Absolutely Ultimate Potato Soup (2024)

A bowl of this ultra-comforting potato soup will please everyone at your table.

How to Make Potato Soup

This potato soup comes together quickly with basic ingredients. You'll find the full recipe below, but here's a brief overview of what you can expect:

Cook the Bacon

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until brown and crispy. Drain bacon on paper towels and drain most (but not all!) of the bacon grease.

Cook the Soup

Cook the celery, onion, and garlic in the remaining bacon grease. Add cubed potatoes and toss with veggies. Return the bacon to the pan and cover all the ingredients with chicken stock. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender.

In a separate skillet, whisk butter into melted flour until slightly thickened. Whisk in heavy cream, tarragon, and cilantro. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until thick and creamy.

Stir cream mixture into potato mixture.

Blend and Serve

Transfer half of the soup to a blender and puree, then return to the Dutch oven. Season to taste and serve with your favorite toppings, such as crumbled bacon or shredded Cheddar cheese.

Best Potatoes for Potato Soup

Russet potatoes work well for this soup because they are starchy and fall apart easily during cooking, resulting in a smooth texture. Stay away from waxy potatoes as they won't break down as well.

How to Thicken Potato Soup

We love this top-rated recipe because it results in a thick, satisfying soup. If you somehow end up with a thinner consistency than you'd like, though, there are a few ways to thicken it. For an easy fix, just add more boiled potatoes and incorporate them into the soup or stir in instant potato flakes. You can also make a slurry with one part water and one part cornstarch. Stir the slurry slowly into the soup until you've reached the desired thickness.

How to Store Potato Soup

Let the potato soup cool completely, then transfer to an airtight storage container. Store in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.

Can You Freeze Potato Soup?

Unfortunately, potato soup doesn't freeze well. Not only do potatoes become grainy as they thaw, but dairy-based soups tend to separate during the thawing and reheating processes. Avoid freezing potato soup if you can.

If you must freeze potato soup, ladle it into zip-top freezer bags in serving-sized portions. Squeeze out the excess air, seal, label with the date, lay flat in the freezer, and freeze for up to six months.

Potato Soup Toppings

Favorite potato soup toppings include shredded Cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, green onions, and chives. It's your potato soup – garnish it with as many or as few toppings as you please.

What Goes With Potato Soup?

Make your potato soup a complete meal with one of these delicious sides:

Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Crusty Dutch Oven Bread
Green Salad
Sweet Jalapeno Cornbread
Broccoli Salad

Explore our entire collection of Side Dishes for Soup.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"This recipe truly lives up to its name," according to GODDESS77. "I wish I could give it more stars. I added an assortment of veggies and used more garlic. Lots of compliments!"

"I have looked through many recipes for potato soup, but the name says it all," raves Lisa H. "This is absolutely the ultimate potato soup. Don't be tempted to leave anything out. It all comes together in the end. My one suggestion for the bacon is to cut it up in small chunks first with kitchen shears, and then brown it to a crisp. When it's time to add it back in, I only add in half, and reserve the other half to sprinkle on top when serving."

"I wouldn't change a single thing about this recipe, except the time it takes to prepare," says LESTER68. "But a little time investment yields a simply divine soup. To speed up the process a bit, I cooked the bacon in a large electric skillet and then started the vegetables in the Dutch oven as soon as I had rendered enough of the bacon fat."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Absolutely Ultimate Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon, chopped

• 2 stalks celery, diced

• 1 onion, chopped

  See Also

  Creamy Potato Soup from The Food Charlatan.

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 8 potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 4 cups chicken stock, or enough to cover potatoes

• 3 tablespoons butter

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Gather all ingredients.

   

2. Place bacon in a Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain bacon pieces on paper towels. Drain off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease.

   

   

3. Cook celery and onion in the reserved bacon drippings until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes.

   

4. Add cubed potatoes, and toss to coat. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Return bacon to the pan, and add enough chicken stock to just cover the potatoes. Cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

   

   

5. Meanwhile, melt butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream, tarragon, and cilantro.

   

   

6. Bring cream mixture to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add cream mixture to the potato mixture; stir to combine.

   

   

7. Transfer about 1/2 of the soup to a blender and purée. Return to the Dutch oven. Adjust seasonings to taste.

   

8. Serve hot and enjoy!

   

Nutrition Facts (per serving)