Name: Creamy Potato Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 6 slices bacon; 1/2 white onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 cups chicken broth; 2 cups whole milk; 2 lb red or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup chives, thinly sliced

The pot on the stove was the only warm thing in the kitchen that afternoon, and this potato soup was the reason I didn’t lose my mind during the first cold snap of the year. My kids had tracked mud across the floor, the dog was barking at nothing, and I had about forty minutes before everyone hit the wall.

I grabbed the bacon, the potatoes, and a block of cheddar, and just started cooking.

I’ve made this soup so many times that I don’t even think about the steps anymore. What I do think about is the ratio: equal parts chicken broth and whole milk, every single time.

That 1-to-1 is the thing that keeps the base rich without going heavy.

It’s a one-pot dinner that actually fills people up. That matters on a school night.

Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 35 minutes · Total: about 55 minutes · Serves: 4

↓ Jump to the recipe

How do you make potato soup creamy without it getting gluey?

The key is a proper roux first, flour cooked in bacon fat for a full minute before any liquid goes in. Then you add broth and milk in equal parts and keep the heat moderate. Cheese and sour cream go in last, off the boil, so they melt in smoothly instead of breaking into strings or clumps.

The Method, in Plain English

Cooking the flour in the fat for about a minute before adding liquid drives off the raw starch taste, which is the main reason a quick potato soup can taste flat and pasty.
A 1-to-1 ratio of chicken broth to whole milk, confirmed by both Spend With Pennies and Natasha’s Kitchen working from different total volumes, gives the base body without making it feel like cream sauce.
Adding the cheddar and sour cream after the heat is off keeps the dairy from breaking, which is what causes that grainy, separated texture you sometimes get in reheated soup.

The first time I skipped the full minute on the roux, I could taste the flour in every bowl. I don’t skip it anymore.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This One

One pot, start to finish, which means one pot to wash.
Built on bacon fat, so the smoky flavor runs through the whole soup, not just the topping.
Pantry and fridge staples, nothing you’d have to make a special trip for.
Ready in under an hour on a weeknight.

Grab These Ingredients

6 slices bacon
1/2 white onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
2 lb red or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chives, thinly sliced

A Few Notes on the Ingredients

Red or Yukon gold potatoes are the right call here. Both are waxy varieties, which means they hold their shape when simmered instead of falling apart into mush.

Russets will dissolve into the broth, and while some people like that, it’s a different soup entirely. Stick with waxy.

Whole milk matters more than you’d think. Skim or 2% will give you a thinner base that doesn’t cling to the potatoes the way it should.

If you’re out of whole milk, half-and-half works fine, but don’t go lower than 2%.

Sharp cheddar gives the soup a flavor you can actually taste. Mild cheddar disappears into the broth.

Pre-shredded bags have a coating on them that can make the soup slightly grainy, so if you have a block and a box grater, use them.

Step-by-Step Directions

Cook the bacon. Lay the bacon strips in a large heavy pot over medium heat and cook, turning once, until the fat has rendered and the strips are crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and leave all the drippings in the pot. Don’t drain them.
Soften the aromatics. Add the diced onion to the bacon fat and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent and the edges are just starting to turn golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds, until it smells fragrant and has lost its raw edge.
Build the roux. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic and stir constantly for a full minute. The mixture will look dry and paste-like at first, then it’ll start to smell faintly nutty. That’s your cue it’s ready. Don’t rush this step or the soup will taste of raw flour.
Add the liquid. Pour in the chicken broth a little at a time, whisking as you go to prevent lumps, then add the whole milk. Keep whisking until the base is smooth and there are no flour streaks visible, about 1 minute.
Simmer the potatoes. Add the potato cubes, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork and offer no resistance at all, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Finish with dairy. Pull the pot off the heat. Stir in the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, letting each addition melt before adding the next. Add the sour cream and stir until the soup is smooth and creamy throughout, with no white streaks remaining.
Taste and serve. Crumble the reserved bacon and stir half of it into the soup. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust. Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining bacon and the chives, until every bowl has a good amount of each.

What I’ve Learned Making This Potato Soup

Don’t drain the bacon fat. That rendered fat is the flavor base for the entire soup, and swapping it for butter or oil makes a noticeably blander pot.
If your soup thickens up more than you’d like as it sits, just stir in a splash of broth or milk when you reheat it and it’ll loosen right up.
Waxy potatoes are the move for a chunky soup. Neither of the recipes I worked from specifies blending, so I leave mine chunky, but if you want a smoother texture, you can use an immersion blender on part of the pot once the potatoes are tender.
Don’t add the cheese while the soup is still at a full boil. Hot dairy breaks, and you’ll end up with a grainy texture that’s hard to fix once it’s gone wrong.
Leftover soup thickens a lot in the fridge overnight. That’s normal. It’s still good.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Leftovers keep well in a sealed container in the fridge. Spend With Pennies says 3 to 4 days, and Natasha’s Kitchen says up to 5 days.

I go by 4 days in my own kitchen and haven’t had a problem. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often, and add a splash of broth or milk to bring it back to the right consistency.

Microwaving works too, just go in 60-second intervals and stir between each one. On freezing: the two recipes I worked from don’t agree on this, so I won’t tell you it freezes well as a fact.

In my experience, dairy-based soups can turn grainy after freezing and thawing. If you want to try it, freeze before adding the cheese and sour cream, then stir those in fresh when you reheat.

Rounding Out the Meal

Crusty bread or a soft dinner roll, because the soup is thick enough to scoop and you’ll want something to drag through the bowl.
A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette, which cuts through the richness of the cheddar and bacon.
Grilled cheese sandwiches, which the kids will ask for every single time you make this soup together.
Cornbread, especially if you have a batch already made, since the slight sweetness works well against the savory bacon base.

Tools You’ll Need

A large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, at least 4 quarts, so you have room to stir without splashing.
A whisk, for working the flour into the fat and then smoothing out the liquid without lumps.
A wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring the potatoes as they simmer, so you don’t break them up.
A ladle for serving, deep enough to get a good scoop of potatoes in every bowl.

Your Questions, Answered

Can I use a different type of potato for potato soup? You can, but the type matters. Waxy potatoes like red or Yukon gold hold their shape and give you a chunky soup. Starchy potatoes like russets will break down and thicken the broth, which changes the texture significantly.

Why does my potato soup taste like flour? The roux needs a full minute of cooking in the fat before you add any liquid. If you rush that step, the raw starch flavor stays in the soup and no amount of seasoning covers it up.

Can I make potato soup without bacon? Yes. You’d need to add a couple tablespoons of butter or oil to the pot first to have fat to cook the onion and build the roux. The smoky depth won’t be there, but the soup still works.

Why did my cheese turn grainy in the soup? The pot was probably still too hot when you added it. Pull the soup completely off the heat first, then stir in the cheese a handful at a time, letting each addition melt before adding more.

Can I make this potato soup ahead of time? You can make it a day ahead and refrigerate it. It thickens overnight, so plan to add a splash of broth or milk when you reheat it and stir well before serving.

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