Easy Bacon Potato Soup

Some of the best weeknight soups start with a can and a little know-how. This one takes cream of potato soup and turns it into something that tastes like you fussed, in barely longer than it takes to fry bacon.

The trick is the drippings. After you cook the bacon crisp, you saute the onion right in a little of the rendered fat, so all that smoky flavor carries into the soup instead of getting poured down the drain.

A pinch of cayenne wakes the whole thing up, cutting the creamy potato richness with gentle heat, while milk and water loosen the canned base into a pourable, comforting soup.

Stir the crumbled bacon and onion back in at the end and finish with a dusting of paprika. It’s humble, fast, and exactly what you want on a cold night.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t pour off all the bacon fat. The half you keep is where most of the flavor lives.
• Heat the soup gently and stir often so the milk doesn’t scorch on the bottom of the pan.
• Hold back a little crumbled bacon to scatter on top so it stays crisp instead of softening in the soup.
• Taste before salting. Canned soup and bacon both bring plenty.

Variations

• Stir in shredded cheddar for a loaded baked-potato vibe, or top with chives and sour cream.
• Add diced cooked potato or frozen hash browns to make it heartier.
• Swap the milk for half-and-half for a richer, creamier bowl.