Cream of Potato and Bacon Soup

As the chill sets in this November, you see people starting to gather towards those warming foods. Potatoes, beef, stews, casseroles...

Foods you can hold under your nose and they immediately warm your face, hands, and once eaten, your whole body. Nothing takes the chill off then a good, warm, bowl of soup. That is exactly what I needed today. I was outside most of the morning picking lemons and almonds off my trees and when I came inside, my hands were freezing and I was hungry.

This is a classic recipe for creamed veggie soup, substitute any vegetable for this recipe and it will still be good. Just vary it a bit according to needs.


I tweaked mine a bit by adding a bit of salty crunch; bacon (and I am Oh So Glad I Did!). Potato and bacon already go great together, but in this soup it's just divine.

The chunks of potato are so nice and tender to bite into

I LOVED the creaminess of the potato soup and the bursts of bacon flavor fill your mouth. I enjoyed every bite of this soup that left me very full afterwards.

But, I still found myself sneaking spoonfuls of the soup a few hours later, Yum!

Cream of Potato and Bacon                Serves 4

6 medium potatoes (or a mix of small and large to fit 6 med potatoes worth)
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped roughly
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tbl butter
1 cup milk or half and half
4 strips of bacon

1. Fill a medium sized pot full of water and set on stove top on high. While water is heating up, peel and cube potatoes, add to water. Once water boils, set the timer for 7 mins.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, cook your bacon until crispy, drain on paper towels and set aside. Drain almost all bacon fat from pan, sautee onions until aromatic. Remove from heat.

3. Potatoes should be tender after 7 mins, drain water, reserve 1 1/2 cups of cubed potatoes. Take out your food processor or a good quality blender (I have the Jack LeLane one); add remaining potatoes, onions, and vegetable broth. Cover; process about a minute or until smooth.

4. In your sauce pan, wipe out any remaining bacon grease. Add butter and melt. Stir in flour, a good amount of salt and pepper, and stir until combined. Be careful not to burn the butter or flour. Add milk all at once.  Cook and stir until slightly thick and bubbly.

5. Add potato-onion puree and reserved potatoes to sauce. Crumble cooked bacon into the soup and mix gently. Cook until heated through. If necessary add additional milk to reach the consistency you prefer. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.

6. Garnish with, what else? More Bacon! Enjoy!

Calories calculated using SparkRecipes Calculator: 195 calories per 1 cup serving