Potato Soup Recipe
Cooked entirely on the stovetop, this easy and delicious potato soup recipe is creamy (without using any heavy cream), comforting, and loved by the whole family. Serve with all your favorite toppings such as cheese, bacon, green onions, and sour cream!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 347kcal
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon - chopped
- 2 large yellow onions - diced
- 4 large carrots - diced
- 4 stalks celery - diced
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- salt and black pepper - to season
- 1 large head cauliflower - chopped into small florets
- 6 cups potatoes - peeled and chopped into small cubes
- 6 cups vegetable broth - plus more as needed (may also use chicken broth or chicken stock)
- ⅓ cup butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk - (2% or whole milk)
- ½ cup half-and-half - or additional milk
- For serving - shredded sharp cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, chives, bacon bits, sour cream, Tabasco sauce
Instructions
- Cook bacon: Add the chopped bacon to a large skillet and set over medium-high heat. Once the bacon is hot and sizzling, reduce heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook low and slow, stirring occasionally. Once the bacon pieces are golden and release their grease, remove the lid and allow them to cook until the desired doneness is reached. Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside. Reserve bacon grease.
- Cook vegetables: Add one tablespoon reserved bacon grease (or olive oil if you're cooking this recipe without bacon) to a large stockpot set over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add the carrots and celery and continue to cook, stirring often, for an additional 6-8 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Mix in the minced garlic and approximately 1 teaspoon salt and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the potatoes and cauliflower: Add the cauliflower and diced potatoes to the pot. Mix well to combine and add the veggie broth (or water). Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and allow the vegetables to simmer until very soft.
- Create the roux: Melt the butter in a separate, smaller saucepan, over medium heat. Once melted, slowly add the flour, whisking continuously until fully incorporated. Still whisking, slowly add the milk, stirring constantly until fully combined and starting to thicken and bubble. Remove from heat.
- Combine soup and roux: Once the potatoes and vegetables are completely softened, stir in the prepared roux, mixing well to combine.
- Blend: Transfer soup to a large high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy, or, use a sturdy hand-held immersion blender to puree vegetables until desired consistency is reached. Stir in the half and half.
- Season and serve: Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Serve garnished with cooked bacon bits, green onions, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Enjoy!
Notes
- I used a combination of waxy potatoes (like red potatoes) and starchy potatoes (Yukon gold potatoes and russet potatoes). Feel free to do the same or pick your favorite.
- Peeling the potatoes is not a requirement, however, russet potatoes tend to have thicker skins, so in order to achieve an extra creamy soup, I recommend at least peeling that variety.
- Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Yes. Simply use gluten-free all-purpose flour to make the roux.
- What is a roux? A roux is made from fat (usually butter) and flour. It is used to thicken things like stews and soups. In this case, the roux adds an extra layer of creaminess which helped eliminate the need for whipping cream. Feel free to skip the roux for a lighter soup.
- I love bacon in this recipe, but don’t worry, the bacon is optional. If you prefer to keep this recipe vegetarian, simply leave it out. Should you choose to add bacon, I recommend thicker-cut bacon, but any bacon will work.
- The cauliflower is optional. I simply have a habit of adding extra vegetables whenever possible - especially if I know no one will taste them!
- The soup itself is delicious, but the toppings are essential. My favorites include green onions, bacon bits, and tabasco sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 985mg | Potassium: 1251mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1914IU | Vitamin C: 73mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 6mg
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