Potato Soup

The BEST Potato Soup is a creamy, comforting bowl built for chilly nights. Crisp bacon, tender Yukon gold potatoes, sharp cheddar, and a smooth milk-based broth come together in one stockpot for a soup that feels substantial without requiring a complicated process.

The bacon does double duty: the cooked pieces return at the end, while reserved bacon grease helps begin the soup’s savory base. Onion and garlic are softened before flour, stock, warmed milk, and potatoes join the pot, creating a practical stovetop potato soup recipe with a short cooking time.

Once the potatoes are soft, cheddar and Greek yogurt or sour cream are stirred in with the seasonings and bacon. The result is creamy and comforting, with familiar baked-potato-style toppings available for finishing each bowl.

Plan for 15 minutes of preparation and about 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 6 to 8 servings, so it works for a family meal or a larger pot of soup to enjoy while it is warm.

Ingredients

• 5 slices bacon (diced)

• 3 tablespoons (reserved) bacon grease or butter

• 1 cup diced white or yellow onion

• 4 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

• 2 cups milk (warmed)

• 1.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (diced)

• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

• 1 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

• optional toppings: thinly-sliced green onions or chives (extra shredded cheese, extra bacon, sour cream), optional

The ingredient list balances a savory bacon base with potatoes, dairy, aromatics, and simple seasonings. Yukon gold potatoes are diced before they go into the pot, and their size matters: smaller, evenly cut pieces cook more quickly and at a similar rate.

Warm the milk before adding it to the pot. Freshly grated cheddar is also the preferred choice here because pre-shredded cheese can contain anti-caking agents that make the soup grainy. The recipe gives you a choice between chicken stock and vegetable stock, and between Greek yogurt and sour cream. For the cooking fat, use the reserved bacon grease or substitute butter.

The bacon is cooked first, then removed while about 3 tablespoons of its grease remain in the stockpot. If there is extra grease, discard it. The cooked bacon is saved for the finished soup rather than lost in the base, and the optional toppings let each serving be finished with green onions or chives, more cheese, bacon, or sour cream.

How to Make The BEST Potato Soup

This potato soup recipe takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook. The process moves from crisping the bacon to building the base, simmering the potatoes, and adding the dairy ingredients at the end.

1. Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the diced bacon and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a separate plate, reserving about 3 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot. Discard any extra grease, or use butter instead of the reserved grease. If needed, dice the potatoes and onion while the bacon cooks.

2. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Stir in the garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.

3. Stir the flour into the onion and garlic mixture. Sauté for 1 additional minute, stirring occasionally, to cook the flour. Stir in the stock until combined, then add the milk and potatoes.

4. Continue cooking until the mixture just reaches a simmer, before it begins to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Stir the soup every few minutes so the bottom does not burn. Smaller potato pieces will cook faster.

5. When the potatoes are soft, stir in the cheddar, Greek yogurt or sour cream, salt, pepper, and cooked bacon bits. Add extra salt and pepper if needed.

6. Serve warm with the desired toppings, or transfer the soup to a sealed container for refrigeration.

For the smoothest finish, add the cheese gradually while stirring off the heat. Stir in a handful at a time so it melts into the soup without clumping. This final stage also brings together the bacon, dairy, and seasonings after the potatoes have finished cooking.

About The BEST Potato Soup

The BEST Potato Soup was originally shared in December 2014. Its appeal remains straightforward: a familiar potato soup recipe combines crisp bacon, a creamy base, cheddar, and optional toppings in a short stovetop preparation. For another recipe idea, explore Loaded Baked Potato Soup –.

The recipe is designed around a stockpot rather than a long cooking process. Bacon starts the base, onion and garlic build the first layer, and the potatoes cook directly in the stock-and-milk mixture. The final additions of cheddar and Greek yogurt or sour cream are stirred in after the potatoes soften, keeping the finishing ingredients distinct from the simmering stage. For another recipe idea, explore Creamy Butternut Squash Soup.

That sequence gives the soup a clear rhythm: prepare the bacon, soften the aromatics, thicken with flour, simmer until the potatoes are tender, and finish with the ingredients that make the bowl creamy and savory.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Cool leftovers before refrigerating them. Once cooled, transfer the soup to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For another make-ahead idea, see Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip.

When reheating, warm the soup gently to help keep its creamy texture. The storage guidance applies to leftovers after serving; the recipe does not require an overnight rest before it can be eaten. If you are serving it immediately, keep the finished soup warm and add the desired toppings at the time of serving. For another make-ahead idea, see Crockpot Creamy Ranch Chicken.

For the best handling sequence, let the soup cool first, seal it in its container, and then refrigerate it. When you are ready to eat the leftovers, rewarm them gently rather than treating the soup as though it needs another full cooking cycle.

Why You’ll Love It

The BEST Potato Soup brings together the qualities people look for in a comforting cold-weather meal: a creamy texture, tender potatoes, crisp bacon, and sharp cheddar in the same bowl. The combination is familiar without requiring a long list of ingredients or a complicated set of techniques. Another recipe you may want to try is Baked Potato Slices.

It is also flexible within the ingredients already specified. Chicken stock or vegetable stock can be used, and the creamy finish can come from plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. Bacon grease contributes to the base, while butter is available as the stated alternative. Another recipe you may want to try is Creamy Garlic Chicken.

The short timeline is another practical strength. With 15 minutes of preparation and about 20 minutes of cooking, the soup reaches the table in about 35 minutes. A yield of 6 to 8 servings makes it suitable for a larger meal, and optional toppings allow bowls to be finished with green onions or chives, extra cheese, bacon, or sour cream.

Most importantly, the cooking order is easy to follow: crisp the bacon, soften the onion and garlic, simmer the potatoes, and finish with cheese, cultured dairy, seasoning, and bacon.

Pro Tips for Success

A few supported technique details make the preparation more consistent. For more inspiration, see Slow Cooker Sausage and Potato Casserole.

• Dice the potatoes evenly. Smaller, uniform pieces cook more quickly and evenly. The size of the pieces affects the simmering time, so uneven cuts can leave some potatoes soft before others are ready.

• Warm the milk. The recipe specifically calls for warmed milk. This helps prevent curdling and keeps the soup smooth as the liquid joins the stock and potatoes.

• Grate the cheddar by hand. Freshly grated cheese melts more creamy than pre-shredded cheese, which is often coated with anti-caking agents that can make the soup grainy.

• Add the cheese slowly. Stir the cheddar in a handful at a time off the heat. Gradual addition helps avoid clumping and gives the cheese time to melt into the soup.

• Stir during the covered simmer. Stir every few minutes so the bottom does not burn while the potatoes soften.

• Watch the heat. Bring the mixture only to the point where it just reaches a simmer, before it begins to boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

If time is short at the beginning, dice the potatoes and onion while the bacon cooks. That keeps the preparation moving without changing the order of the recipe. For more inspiration, see Chicken Pot Pie Soup.

Flavor and Texture

The finished soup is creamy and comforting, with a savory bacon presence and the familiar flavor of sharp cheddar. Tender diced potatoes give the bowl its substance, while onion and garlic contribute to the cooked base. Greek yogurt or sour cream joins the cheddar at the end, adding to the creamy character described for this potato soup. For another recipe idea, explore Cream Cheese Fruit Dip – Easy 4-Ingredient Recipe.

Texture depends on several small details rather than one complicated step. Yukon gold potatoes are simmered until soft, and evenly diced pieces help the whole pot reach that point together. Warmed milk supports a smooth mixture, while freshly grated cheddar melts more cleanly than pre-shredded cheese.

The bacon creates contrast within the finished bowl. It is cooked until crispy, reserved on a plate, and stirred back in after the potatoes soften. Optional green onions or chives, extra cheese, bacon, and sour cream can add further visible and textural contrast at serving.

The final seasoning is adjustable within the recipe: sea salt is added at 1 teaspoon or more to taste, and freshly cracked black pepper is added at 1/2 teaspoon, with more salt and pepper if needed after the cheese, dairy, and bacon are incorporated.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup warm, finished with the desired toppings. The listed options are thinly sliced green onions or chives, extra shredded cheese, extra bacon, and sour cream. These toppings can be used individually or in combination, depending on how you want each bowl finished.

The recipe makes 6 to 8 servings, so portion the warm soup into bowls and add toppings at the end. Keeping the toppings separate until serving preserves the choice of finishing each portion with more bacon, cheese, sour cream, or the fresh green color of onions or chives.

If you are serving leftovers, rewarm the refrigerated soup gently before adding any desired toppings.

Troubleshooting

A few common concerns have clear fixes within the recipe’s supported techniques.

• The soup is cooking unevenly: The potato pieces may be different sizes. Dice them smaller and more uniformly so they cook more quickly and evenly.

• The bottom is beginning to burn: The soup needs occasional stirring during the covered simmer. Stir it every few minutes while the potatoes soften.

• The mixture is approaching a boil: Reduce the heat once it just reaches a simmer, before it begins to boil, then continue over medium-low heat.

• The soup looks grainy after the cheese is added: Use freshly grated cheddar rather than pre-shredded cheese, and stir the cheese in gradually, a handful at a time, off the heat.

• The soup is not smooth after adding the milk: Warm the milk before it goes into the pot. The recipe identifies warmed milk as a way to help prevent curdling and keep the soup smooth.

• The seasoning needs adjustment: Taste after adding the cheddar, Greek yogurt or sour cream, and bacon. Add extra salt and pepper if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to prepare The BEST Potato Soup?

Cook the bacon until crispy, reserve about 3 tablespoons of its grease, and soften the onion followed by the garlic. Stir in the flour, stock, warmed milk, and potatoes. Simmer covered over medium-low heat until the potatoes are soft, then add the cheddar, Greek yogurt or sour cream, seasonings, and bacon.

How do I know when The BEST Potato Soup is ready?

The potatoes should be soft after the covered simmer. Once they reach that point, stir in the cheddar, Greek yogurt or sour cream, salt, pepper, and bacon, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

How long does The BEST Potato Soup take to make?

The preparation time is 15 minutes and the cooking time is about 20 minutes, for a total of about 35 minutes.

How should I store The BEST Potato Soup?

Cool leftovers, transfer them to a sealed container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Rewarm gently to help keep the texture creamy.

How can I avoid common problems with The BEST Potato Soup?

Dice the potatoes evenly, warm the milk, stir during the simmer, and add freshly grated cheddar gradually off the heat. These steps address uneven cooking, scorching, curdling, and grainy or clumped cheese.

What should I know about the bacon in this recipe?

Use 5 slices of diced bacon. Cook it until crispy, transfer it to a plate, and reserve about 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease for the soup base. The cooked bacon is added again near the end.

What should I know about the bacon grease or butter?

The recipe uses 3 tablespoons of reserved bacon grease, with butter as the stated substitute. If the bacon produces more grease, discard the extra before continuing.

What should I know about the onion and garlic?

Use 1 cup of diced white or yellow onion and 4 cloves of peeled, minced garlic. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic for another 1 to 2 minutes before stirring in the flour.

What should I know about the flour?

The recipe uses 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Stir it into the softened onion and garlic mixture and sauté it for 1 minute before adding the stock, milk, and potatoes.