1-Step 1: Cook the Bacon Grab your largest soup pot and set it over medium heat. Add your 6 strips of bacon that you’ve already cut into small pieces. Cook them until they’re nice and crispy and browned all over this usually takes about 8-10 minutes depending on how thick your bacon is. Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally so nothing burns. Once the bacon is perfectly crisp, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the pot and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Here’s the important part: leave all that glorious bacon fat right in the pot! That liquid gold is going to infuse your soup with incredible flavor.

2-Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics Now add your 3 tablespoons of butter to the bacon fat in the pot. Once it melts and starts to bubble, toss in your chopped onion (remember, about 1.5 cups). Cook this for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. You’ll know it’s ready when your kitchen starts smelling absolutely heavenly. Next, add your 3 minced garlic cloves. Garlic cooks much faster than onion, so you only need about 30 seconds just until it becomes fragrant. Be careful not to let it brown or burn, because burnt garlic is bitter and will throw off the whole flavor profile.

3-Step 3: Build the Base Time to thicken things up! Sprinkle in your 1/3 cup of flour (that’s 42 grams if you’re using a scale). Stir it constantly to smooth out any lumps. You’re essentially making a quick roux here, which is going to give your soup that silky, restaurant-quality consistency. Let it cook for about a minute to get rid of that raw flour taste.

4-Step 4: Add the Potatoes and Liquids Now comes the fun part. Add your 2 ½ pounds of diced gold potatoes (remember, keep those pieces under 1 inch for even cooking), 4 cups of chicken broth, 2 cups of milk, and 2/3 cup of heavy cream. Season with 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, and start with 1/4 teaspoon of ancho chili powder. Give everything a good stir, then bring it all to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, reduce the heat and let it simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender. This should take about 10 minutes maybe a few minutes longer if your potato pieces are on the larger side.

5-Step 5: Blend for Creaminess Here’s where the magic happens. You want to blend about half the soup to get that perfect creamy-yet-chunky texture. Use an immersion blender right in the pot if you have one (easiest method!), or carefully transfer about half the soup to a regular blender. If using a standard blender, work in small batches and leave the center cap off the lid to let steam escape you don’t want any blender explosions! Return the blended portion to the pot and stir it all together. You should now have a thick, creamy base with plenty of tender potato chunks throughout.

6-Step 6: Finish and Serve Stir in your 2/3 cup of sour cream and most of your reserved bacon (save a little for garnish). Let the soup simmer gently for another 15 minutes so all the flavors can meld together beautifully. Taste your creation and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remember that ancho chili powder? If you want a bit more smoky depth, add another 1/4 teaspoon. Then ladle into bowls and go crazy with toppings: shredded cheddar, fresh chives, a dollop of extra sour cream, and those reserved bacon bits.