Description
This creamy potato soup recipe is a comforting and hearty dish featuring Yukon gold potatoes simmered with vegetables, infused with savory bacon flavor, and finished with cream cheese for extra richness. Perfect for a cozy meal, it offers a smooth texture and can be customized with toppings like cheese and green onions.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (optional, recommended)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled, chopped (about ½ inch)
- 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (powder, base, or 1 crushed cube)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (plus more to taste)
- 3 oz. cream cheese, softened (add last)
Toppings
- Cooked bacon pieces (from recipe)
- Cheese
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
- Cook bacon: Add bacon pieces to a large Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Cook until crisp and the fat is rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the grease.
- Sauté vegetables: Melt the butter in the 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon grease over medium heat. If omitting bacon, use 2 additional tablespoons of butter or olive oil. Add diced onions, chopped carrots, and celery and cook, stirring often, until onions are softened. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for an additional 2 minutes until thickened.
- Add potatoes and liquids: Stir in the peeled and chopped Yukon gold potatoes, chicken broth, evaporated milk, chicken bouillon, and all seasonings. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook uncovered for 20 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
- Make it creamy: Working in batches, carefully transfer half of the soup (vegetables and liquid) to a blender along with the softened cream cheese. Fill no more than one-third full to prevent overflow. Blend until very smooth, allowing steam to escape by leaving the lid partially open and covering with a paper towel or dishcloth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender, though the texture may not be as smooth.
- Season and finish: Stir the pureed soup back into the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme if desired. If a thinner consistency is preferred, stir in additional milk. Serve hot topped with cooked bacon pieces, shredded cheese, and sliced green onions if desired.
Notes
- Storage: Let the soup cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It will thicken when stored but will thin upon reheating.
- Make ahead: The flavors improve when made a day in advance. You can prep vegetables ahead of time, and to prevent chopped potatoes from browning, submerge them in water, cover, and refrigerate.
- For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Use an immersion blender for easier blending, but do it carefully to avoid a less smooth texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
