Make the whole family excited for dinner time with this homemade chunky potato soup recipe with bacon. This is the epitome of a hearty soup!
Whether you’re feeding a hungry crew after a long day or just craving a comforting bowl of soup on a chilly night, this loaded potato soup is one of our favorite comfort food recipes for the fall and winter time. It’s creamy, chunky, and full of big flavor. Plus, it’s made with simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand.
Why You’ll Love This Chunky Potato Soup Recipe
There’s something so special about a big pot of soup simmering in the kitchen, but in this recipe, we make the long simmering part easier by using our Instant Pot. This chunky potato soup recipe with bacon checks all the boxes: easy dinner ideas, cozy comfort food, and bold, savory flavor. It’s made with real ingredients, it’s easy to customize, and it stores well for leftovers the next day. If you’re a fan of creamy potato soup, this recipe is about to become your new favorite.
Some reasons we love this soup:
- Hearty texture with big pieces of Yukon Gold potatoes
- Savory bacon in every bite
- Made in the Instant Pot for quick, hands-off cooking
- Perfect topped with a dollop of sour cream and extra cheese
Ingredients You’ll Need for the Best Loaded Chunky Potato Soup
This recipe uses pantry staples and fresh ingredients for a creamy soup that’s both satisfying and simple. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes, diced (the best potatoes for creamy texture and mild flavor)
- 1 lb Bacon, chopped into small pieces (save the bacon grease!)
- 1/2 Onion, diced (yellow onions or sweet onions work well)
- 2 Tbsp Garlic, minced
- 3 Cans Chicken Broth (or substitute vegetable broth or chicken stock)
- 1/4 Cup Butter
- 2–3 Tbsp Flour (for thickening)
- 1 Can Evaporated Milk + 1/2 Can Water, mixed
- 1 Cup Cheese, shredded (sharp cheddar cheese gives the best flavor)
- 1 Tbsp Dried Chives
- 1/2 Tbsp Dried Parsley
- 1/2 Tbsp Salt, or to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Sprinkle of Paprika
Optional toppings: green onions, little sour cream, extra cheese, fresh herbs
How to Make Chunky Potato Soup in the Instant Pot
You don’t need a Dutch oven or large saucepan for this recipe…just an Instant Pot and an immersion blender (or a potato masher if you like it extra chunky). Here’s the step-by-step:
1. Start with the Sauté Setting
Set your Instant Pot to the sauté setting. Add your diced onion. Then, add in your chopped bacon and cook until done, or crispy. When the bacon is almost done, stir in the minced garlic.
2. Cook the Potatoes
Add diced Yukon Gold potatoes and chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Set to high pressure and cook for 8 minutes. This makes the potatoes perfectly fork-tender.
3. Make the Cheese Sauce
While the potatoes cook, melt butter in a skillet on the stove. Whisk in flour to form a roux, cooking over medium heat until golden. Slowly stir in the evaporated milk and water mixture and cook until thickened. Then add cheese, chives, parsley, salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir until melted and smooth.
4. Blend and Combine
After releasing pressure from the Instant Pot, pour in the cheese sauce and stir well. Use an immersion blender right in the pot to blend to your desired texture, whether that’s super creamy or still chunky. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can scoop half of the potatoes into a food processor, or mash them with a potato masher.
5. Serve It Up
Spoon into bowls and top with your favorite toppings: green onions, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, or a dollop of sour cream. Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread on the side for a full meal.
Tips for the Best Chunky Potato Soup Recipe
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on low heat to preserve the creamy texture.
- Try different potato varieties, like red potatoes or russet potatoes, depending on what you have on hand.
- Add fresh herbs before serving for a pop of color and flavor.
- Want more heat? Sprinkle in red pepper flakes or additional black pepper.
Why This Chunky Potato Soup Recipe Works
This isn’t just a favorite potato soup recipe, it’s the best potato soup recipe for real-life cooks. It’s made with basic ingredients, no fancy steps, and plenty of flexibility. Whether you use an Instant Pot, a Dutch oven, or a slow cooker, it’s easy to adapt. It’s also perfect for meal prepping, stretching your grocery budget, and bringing warmth to the table during colder months.
It’s the kind of creamy soup that makes people ask for seconds and wonder what’s in it. The bacon grease, the buttery roux, the blend of cheese and spices—it all comes together into one big, cozy bowl of soup.
Final Thoughts on the Best Loaded Chunky Potato Soup Recipe with Bacon
If you’re looking for delicious soups to add to your rotation of favorite soup recipes, this one is a must. It’s hearty, creamy, easy to make, and full of flavor. This chunky potato soup recipe with bacon brings together everything you want in a comforting homemade meal. And honestly, it just tastes even better the next day. So grab your pressure cooker, melt that butter, and whip up this big pot of soup—it just might become your new favorite dinner.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Did you add fresh herbs? Use red potatoes instead? Drop your tips in the comments below, and don’t forget to check out new recipes coming soon to Farmhouse 181.
Enjoy, y’all!
Other Farmhouse 181 Recommendations
- Enhance Your Recipes with Homemade Chicken Broth
- Easy Taco Soup Recipe with Rotel (Instant Pot or Crock Pot)
- 10 Lower Budget Everyday Kitchen Workhorses at Farmhouse 181
Best Loaded Chunky Potato Soup Recipe with Bacon
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Immersion Blender
Ingredients
- 3 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes, diced
- 1 lb Bacon
- ½ Onion, diced
- 2 Tbsp Garlic, Minced
- 3 Cans Chicken Broth
- ¼ Cup Butter
- 2-3 Tbsp Flour
- 1 Can Evaporated Milk (mixed with the water)
- ½ Can Water (mixed with the evaporated milk)
- 1 Cup Cheese
- 1 Tbsp Chives
- ½ Tbsp Parsley
- ½ Tbsp Salt
- Pepper to taste
- Sprinkle of Paprika
Instructions
- Set your instant pot on the sauté setting.
- Dice your onion and add it to the instant pot.
- Chop your bacon into small 1 inch pieces and add to instant pot to cook.
- When bacon is almost completely cooked through add in your minced garlic.
- Add your diced gold potatoes to the instant pot as well as the chicken broth.
- Cook on the high pressure setting for 8 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking, melt butter in a skillet on the stove top.
- Once butter is melted, add in your flour and stir or whisk until the flour is incorporated and no longer raw.
- Continue on to make the roux or gravy/cheese sauce, by adding in your can of evaporated milk and water.
- Stir and cook until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in your shredded cheese until it is melted.
- Stir in your seasonings of salt, pepper, parsley, dried chives and sprinkle of paprika.
- Remove from heat.
- Once your potatoes have finished their cooking cycle in the pressure cooker, safely release the steam and remove the lid. Do not drain the liquid.
- Pour your cheese sauce into your potatoes in broth and stir until incorporated.
- Use an immersion blender to blend down your potatoes to your desired texture, or chunkiness, and further mix your soup.
- Spoon out into your bowl for serving. Top with additional bacon bits, sour cream, cheese, or green onions as you desire.
- Serve and enjoy!
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