted: 16 days ago

I made a half recipe in my instant pot. It was delicious. Didn’t use the flour to thicken it but I did use an immersion blender to make it a tad thicker. I’ll definitely make this again.

Thank you for this and all your other recipes.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Judy
Posted: 16 days ago

My pleasure, so glad you enjoyed it!

0
Reply
Brianna
Brianna
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
Has been our go-to potato soup recipe for a few years now. Delicious every time!

1
Reply
Sara
Sara
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
This is such an easy and delicious recipe. It never fails us, and even my picky father will eat it. We now use this as our “base” and add other things to it (favorites include shredded carrots, whole kernel corn, and/or chicken). It comes together so fast and is perfect for a cozy winter night at home.

1
Reply
Sarah Chanel
Sarah Chanel
Posted: 3 years ago

This soup is super easy and delish.. I actually use baked potatoes. and the leftover soup tastes even better. Definitely a winner in our home .

0
Reply
Jennifer Pepler
Jennifer Pepler
Posted: 3 years ago

5 stars
I have made several of your recipes and we have loved every single one of them. I have made this soup several times and it is a household favorite!

We live on an acreage and are currently experiencing weather temperatures of -30 C to -35, not including the wind chill. So we have no desire to go in to town for groceries. I would really like to make this soup again, however, I don’t have any cream. I only have skim milk and a bit of 1%. Could I make this recipe using milk? I understand it won’t taste creamy but wonder if it would still work or will the milk just separate?

Thanks so much for all the great recipes you share!

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Jennifer Pepler
Posted: 3 years ago

I know how you feel, we’re having the exact temperatures here, are you in Alberta by any chance? So yes, you can use milk, just like you said it won’t be as creamy and as long as the milk is good it shouldn’t separate. Stay warm!

1
Reply
Jennifer Pepler
Jennifer Pepler
Reply to  Joanna Cismaru
Posted: 3 years ago

Hi Jo
Wow! Thanks for the prompt reply!! You’re awesome!

Indeed I am in Alberta! You too? I live out by the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, east of Sherwood Park. I feel so bad for my horses with these temperatures. Actually, I feel bad for all outdoor animals with these temperatures, especially because there has been no break in the cold temps.

I will give the soup a go with milk then. Thanks so much Jo!

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  Jennifer Pepler
Posted: 3 years ago

We’re in Calgary! Looking forward for the weather to warm up next week. Enjoy your soup and stay cozy 🙂

0
Reply
Bee Banks
Bee Banks
Posted: 3 years ago

5 stars
My elderly mother moved in with us in late 2016. She was so unhappy. Her health was gone, she had lost her home, and no matter what I fed her she was going to hate it until I found your recipe for potato soup. Apparently it tasted just like her mama’s, my precious Nannie!! Well.. Thank you!!! For 30 mins some potato soup brought peace here!! Due to her health I substituted the half n half for fat free half and half and I used organic vegetable broth instead of chicken broth only for added flavor. It is divine!!!!!!!!!

0
Reply
Jennifer
Jennifer
Posted: 3 years ago

5 stars
So yummy! Made just as the recipe said. Hubby also loved it!

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Jennifer
Posted: 3 years ago

So happy you liked it!

0
Reply
Norman Wilson
Norman Wilson
Posted: 3 years ago

Very good

0
Reply
Christine
Christine
Posted: 3 years ago

Hi Jo, I’m curious about something. You mention that if you omit the bacon this soup can be a vegetarian soup, but it calls for chicken broth. I was thinking about making this for a potluck at work, but a few of my coworkers are vegetarians. Do you think vegetable broth would taste just as good as chicken broth? I don’t want to switch the broths if it will change the flavor too much. Thanks!

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Christine
Posted: 3 years ago

Yes, you could totally use vegetable broth! Don’t worry it will be delicious!

0
Reply
Brianna
Brianna
Posted: 4 years ago

5 stars
Made this and can’t get enough! Delicious!

0
Reply
Ben
Ben
Posted: 4 years ago

5 stars
I substituted Bacon Fat for Butter and Heavy Cream for H&H. It tastes like it’s from a restaurant.

0
Reply
Connie
Connie
Posted: 4 years ago

5 stars
Always perfect!

0
Reply
Mallory
Mallory
Posted: 4 years ago

Can you make this in the crock pot?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Mallory
Posted: 4 years ago

For sure, I just can’t give you specifics without trying it myself. But I think it would work great.

0
Reply
Tina Duvall
Tina Duvall
Posted: 4 years ago

5 stars
I made this recipe last night. I didn’t have the spices I needed except the salt and pepper. My kids and hubby said it was the absolute best they had ever tasted! This recipe is a real keeper.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Tina Duvall
Posted: 4 years ago

I love to heart this, so glad you guys enjoyed it!

0
Reply

sidebar

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
TikTok
Visit our Other Site: Craving Home Cooked

Explore

Recipes
Cookbooks
About Jo
Contact

Legal

Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Disclaimers
© 2023 Jo Cooks
Site Credits
Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
wpDiscuz