How can I thicken potato soup?

Potatoes act as their own thickeners. If you want this soup extra thick cut up an extra potato to cook with the soup. You can either leave the soup with the extra potatoes or before you add the milk, spoon out roughly a cup of potatoes and mash them up with a potato masher or blend them with an immersion blender and stir them back into the soup. You could also ladle out a 1/2 cup of soup liquid before adding the milk and whisk in 2-3 Tbs. of potato starch. Whisk that mixture into the soup.

What toppings are good on hearty soups like this one?

You can sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese and thinly sliced green onions on top! Some people even like a little bit of sour cream too for more of a loaded potato soup.

How long does this last?

This soup lasts 3-4 days in the fridge. Unfortunately, this soup doesn't freeze well in my opinion. The texture just isn't the same after freezing. You can however, prepare this recipe a day early, store it in the fridge and reheat on the stove.

Easy Potato Bacon Soup

Description

You're only 30 minutes away from eating this super easy soup recipe! Chunks of potato and pieces of smoky bacon in a creamy soup will fight off that winter chill! Serve this old fashioned soup with hot rolls, crackers or even in a bread bowl!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 lb. Bacon
1/2 cup Onions (chopped)
1 cup Celery (chopped)
4 cups Chicken Broth
3 cups Potatoes (peeled & cubed small)
4 cups Whole Milk, slightly warmed (*see note)
1/4-1/2 tsp White Pepper
Salt (to taste)

Instructions

Begin by slicing the celery, chopping the onions, slicing up the bacon and peeling and dicing the potatoes to your preferred size. I like my potato pieces rather small.
TIP: Bacon is easier to slice up when it's partially frozen.
Heat a large pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
Once hot, add the sliced bacon pieces and cook until nearly done.
Drain and discard all but a tablespoon or so of the bacon grease from the pot and add the celery and the onion.
Cook until the bacon is done and the celery and onions are lightly sautéed.
Add the diced potatoes.
Pour in the chicken broth and bring the contents of the pot to a boil,
Turn the heat down to a medium heat and cook at a low boil until the potatoes are cooked through.
Warm up the milk slightly and add it to the soup.
Add the white pepper and salt to taste.
Serve!

Notes

Chicken Broth - This soup is best when you make your chicken broth from a chicken base rather than a granulated bouillon. A base is a super concentrated broth or chicken stock that is not dried or dehydrated. It retains flavor rather than going stale.
White Pepper - you can substitute black pepper but if you haven't tried white pepper I can guarantee you'll love it! I hardly ever use black pepper anymore because white tastes so much better!
Whole Milk - You can substitute 2 percent milk however, the soup won't be as thick or as creamy. If you use a lower fat milk you can always add a cup of heavy cream to make up for the lower fat in the milk. You can also use half and half in place of the whole milk.
Bacon - I like to use thick smoky bacon however, any bacon is fine. You could use leftover ham in place of the bacon. If you choose to do this you will need a little olive oil to saute' the celery and onions as the recipe uses the bacon drippings for that.
Potatoes - Russet potatoes are best to use for this soup. They hold up well and thicken the soup as well. See this article to learn more about different
Nutritional Disclaimer

Keywords: Easy Potato Bacon Soup, Creamy Potato Bacon Soup, Ham and Potato Soup