Cheesy Bacon Potato Soup
This one-pot Cheesy Potato Bacon Cheese Soup is the epitome of comfort food. It’s ultra creamy and has the flavors of crispy bacon and two types of cheese in every spoonful. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner and comes together in under an hour with simple pantry staples.
Servings: 10 cups
Calories: 318kcal
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 medium onion finely chopped, 1¼ cups
- 2 medium carrots small dice, ⅔ cup
- 2 small garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium russet potatoes peeled and cut to medium dice
- 5 teaspoons chicken flavor I use Better Than Bouillon
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5½ cups water
- ½ teaspoon celery seed*
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon sodium citrate optional
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1½ cups grated cheese I used part Cheddar/Gouda
- Ground black pepper
- Scallions for garnish
Instructions
- In a large 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp and browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir occasionally so it cooks evenly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl, leaving rendered bacon drippings in the pot.
- Add the onion, carrots, and garlic to the pot along with the olive oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are just softened and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the diced potatoes and stir to combine. Add the Better Than Bouillon and flour, stirring well so the flour coats the vegetables.
- Pour in the water. Add the celery seed, coriander, Italian seasoning, thyme, bay leaf, and salt. Stir to combine and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Let the soup simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender but still hold their shape. You should be able to pierce them easily with a fork.
- Remove the bay leaf. If using sodium citrate, stir it in now until dissolved. This helps create a smooth, creamy cheese sauce.
- Add the heavy cream and stir to combine. Then add the grated cheese a handful at a time, stirring between additions until fully melted and smooth. Keep the heat low so the cheese melts gently and doesn’t separate.
- Return all but ⅓ cup of the cooked bacon to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and add black pepper to taste.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with sliced scallions and some of the remaining bacon.
Notes
*If you don’t have celery seed, swap it for celery salt, but make sure to only use ¼ teaspoon kosher salt if you make that change!
Nutrition
Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 437mg | Potassium: 401mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2570IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 1mg
