This 15-Minute Outback Potato Soup is my quick and easy take on the popular Outback Steakhouse potato soup. It cooks in about 15 minutes and is thick, creamy and loaded with potato flavor, then topped with shredded cheese, crispy bacon and green onions.
My version uses simple ingredients and whole milk instead of heavy cream. Using canned or refrigerated potatoes makes it especially fast, but I’ve included directions for making it with fresh potatoes too.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick: Using canned or refrigerated potatoes gives this soup a cook time of about 15 minutes.
- One pot: Everything comes together in one pot for easy cleanup.
- Flexible: Make it with canned, refrigerated or fresh potatoes.
- Simple ingredients: Whole milk makes it creamy without needing heavy cream.
Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes: Canned diced potatoes, refrigerated potatoes or fresh potatoes can be used. I use Great Value canned potatoes.
- Chicken broth: Use your favorite store-bought brand or homemade chicken stock.
- Milk: I use whole milk instead of heavy cream. Low-fat milk can be used. I have not made this recipe using nondairy milk.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works great.
- Butter: I like unsalted butter.
- Bacon grease: Gives our soup a little bacon flavor.
- Salt: Regular salt, kosher salt or sea salt can be used.
- Black pepper: I like restaurant style pepper because it is coarse, but any black pepper works.
- Chicken bouillon: Boosts the savory chicken flavor and keeps the soup from tasting bland.
- Toppings: We like shredded Colby Jack cheese, cooked bacon and sliced green onions. Sour cream is another good option.
How to Make Outback Potato Soup
1. Prepare the potatoes
Canned: Drain and rinse. Mash half and leave half in chunks.
Refrigerated: Mash 2 cups and leave 2 cups in chunks.
Fresh: Peel and cut 4 cups potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Boil 10–13 minutes or until tender; drain, then mash half.
2. Melt butter and bacon grease in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter melts sprinkle the flour, salt and pepper onto the butter grease mixture. Allow the flour mixture to cook for about a minute, stirring constantly with a wire whisk.
3. Add the chicken broth and chicken bouillon powder and whisk constantly over medium-high heat until the flour mixture dissolves. Stir in the milk, potato pieces and mashed potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until hot and thickened, stirring often to break up the mashed potatoes, about 5–7 minutes.
4. Ladle soup into bowls and top individual bowls with chopped bacon, shredded cheese and green onion tops, or your favorite toppings.
Tips
- I find mashing the potatoes with a fork works better than using a potato masher, especially the canned type of potatoes.
- Russet potatoes work best if using fresh potatoes.
- If using premade or store-bought bacon you can use all butter instead of bacon grease.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish or in a small saucepan on the stovetop.
More Soup Recipes
Or check out my post for 16 Seriously Satisfying Soup & Stew Recipes.
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15-Minute Outback Potato Soup
Ingredients
For the soup
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon bacon grease
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated chicken bouillon
- 2 cups milk
- 4 cups potatoes or 2 cans
Garnishments
- shredded cheese
- cooked bacon chopped
- green onions
Instructions
If using fresh potatoes:
- Put 4 cups diced potatoes into a pot and cover them with cold water about an inch over the potatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a gentle boil for 10-13 minutes or until tender.4 cups potatoes
For refrigerated potatoes:
- Mash 2 cups and leave 2 cups in chunks.4 cups potatoes
For canned potatoes:
- Drain and rinse them, mash one can and leave one can in chunks.4 cups potatoes
- Melt butter and bacon grease in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter melts sprinkle in the flour, salt and pepper and allow to cook for about a minute stirring constantly with a wire whisk.¼ cup butter, 1 tablespoon bacon grease, ⅓ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Add the chicken broth and chicken bouillon powder and whisk constantly over medium-high heat until the flour mixture dissolves. Stir in the milk, potato pieces and mashed potatoes, bring to a boil and cook until hot and thickened stirring often to break up the mashed potatoes, about 5-7 minutes.4 cups chicken broth, 1 ½ teaspoons granulated chicken bouillon, 2 cups milk
- Top with bacon bits, cheese and green onions, or your favorite toppings.shredded cheese, cooked bacon , green onions
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I’m so glad you like it! It’s one of my favorites, thank you for commenting and rating!