ioneer Woman Potato Soup is made with Russet potatoes, chicken broth, butter, sweet onions, whole milk, and lots of sharp cheddar cheese and crispy bacon. The result is a thick, velvety, and creamy soup that tastes just like a loaded baked potato. It is the perfect cozy meal for a chilly evening and makes a generous amount to feed a large family.
Try More Recipes:
- Pioneer Woman Potato Balls
- Pioneer Woman Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
- Pioneer Woman Sheet Pan Shrimp
💛 Why You Will Love This Potato Soup:
- Tastes Like a Loaded Baked Potato: This soup is the perfect comfort food. It delivers all the savory flavor and creamy richness of a fully loaded baked potato—butter, cheese, bacon, and chives—all in one hearty bowl.
- Perfect Velvety Texture: The recipe instructs you to partially mash the potatoes. This is key, as it uses the starch from the potatoes to naturally thicken the soup, creating a rich, velvety consistency without making it gluey or too thin.
- Incredibly Satisfying: This is a thick, substantial soup that is truly filling enough to be a main course. It’s warm, cozy, and hits the spot on a chilly evening.
- Best Toppings Required: The soup itself is a fantastic base, but the array of toppings (crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, fresh chives) allows everyone to customize their bowl to perfection.
🥔 Pioneer Woman Potato Soup Recipe Ingredients
For the Base & Filling:
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
For the Finishing:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (plus more for topping)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional, for extra richness)
- Fresh chives, sliced (for garnish)
🥘 How To Make Pioneer Woman Potato Soup
- Prep the bacon: In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crispy. Remove the bacon and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot.
- Build the base: Add the butter to the bacon grease and melt over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Make the roux: Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir for 1 minute. This creates a roux (pronounced ‘roo’), which is a thickening paste.
- Simmer the potatoes: Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and whole milk. Add the diced potatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.
- Thicken the soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Use a potato masher or an immersion blender to partially mash the soup. Mash only half the potatoes to leave some chunks for texture.
- Finish the soup: Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and the optional heavy cream until the cheese is completely melted and the soup is creamy.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top generously with the crumbled crispy bacon, extra shredded cheddar cheese, and fresh chives.
💭 Recipe Tips
- Start Potatoes in Cold Liquid: Always add your raw, diced potatoes to cold or lukewarm liquid. This ensures they cook evenly all the way through, preventing hard centers and mushy exteriors.
- Partial Blend is Key: Do not fully puree the soup. Leaving about half of the potatoes in chunks ensures the soup stays hearty and thick, giving you something to chew.
- Use Starchy Potatoes: Russet potatoes are recommended because they are high in starch. When partially mashed, that starch naturally releases into the liquid, giving the soup a wonderfully thick, velvety texture.
- Don’t Boil the Cream: After adding the shredded cheese and heavy cream, do not let the soup boil again. The high heat can cause the dairy to curdle or separate.
🥗 What To Serve With Potato Soup?
This is a rich satisfying meal on its own the classic pairing is a side of crusty French bread or warm, buttery dinner rolls for dipping a simple fresh green salad with a tart vinaigrette also makes a great counterpoint to the creamy richness of the soup.
🎚 How To Store Leftovers Potato Soup?
- Refrigerate: Let the soup cool completely store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The soup will thicken considerably as it chills.
- Freeze: You can freeze this soup, but the texture may change the potatoes can become slightly grainy, and the cream/cheese might separate. For best results, freeze the soup before adding the cheese and cream for up 2 weeks and stir them in only upon reheating.
🥵 How To Reheat Leftovers Potato Soup?
The key to reheating this creamy soup is to use gentle heat and add liquid, as the potato starch and cheese will cause the soup to thicken considerably in the fridge.
1. On the Stovetop (The Best Method) This gives you the most control to ensure a smooth, creamy texture.
- Pour and Loosen: Pour the cold soup into a saucepan over low heat. Add a splash of milk or chicken broth (about 1/4 cup per serving) to loosen the thickness.
- Stir Gently: Heat slowly, stirring constantly from the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching.
- Serve: Heat until the soup is steaming hot. Do not let it come to a rolling boil, as the high heat can cause the cheese and dairy to separate.
2. In the Microwave (The Fastest Method) This is fine for single servings, provided you use low power.
- Prep: Pour the soup into a microwave-safe bowl and add a splash of milk or broth.
- Low Power: Heat on 50% or Medium power for 1 minute.
- Stir and Repeat: Stop and stir thoroughly. Continue heating in 30-second intervals at medium power until the soup is hot all the way through. Stirring is essential to prevent hot spots and keep the soup smooth.
FAQs
You can, but using whole milk and heavy cream is what gives this Pioneer Woman soup its signature richness and thickness. Low-fat versions will result in a much thinner, less creamy soup.
This is often caused by high heat if the soup boiled too vigorously when the cheese was added, or if you microwave leftovers on high power, the dairy proteins can separate. Reheat gently on the stovetop.
Yes substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth, and omit the bacon. For a smoky flavor, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika when you sauté the onions.
More Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay Paella Recipe
- Pioneer Woman Wild Rice Casserole
- Pioneer Woman Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe
📊 Potato Soup Recipe Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Total Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
- Sodium: 980mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 28g
- Dietary Fiber: 3g
- Sugars: 5g
- Protein: 16g
Pioneer Woman Potato Soup Recipe
Course: Soups, Dinner, Lunch, MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Beginner6
servings15
minutes30
minutes450
kcalioneer Woman Potato Soup is made with Russet potatoes, chicken broth, butter, sweet onions, whole milk, and lots of sharp cheddar cheese and crispy bacon. The result is a thick, velvety, and creamy soup that tastes just like a loaded baked potato. It is the perfect cozy meal for a chilly evening and makes a generous amount to feed a large family.
Ingredients
6 slices thick-cut bacon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
- For the Finishing:
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (plus more for topping)
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional, for extra richness)
Fresh chives, sliced (for garnish)
Directions
- Prep the bacon: In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crispy. Remove the bacon and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot.
- Build the base: Add the butter to the bacon grease and melt over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Make the roux: Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir for 1 minute. This creates a roux (pronounced ‘roo’), which is a thickening paste.
- Simmer the potatoes: Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and whole milk. Add the diced potatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.
- Thicken the soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Use a potato masher or an immersion blender to partially mash the soup. Mash only half the potatoes to leave some chunks for texture.
- Finish the soup: Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and the optional heavy cream until the cheese is completely melted and the soup is creamy.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top generously with the crumbled crispy bacon, extra shredded cheddar cheese, and fresh chives.
Notes
- Start Potatoes in Cold Liquid: Always add your raw, diced potatoes to cold or lukewarm liquid. This ensures they cook evenly all the way through, preventing hard centers and mushy exteriors.
Partial Blend is Key: Do not fully puree the soup. Leaving about half of the potatoes in chunks ensures the soup stays hearty and thick, giving you something to chew.
Use Starchy Potatoes: Russet potatoes are recommended because they are high in starch. When partially mashed, that starch naturally releases into the liquid, giving the soup a wonderfully thick, velvety texture.
Don’t Boil the Cream: After adding the shredded cheese and heavy cream, do not let the soup boil again. The high heat can cause the dairy to curdle or separate.
