The Pioneer Woman's Bacon Potato Soup Recipe Is the Ultimate Comfort Food by Ann Marie G. Halstead

I absolutely love soup. Who doesn't, right? One of my favorite culinary inspirations is Ree Drummond (also known as The Pioneer Woman), who has delicious recipes for all year long (though I’m a bit partial to her soups, fruit crisps and comfort food).

In my house, I’m the soup lover. It's such comfort food! My husband and sons will eat and enjoy soup but often don’t find it as filling and exciting as I do. With this soup recipe, though, the potatoes and bacon help with that! My husband appreciates the kick of Cajun spice and all my boys enjoy dunking their bread in their soup, and for that I recommend a bread with a thicker crust. 

This flavorful potato soup recipe starts with cooking bacon in a soup pot. What's not to love about that? Here's what else you need to make this savory soup recipe: carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, Cajun spice, chicken or vegetable broth, milk, flour, heavy cream and minced fresh parsley. The grated cheddar cheese for serving is optional. Next comes the fun part! You blend half the soup in a blender (following manufacturer's instructions) to make it smooth. Yum!

Serve this delicious soup for lunch, for dinner with a salad and bread, or as a starter for a dinner party. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese and crispy bacon, if desired. It's the ultimate comfort food! 

Note: 30Seconds is a participant in the Amazon affiliate advertising program and this post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission or fees if you make a purchase via those links.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 slices thin bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 carrots, scrubbed and diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun spice mix, plus more if needed
• 8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, for serving (optional)

Helpful Products

• Soup Bowls
• Soup Pot
• Ladle
• Cutting Board
• Chef Knife
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Salt and Pepper
• Blenders
• Grater
• Airtight Containers

Recipe Notes

• When blending soup, be careful and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Ree Drummond suggests: "When blending hot liquid, first let it cool for five minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth.”

• To make this soup gluten-free, use gluten-free flour. 
• To reduce sodium, use low-sodium broth.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• The soup also can be frozen. "If cooking from frozen, either let the soup thaw in the fridge and then heat in a pan, or cook from frozen by placing in a pan and heating with 1/2 cup water," says Drummond.

Here’s how to make it:

1. Add the bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat. Cook until bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Remove bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.
2. Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the carrots, celery and onions. Stir and cook 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with Cajun spice, pepper, to taste, and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook until potatoes start to get tender, about 10 minutes. Whisk together milk and flour, then pour the mixture into the soup and allow soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Remove about half of the soup and blend in a blender (see Recipe Notes) until completely smooth. Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Let it heat back up. Taste it and add more of what it needs. Stir in the cream, then the parsley. Serve in bowls garnished with grated cheese and crispy bacon pieces, if desired.
   

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 140

Total Fat: 6g

Saturated Fat: 3g

Cholesterol: 18mg

Sodium: 561mg

Total Carbohydrate: 14.9g

Dietary Fiber: 2.3g

Total Sugars: 4.3g

Protein: 6.7g

Vitamin D: 4mcg

Calcium: 64mg

Iron: 1mg

Potassium: 511mg

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by VeryWellFit. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography. We may occasionally reference products or brands in our content based on a contributor’s personal use or opinion. But 30Seconds is in no way affiliated or in no way endorses or makes any warranties or guarantees about specific products.

Need to convert cooking and baking measurements? Here are some kitchen conversion charts. Here's how to submit your recipes to 30Seconds.

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get recipes in your newsfeed daily.