Creamy Potato Soup – Spend With Pennies

Cozy and Creamy Potato Soup!

• Budget-friendly and hearty, this soup is a great meal for lunch or dinner.
• Simple and ready in minutes with potatoes and other ingredients I always have on hand (like onion, flour, milk, and broth).
• Potato soup is a great way to use up leftover meat and veggies.
• Make it in advance and serve it all week!
• This is the perfect potluck soup, keep it warm in a crockpot or slow cooker.

Ingredients for Potato Soup

Potatoes – Any spuds will do, but Yukon gold or red potatoes have a creamier texture and make the best soup. Leave some of the skin on for a rustic look and a bit of extra fiber!

Russet potatoes can be used but they tend to be a bit more grainy in texture and will slightly change the buttery consistency of the soup. Be sure to peel russets as the skin is tough.

Bacon – Fry it fresh in this recipe instead of using packaged bacon bits. Bacon grease will add a great smoky flavor to the onions!

Dairy – Skip the heavy cream, potatoes add great texture to this soup so just a little milk and chicken broth is all that’s needed. Sour cream adds a bit of tangy flavor (Greek yogurt can be substituted).

Add-Ins – Stir these in or let everyone add their own. Try cooked shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, a Mexican cheese blend, chives or green onions, diced ham, cooked ground Italian sausage, or a bag of mixed vegetables.

How to Make Creamy Potato Soup

1. Cook bacon: Crisp the bacon in a dutch oven or large saucepan. Set aside.
2. Cook onions: Cook the onions in the bacon fat per the recipe below.
3. Simmer Potatoes: Add the liquid whisking until smooth. Stir in potatoes and simmer until fork tender.
4. Mash or Blend: Mash potatoes in the pot until the soup is creamy (or leave some chunks intact). You can blend it with an immersion blender if you’d like a smoother soup.
5. Season: Stir in cheese, sour cream, chives, & bacon pieces.

Pro Tips for Potato Soup

• Red potatoes or Yukon gold will give the best texture to this soup.
• To thicken the soup further, make a slurry by combining a 1:1 ratio of cold water and cornstarch in a bowl. Mix well and slowly add to the pot of simmering soup while whisking to reach the desired consistency.
• Soups with dairy don’t freeze well as they can change consistency. If you do freeze this soup, freeze it before adding the extra sour cream. Reheat slowly over medium-low heat so as to not curdle the milk.
• Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.