20 minute meal: Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup

As a certified autumn loving girl, one of the best parts of enjoying autumn is the fact that it’s soup season!

Without question, this is the first soup I make every year when I even see the slightest hint of fall in the air: Potato Soup. 

I first shared this recipe on my blog over a decade ago, and it still stands the test of time, though I do make it a little differently now because we no longer eat bacon. So let’s make my quick and easy potato soup.
Besides the fact that everybody in my family loves this soup, I love it for two reasons in particular: I always have all of the ingredients on hand – and I can make it in about 20 minutes. Have a crowd? No problem – add a couple of more potatoes and you’re covered. It’s like the miracle soup, I tell ya.

So here’s the thing that I have changed (though I’m leaving the recipe OG, so you can make adjustments as needed.)

1. I do not add bacon into the soup itself. When we have it for a party, then I’ll have bacon pieces as a topping so folks can still get the flavor.
2. I use premade chicken stock or water and chicken bullion powder

Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 4-5 medium yukon gold potatoes (cut into shoe string fry pieces)
• 2 cans of Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup of onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 5-6 pieces of bacon, cut into small pieces (or use cooked bacon as a topping)
• 2 cups of milk
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• Salt
• Shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

Directions:

Start by boiling your potatoes in salted water, which should take about 15 minutes. While the potatoes are boiling, start on the base of the soup. In a heavy bottom pan over medium high heat, brown the bacon until crispy (I love my Dutch oven for this). Remove the bacon pieces and put on a paper towel lined plate, reserving them for the garnish.  To the rendered bacon fat, add in the onion and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes, until it becomes slightly translucent. Add in the chicken broth, then reduce to medium heat (make sure to scrape up any bacon residue from the bottom of the pan – it’s got killer flavor!) Reduce the chicken broth/onion mixture for 5-6 minutes, until it’s about 1/4 of the original amount. While the broth is reducing, in a bowl mix together three cans of Campbell’s Cheddar Soup, 2 cups of milk and the black pepper.  Once the broth is reduced, add in the Cheddar Cheese Soup mixture to the broth. When the potatoes are cooked, drain then add to the cheese soup mixture.  And that’s it! Warm up some bread, top your bowls with the reserved bacon and some cheddar cheese and you’ll be the hero of dinner time in no time flat.

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20 minute meal: Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword bacon cheddar potato soup, potato soup

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 4-5 medium yukon gold potatoes cut into shoe string fry pieces
• 2 cans cans of Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup of onion finely diced
• 2 tbsp minced garlic or 2 if small
• 5-6 pieces of bacon cut into small pieces
• 2 cups of milk
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• Salt (to taste)
• shredded cheese (for topping)

Instructions

1. Start by boiling your potatoes in salted water, which should take about 15 minutes.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, start on the base of the soup.
3. In a heavy bottom pan over medium high heat, brown the bacon until crispy.
4. Remove the bacon pieces and put on a paper towel lined plate, reserving them for the garnish.  
5. To the rendered bacon fat, add in the onion and garlic.
6. Cook for about 2 minutes, until it becomes slightly translucent.
7. Add in the chicken broth, then reduce to medium heat (make sure to scrape up any bacon residue from the bottom of the pan)
8. Reduce the chicken broth/onion mixture for 5-6 minutes, until it's about 1/4 of the original amount.