Easy creamy and Spicy Potato Soup with Bacon
Name two things that go together better than winter and potato soup. It’s nearly impossible to do. Comforting and filling, it checks all the flavor and texture boxes.
If I could add one thing to this near perfect soup though, it would be a bit of spice. Oh, and these homemade biscuits as a side. They’re so fluffy, warm, and savory.
I will fully admit, I’m one of those people that have a whole section of my fridge dedicated to hot sauce and all things spicy. So, I had to take my traditional potato recipe and jazz it up just a touch. The combo of spice, cheese, and potato are chefs kiss. Like a baked potato, but even more savory.
Are you hungry yet?
Oh good. Me too.
This post is in partnership with Washington Grown. See yours truly (that’s right, ME!) on each episode of season 10 where I’m sharing recipes, cooking tips, and more all season long! Join us by watching here!
What we’ll cover
- Which potatoes to use
- Basic kitchen items you’ll need
- A note on quality ingredients
- Ingredients needed
- Tips and tricks
- Full, printable recipe card
What potatoes to use:
For this recipe I recommend Russet potatoes. And not just any russets, Washington Grown! I may be in Tennessee now, but a piece of my heart will forever stay in Washington.
Why russets? Truthfully, in a pinch, any potato will work. But, russets are a bit more starchy, which lends well to soups. They mash well, making a perfect creamy consistency.
What you’ll need
For the bacon, my favorite cooking tool is a cast iron skillet. However, to use less dishes, you can cook the bacon in a large dutch oven or stock pot, and make this a one pot recipe. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat to add to stock pot with butter when cooking onions and garlic.
For soup, a dutch oven or large pot is perfect. Besides that, you’ll need a hand held masher, or an immersion blender to cream the potatoes once soft.
The immersion blender is an invaluable tool in my kitchen. I use it to quickly mix, puree and emulsify, avoiding getting the huge blender out and creating more dishes. It’s also great for making home made mayonnaise. You can check out that simple recipe here.
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A note on ingredients
The absolute best way to insure your food is delicious, is to make sure you’re using fresh, quality ingredients. Quality directly impacts the taste of a dish. I recommend that all dried herbs and spices be less than a year old.
When possible, I love to grow and dry mine spices and herbs. Find that full tutorial in this post. If you can’t or don’t want to grow your own, Mountain Rose Herbs is my absolute favorite place to purchase these items because of quality, price, and flavor.
Ingredients needed:
- 10 slices cooked bacon, chopped into pieces (2 Tbsp cooked fat reserved for soup)
- 1 large yellow onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt (or more if needed)
- 1 teaspoon pepper (more if needed)
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/4 cup organic white flour
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 4 large russet potatoes, chopped (I left the skin on, but you may peel if desired)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup soup cream or greek yogurt
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 1 chopped, seeded jalapeño
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for serving (extra for garnish)
- Green onion chopped for serving
Tips and tricks
Flavor tip
My biggest tip to impact flavor it to sauté the onions and garlic in butter long enough. The onions should be clear and the garlic smell potent before adding in the four, and then chicken broth. Sautéing will maximize the flavors, making the soup even more savory.
Time saving tip
If you’re in a pinch for time, slice potatoes thinner versus thicker chunks before adding to broth. The thinner they are, the faster they cook.
Reduced Calories tricks
If you’re trying to make a lower calorie version of this soup, feel free to use nonfat or reduced fat milk. Omit the bacon and fat, or use turkey bacon, and greek yogurt in place of sour cream. However, know that it will affect the consistency a bit. If using a lower fat milk, reduce by half a cup.
More or less spice trick
Want more of a spice kick? Don’t seed the jalapeño. Mince and throw it all in. Want a little less kick? Remove the seeds.
Spicy Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 10 slices cooked bacon chopped into pieces
- 1 large yellow onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt or more if needed
- 1 teaspoon pepper more if needed
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/4 cup organic white flour
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 4 large russet potatoes chopped (I left the skin on, but you may peel if desired)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup soup cream or greek yogurt
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 1 chopped seeded jalapeño
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for serving extra for garnish
- Green onion chopped for serving
Instructions
- Start by cooking the bacon until crisp in a cast iron pan or similar. Set aside.
- In large dutch oven or stock pot, add together the chopped onion, minced garlic, and butter. Sauté until onions are clear. Add in flour and stir until mixed.
- Pour into the onion mix the 4 cups chicken broth. The place chopped russet potatoes into broth. Simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
- Take an immersion blender, or masher, and mash potatoes, making the soup your prefered consistency. We like it a bit chunky over here.
- Once potoes are how you like, add in the milk, cheese, sour cream, spices, jalapeno and cilantro. Mix until simmering.
- Ladle soup into bowls. Top with sour cream, and garnishing with bacon, green onions, and cilanto.
- Enjoy! Feel free to play around with the spices a bit, adding more if you are feeling extra spicy!
I hope you love this potato soup recipe and it becomes a staple in your winter time kitchen. Make sure to tag me when you make it and share over on Instagram. It’s one of my favorite spots to connect with my community!
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