There’s something about a cozy pot of potato soup simmering on the stove that just feels like home.

This recipe is exactly the kind of meal I love to start with when cooking from scratch — simple ingredients, forgiving steps, and big comfort in every bowl. You don’t need fancy tools or special skills, just a good pot and a little time.

If you’re new to cooking from scratch, this is a great place to begin.

Base ingredients for the Loaded Potato Soup to get it started: bacon, onion, garlic.

Why This Recipe Is Beginner-Friendly

Uses basic pantry staples
No complicated techniques
Easy to adjust for taste
One pot (plus a blender, optional)

This is real-life cooking — not perfection, just good food.

Creamy Potato Soup Recipe

Ingredients

8 strips bacon, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon medium chili powder
pinch cayenne pepper (optional
pinch nutmeg (optional)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2½ pounds potatoes (canned or fresh), diced into pieces no larger than 1 inch
6 cups chicken broth (homemade is best, but boxed works just fine)
2/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup sour cream

Setting the foundation for loaded potato soup by frying up the bacon low and slow for a crisp finish.

For topping (optional but encouraged):

Shredded cheddar cheese
Chives
Extra sour cream
Extra bacon pieces

Add the milk and cream to the Loaded Potato Soup base.

Instructions

Place the bacon pieces into a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
Cook until the bacon is browned and crisp.
Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pot.
Add the butter and chopped onion to the pot.
Cook over medium heat until the onions are tender, about 3–5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, no more than 1 minute.
Add the salt, pepper, and chili powder. Mix well and cook for about 1 minute.
Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Stir until smooth and well combined.
Add the chicken broth. Stir well and be sure to scrape those lovely bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the cubed potatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Reduce the heat to a simmer. Carefully remove about half of the soup and blend until smooth.
(An immersion blender works too, but the blender method gives the best result.)
Return the blended soup to the pot. Add the heavy cream, sour cream, and bacon pieces.
Stir well and taste for seasoning. Adjust to taste.
Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes before serving.
Serve warm and top with shredded cheddar cheese, chives, extra bacon, or a dollop of sour cream.

A Few Simple Notes

If your soup feels too thick, add a splash of broth or milk.
If it’s too thin, let it simmer a bit longer uncovered.
This soup reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day.

Pinterest post "from Scratch Loaded Potato Soup".

Cooking From Scratch Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

Meals like this are proof that cooking from scratch doesn’t mean everything has to be perfect or fancy. It just means slowing down, using simple ingredients, and feeding your people well.

If you’re watching along on YouTube, I’m so glad you’re here — and if this is your first from-scratch meal, you picked a good one.

Find More Scratch Cooking Recipes Below:

If you try this recipe and love it, please give it 5 stars and add a photo of your Homemade Bread to Instagram and tag me @simplymadehomestead.

Happy Homesteading!

Marian

Simply Made Homestead

Loaded Potato Soup

Creamy, Homemade Comfort Food

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

8 strips bacon cut into small pieces
3 T. butter
1 medium yellow onion chopped
3 large garlic cloves minced
1-1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. chili powder medium
pinch nutmeg optional
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 lbs. potatoes (canned or fresh) diced into pieces no larger than 1 inch
6 c. chicken broth homemade is best, but boxed works too
2/3 c. heavy cream
2/3 c. sour cream
cheddar cheese shredded for topping
chives chopped for topping
sour cream for topping
bacon pieces for topping

Method

1. Place the bacon pieces into a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.Cook until the bacon is browned and crisp.
2. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pot.
3. Add the butter and chopped onion to the pot.Cook over medium heat until the onions are tender, about 3–5 minutes.
4. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, no more than 1 minute.
5. Add the salt, pepper, and chili powder. Mix well and cook for about 1 minute.
6. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Stir until smooth and well combined.
7. Add the chicken broth. Stir well and be sure to scrape those lovely bits from the bottom of the pot.
8. Add the cubed potatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender.
9. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Carefully remove about half of the soup and blend until smooth.(An immersion blender works too, but the blender method gives the best result.)
10. Return the blended soup to the pot. Add the heavy cream, sour cream, and bacon pieces.Stir well and taste for seasoning. Adjust to taste.
11. Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes before serving.
12. Serve warm and top with shredded cheddar cheese, chives, extra bacon, or a dollop of sour cream.