Dutch Oven Potato Soup
If you’re looking for the ultimate comfort food, this easy and delicious creamy Dutch oven potato soup recipe is a must-try! Loaded with tender potatoes and packed with flavor, this one-pot wonder is the perfect solution for a cozy, homemade meal.
This loaded potato soup is made with a rich and creamy broth using whole milk, chicken stock, and heavy cream. Add in sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and bacon, and you’ve got the best Dutch oven potato soup recipe to warm up during the colder months.
Best Potatoes for Potato Soup
Not all potatoes hold up the same way in soup. Here is the best options:
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: Slightly starchy with a buttery flavor, these potatoes hold their shape well and create a chunky, satisfying soup.
- Russet Potatoes: While Russets are high in starch, they tend to fall apart easily, making them less ideal for soups that require chunky textures.
Dutch Oven Potato Soup Ingredients
This recipe is simple, using everyday ingredients you likely have on hand:
- Butter: Use it to create a roux to thicken the soup. Alternatively, use bacon grease for extra flavor.
- Flour: Forms the roux base.
- Milk, Heavy Cream, Chicken Broth: These create the soup’s creamy base. For best results, use whole milk and room-temperature cream cheese.
- Spices: Minced garlic, (dried) minced onion (dried), parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper bring flavor to the dish.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are my go-to for this recipe.
- Cream Cheese & Sour Cream: For extra creaminess and flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese: Freshly grated sharp cheddar is key.
- Bacon: Adds a smoky, savory touch.
Special Tools (affiliate links): Dutch Oven
How to Make Dutch Oven Potato Soup
- Fry the Bacon: Cook bacon in a cast iron skillet until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool, then crumble.
- Make the Roux: In a large Dutch oven, melt butter (or bacon grease). Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gradually whisk in milk and heavy cream until slightly thickened. Slowly add chicken broth, whisking to combine.
- Add Potatoes: Stir in diced potatoes and bring the soup to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 20-25 minutes), stirring occasionally.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Once potatoes are cooked, stir in spices, cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheddar. Simmer for another 10 minutes until the cream cheese melts completely.
- Add Bacon: Stir in the crispy bacon pieces, and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with your favorite toppings—shredded cheddar, bacon crumbles, green onions, or a dollop of sour cream.
Potato Soup Toppings
Make this loaded potato soup even better with toppings like:
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Crispy bacon crumbles
- Sour cream
- Chopped green onions or fresh chives
- Jalapenos for a little kick
- A dash of cayenne pepper for extra spice
How to Store Leftover Potato Soup
Let the soup cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove over low heat or in the microwave.
More Soup Recipes
These are some of the best soup recipes here at Rocky Hedge Farm!
- Old Fashioned Vegetable Soup
- Dutch Oven Chili
- Dutch Oven Beef Stew
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup From Scratch
- Southwest Chicken Soup
Yield: 10-12
Dutch Oven Potato Soup
This is an easy and delicious creamy dutch oven potato soup recipe that can be made in just one pot! This is my family’s ultimate homemade comfort food, loaded baked potato soup that is thick and creamy!
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Additional Time
10 minutes
Total Time
55 minutes
Ingredients
- 10 Tablespoons Butter
- 2/3 Cup Flour
- 4 Cups Whole Milk
- 2 Cups Heavy Cream
- 4 Cups Chicken Broth
- 5 Pounds Potatoes, Yukon Gold
- 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese
- 1 Pound Bacon, Cooked and Diced
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced Onion
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Pepper
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon Parsley
- 1 Teaspoon Thyme
Instructions
- In a large cast iron skillet, fry the bacon until it’s nice and crispy. Then transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Once the bacon has cooled, break or cut it into small pieces.
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 10 tablespoons of butter or reserved bacon grease to the dutch oven. Whisk the flour into the butter and saute for 2 minutes to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.
- Then, gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Whisk continually until slightly thickened. Gradually add the chicken broth and whisk to combine.
- Add diced potatoes to the roux mixture and bring to a low simmer, stirring the soup every few minutes so that the bottom does not burn.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes. (The smaller you dice the potatoes, the faster the soup will cook)
- Once the potatoes are tender, stir in the herbs and spices, small chunks of room-temperature cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheese.
- Simmer the potato soup for another 10 minutes or until the cream cheese has completely melted.
- Add cooked bacon pieces. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, if needed.
- Ladle into bowls or large mugs with handles and serve warm, garnished with desired toppings.
Notes
- Cut your potatoes into bite-size pieces no larger than ¾″ and try to keep them around the same size. This will help avoid having some raw potatoes while others are cooked to fork-tender perfection.
- Grate a block of cheese and avoid using bagged pre-shredded cheese as it contains cellulose, which keeps it from melting smoothly.
- I love using an Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven or Cast Iron Dutch Oven to make this soup, but you can use a slow cooker or large stock pot.
- I like leaving the peel on the potatoes, so I use organic Yukon Gold potatoes. If you are not using organic, I recommend peeling the potatoes.
- I like using minced onion and minced garlic in my recipe, but you can substitute garlic powder and onion powder.
- This creamy potato soup is just that – creamy! There is no need to puree part of the soup to thicken it. However, if you find that you don’t want the chunks of potatoes, use a potato masher and gently mash the potatoes, leaving very small chunks.
I just made it this morning for lunch – OHHHH MYYYYY too delicious!!!! the only thing I changed was about 2 T of very diced celery – I am freezing lots of soup!!!!
Thank you. I made it last night, It is delicious!
You are welcome! Thank you for the comment!
This was a most delicious soup…best potato soup I’ve ever had. I grated my own cheddar cheese (Tillamook) and had to use green onions verses the chives my daughter forgot to buy. Will definitely be repeating this all fall/winter long.
Thank you for this review! I am so glad that you love it!
Thank you for the amazing review!
This is seriously the best soup I have had in years. I will be making it on repeat throughout the fall/winter. Thank you!
Wonderful! I am so glad you loved it!
I made this for dinner tonight and all 6 of us devoured it! Absolutely delicious and filling!
Thank you for the amazing review and I am so glad that your family loved it!
Made this for supper tonight exactly as written (except I used shredded cheese in the bag) and it was so amazing! Kid and husband approved too!
Thank you for the review!
Hi. Do I use fresh minced garlic & onion or dried?
I used dried. I am sorry that I didn’t clarify that.
We you list minced garlic and minced onion, are you referring to the dried spice or tiny cuts of fresh onions and garlic?
I do need to clarify that because I use the dried spice.
I’m so sorry I am sure I sound dense but do you mean garlic powder and onion powder, or dried onions and granulated garlic? I can’t wait to make this!
I used dried minced onion and dried minced garlic.
I have never tried freezing it. We put the leftovers in small bowls and eat it throughout the week.
Do you think this would hold up well for an event served in a slow cooker? I was planning to make it as directed but transfer to slow cooker to keep it warm for the event, I didn’t know if it would get too thick?
That will work!
Made this incredible soup for dinner and my husband and I both agree this was literally one of the best things I’ve ever made! I added onions, carrots, and chicken and my gosh they were the perfect additions. So yummy and comforting on a cold night!!!
So excited to try this recipe! Can I use russet potatoes?
BEST potato soup ever!!
This one is going in our keep forever recipe book! Delicious.
THANK YOU!!!
Is there any way of breaking this recipe down to 2-4 servings
You could cut the recipe in half and if that is still too much for just one meal, refrigerate and eat the leftovers. This soup is so good the first day but the next day it is even better!
I made this today. Absolutely amazing! The best potato soup recipe I have ever come across! Thank you for sharing!