When it comes to comfort food, potato soup is one of our favorite go-to dishes. It is easy to make, incredibly creamy, and comforting. Plus, it is low in sodium and perfect for any time of year!
How to Make a Thick and Creamy Potato Soup
To start this easy, hearty soup, first cook the bacon until crisp. Then, sauté the onion and celery until soft. Next, add the garlic and flour, stirring to combine.
Once the vegetables have cooked down, add the milk and chicken broth and stir until well blended. Finally, add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Once the potatoes have cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream.
The best potatoes to use for this recipe are Russets, because they have a high starch content that will make your soup creamy and smooth without falling apart. You can also use Yukon gold potatoes, yellow potatoes, or red potatoes for a similar flavor.
How to thicken the soup after it has cooked, but before you add sour cream or cheese:
Once your soup has simmered for a while, add about half of the mixture to a blender and puree it. This will help to give your soup a creamy texture and can be done in an immersion blender or regular blender, depending on your preference.
Alternatively, you can add a few extra boiled potatoes to your soup and mix them in for the last few minutes of cooking to thicken it further. Another option is to create a slurry by whisking 1 part water and 1 part cornstarch together until smooth. Simply stir this slurry into the soup until desired thickness is reached.
How to thicken the soup in the slow cooker
Using the slow cooker is a great way to make this easy and delicious potato soup, but you can also use a large pot or Dutch oven. Once you have all the ingredients, just follow the instructions for your particular slow cooker.
You can even prepare the soup in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Just be sure to reheat it before serving.
What to do with leftovers and how to use them:
If you find yourself with a lot of leftovers from this recipe, you can always freeze them in airtight containers for up to four days. This is a wonderful way to enjoy your leftovers on a future date!
How to thicken the soup after you have added sour cream or cheese:
You may need to add more milk or a little more sour cream or cheese if your soup gets too thin. Adding more boiled potatoes to your soup or mixing in a slurry with cornstarch will help to thicken it.
You can also thicken the soup with a beurre manie, which is butter and flour. This is much easier than a roux and will work to thicken your soup when you add it at the end of the cooking process.