Description
A creamy, hearty soup filled with tender potatoes, savory turkey bacon, and melted cheddar cheese—perfect for cozy dinners or cold evenings. Ready in just 40 minutes using pantry staples.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 large potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet), peeled and diced
- 6–8 turkey bacon slices, uncooked
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk (2%)
Instructions
- Cook turkey bacon in large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp and browned. Remove and set aside, leaving small amount of rendered fat for flavor.
- Add butter and chopped onion to same pot. Cook over medium heat until onions become tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour, seasonings, and garlic over onions. Stir well to form smooth roux that will thicken the soup.
- Add diced potatoes, chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream to pot. Bring to boil and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15-18 minutes.
- Reduce heat to simmer. Remove few cups of soup mixture to blender and puree until smooth, or use immersion blender 3-4 times to partially blend while keeping some potato chunks.
- Let soup return to serving temperature. Serve hot with chopped turkey bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions, and sour cream as desired toppings.
Notes
- Choose Yukon Gold potatoes for naturally creamy texture, or Russet potatoes for more starch and thickening power
- Don’t over-blend the soup – you want some potato chunks remaining for the best texture contrast
- Add cheese gradually while stirring to prevent clumping and ensure smooth melting throughout the soup
- Taste and adjust seasoning after blending, as the flavors may need rebalancing once ingredients are combined
- If soup becomes too thick, thin with additional warm broth or milk rather than cold liquid to maintain temperature
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American Comfort Food
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: potato soup, cheesy soup, turkey bacon soup, creamy potato soup, winter comfort food, chunky potato soup