Potato Spinach Bacon Soup is a classic, flavorful belly-warming comfort food recipe at its finest. It combines red potatoes, leftover mashed potatoes, fresh spinach, and other veggies with hickory-smoked bacon in a cloud of delicious creaminess.
Potato soup doesn’t have to be dull or even ordinary by any means, you can feel free to put a spin on it, and it becomes more delicious than ever. This recipe is a perfect example of how awesome and comfortable it can be to make a great-tasting Potato Soup with things you already have on hand.
I usually have some leftovers, such as mashed potatoes, since I still cook as though I am feeding a small army. I don’t mind because I can often find something creative to do with them, such as this amazing Potato Spinach Bacon Soup.
What I love about this soup is it’s super flexible, don’t have mashed potatoes? You can always make some. Don’t you feel like making mashed potatoes? You can certainly dress up some instant mashed potatoes in a pinch. I prefer using the leftover mashed potatoes, but the options are out there for you, readers. You can do what’s most comfortable and convenient for you.
Right now, I bet you might be wondering what potatoes work best for this recipe? Below is an essential list of types of potatoes to use to make this recipe. I have included a list of the best instant potatoes if you are in a pinch and do not have Leftover mashed potatoes, and don’t feel like making a fresh batch on a busy night.
Best potatoes to use for mashed potatoes
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Russet Potatoes
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Yukon Gold
Best Instant Potato Brand to substitute for mashed potatoes
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Best Potential, 366 Non-GMO verified.
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Hungary Jack
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Idaho Spuds
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Betty Crocker
Best potatoes to dice in the recipe
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Red Potatoes
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Yukon Gold Potatoes
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Russet Potatoes
Potato Spinach Bacon Soup
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Eight slices of cooked hickory-smoked thick-sliced bacon, chopped
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Two tablespoons of unsalted butter
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1/2 cup matchstick carrots
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Two ribs thinly sliced celery
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One large yellow onion
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Four cloves of garlic smashed
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Three cups chicken stock
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Four medium red potatoes, diced
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Four cups of Leftover mashed potatoes
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Two cups of half and half creamer+ more if needed to thin
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Cajun seasoning
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Kosher salt
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White pepper
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Ten-ounce bag of fresh baby spinach
Most frequently asked questions about Potato Spinach Bacon Soup.
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Can I substitute margarine for the unslated butter? I haven’t used margarine for anything since I was a child. The taste is off from unsalted butter, and I don’t recommend it.
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I only have regular thin-sliced bacon. Would that work for this recipe? Yes! You can use that type of bacon too. I would toss in a few more slices in the frying pan to have enough for the topping.
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Can I substitute Chicken broth for the chicken stock? However, be mindful of the salt content and adjust the seasonings to reflect the extra salt you will be adding using broth.
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Can I use milk in place of half and half creamer? Yes, use whole milk, but you will be losing some of the flavors in your potato soup.
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Do you use instant mashed potatoes in your Potato Spinach Bacon Soup or leftover mashed potatoes? I only use the leftover potatoes in the recipe that I serve. However, I have tested the theory 3x to ensure it was an excellent alternative suggestion for you. While it still tastes pretty good, the Leftover wins hands down.
Potato Spinach Bacon Soup
Ingredients
- 6-8 slices thick-sliced bacon cooked until crispy
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 ribs celery very finely sliced or diced
- ½ cup matchstick carrots may sub with very finely diced carrots
- 4 cloves garlic smashed or minced
- 3 cups chicken stock may sub low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 medium Red potatoes diced may sub with Yukon Gold or Russet
- 4 cups leftover mashed potatoes may sub with an equal amount of instant potatoes in a pinch only
- 2 cups half and half creamer + more if needed to thin
- 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning optional
- Kosher salt to own taste
- ½ teaspoon white pepper or to own taste
- 1-10- ounce bag of fresh spinach washed
Instructions
- Add the thick-sliced bacon slices to a soup pot over medium heat and cook the bacon until crisp and fat is rendered off the bacon. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Empty the grease from the soup pot. Do not wash.
- Add 2 tablespoon of unsalted butter to the same soup pot and let melt before adding sliced celery, chopped yellow onion and garlic, cook until the veggies are softened. Leave in the soup pot.
- Next, add three cups of chicken stock to the soup pot, bring up to a good simmer, then add diced potatoes and matchstick carrots. Simmer for about 15-18 minutes or the diced potatoes are fork-tender yet still firm. reduce heat to low.
- Add four cups of cold leftover mashed potatoes to the soup pot and slowly add the 2 cups of half and half creamer. Do not increase the heat under the pot.
- Once the soup pot warms up, season the ingredients with kosher salt, Cajun seasoning, and white pepper. Taste the soup base and adjust seasoning to your own taste.
- Next, slowly add the fresh spinach a little at a time, stirring as you go and once all the spinach is in the pot, cover the soup pot and turn off the heat to let spinach only slightly wilt. Do not overcook the spinach.
- Immediately ladle the soup into soup bowls and add the crisp bacon crumbles to the top.
Notes
Nutrition
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Other suggested recipes to try
- Cauliflower Broccoli Cheese Soup that’s simmered to perfection and layered with pure flavors of Cauliflower, broccoli, onions, celery, carrots, chicken stock, Â cream, butter, and the perfect cheesy goodness we all love.
- Bratwurst Cheddar Potato Soup is a creamy, cheesy, thick, hearty soup that combines most of our husband’s favorite man approved ingredients.
- Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a deliciously beautiful combination of all-white meat chicken, non-GMO wild rice blend, celery, onions, carrots, chicken broth, half and half cream, crème fraîche, and wonderful herbs and spices to warm your tummy.
This Potato Spinach Bacon Soup was super comforting and perfect for this time of the year. I can’t wait to make it again.
This is just a bowl of living soulful soup. I loved the bacon, the combination of spinach, potato. Great tips and what a lovely soup for a cold winter’s night! Thanks for sharing
This potato spinach soup was the best way to use up our leftover mashed potatoes! Had great flavor and my whole family loved it.
My new favourite potato soup and the best and most brilliant way to use up leftover mashed potatoes! In fact, next time I do mashed potatos am going to make sure there are enough ‘leftovers’ so I can make this soup again!
Thank you, and Happy Holidays, Jacqueline!