Magpie’s Cheesy Bacon Potato Soup

Crockpot Potato Soup Directions

1. Peel and chop up your Russet potatoes and place in the crockpot.Make 4-5 cups of chicken broth, making sure it's enough to cover the potatoes and pour into the crockpot.
2. Add the spices into the crockpot and stir in.
3. Crisp your bacon and drain, reserving 2-3 Tbsp of the bacon grease, then crumble the bacon into small pieces. Add the bacon to the soup.
4. Saute the onions and garlic in the bacon grease until they are soft, then add to the soup.
5. Cook in the crockpot on high for 3-4 hours, until the potatoes are slightly falling apart and the broth is cloudy.
6. When the soup is ready with fully cooked potatoes that are slightly falling apart, you need to make a roux. (Flour/butter/milk thickener). In a medium size pot over low heat, melt the butter.
7. Stir in the flour until it's combined, it will be all clumped together, this is ok.
8. Next, little by little, stir in the milk making sure that the milk is absorbed into the flour without making it lumpy. Eventually the mixture will be smooth.
9. When all of the milk has been added and the mixture is smooth, add in the cheese and stir until melted.
10. Move your potatoes to one side of the pot so there is a soup surface to mix in.
11. Whisk in your milk/cheese sauce into the crockpot. Cook for another 30 minutes or so, stirring occasionally so there isn't a skin on the surface.
12. Serve and top with the Tex Mex cheese, extra parsley, extra bacon, you name it, it will work!

Instant Pot Potato Soup Directions

1. Fry the bacon and the onion in your Instant Pot using the "saute" setting until the onions are soft and translucent and the bacon is cooked. Drain, keeping the bacon and onions in the pot.
2. Peel and chop up your Russet potatoes and place in the crockpot, along with the broth. Add in the spices. Seal and using the soup button or manual cook for 45 minutes high pressure. Release the pressure manually - safely ( how you do this is up to you) 
3. Follow instructions to make the roux, then whisk it into the Instant Pot. Use the simmer button and while stirring frequently, let it thicken up. Serve when ready.

Stove Top Potato Soup Instructions

1. Fry the bacon and the onion in a large stockpot until the onions are soft and translucent and the bacon is cooked. Drain, keeping the bacon and onions in the pot.
2. Peel and chop up your Russet potatoes and place in the crockpot, along with the broth. Add in the spices.
3. Cook, covered, on a low simmer for 45-55 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender and are falling apart. 
4. Follow instructions to make the roux, then whisk it into the stockpot. Simmer a while longer to thicken, then serve.