Flavorful creamy broth, with fresh green beans, potatoes and bacon, make this a great soup year round, but especially when you have those fresh garden green beans!
Potato, Green Bean & Bacon Soup — An Update! After posting this recipe in July of 2015, it went bonkers!! It’s been so well received, and pinned so many times!! I have had many readers write to me telling me just how much they love it, too.
“Yes! This was delicious! Thank you for sharing -its a keeper =)” – Kelly P.
Of course, when you can pick the beans right from your garden, this soup is extra special, but living in the midwest, that isn’t the case. These days, though, fresh green beans in the produce section a the grocery have been really good. So, we eat this soup year round. That makes my youngest son very happy!! Today when I updated this post, I also added a recipe video, so you could see how it’s done!
^LOVE IT? Pin it!^
Begin original post: Some of you may be thinking, “she is sharing a soup recipe, in July? In this heat?” We eat soup year round in our house. It’s one of our most favorite meals. The best part of this particular recipe is making it when the green beans are fresh from the garden, or your local farmer’s market.
This soup recipe is from my Mother-in-law, and was my husband’s favorite growing up. It was one, that I have never made in our 24 years of marriage. I guess the reason being, it took me until the last few years to really love fresh green beans. Weird, right? As a kid, I told my mom I didn’t like them because they were “fuzzy.” I am head over heels in love with them now, though, and am sorry I missed out on so many years of such a good thing!
Recipe Favorites with Fresh Green Beans:
- Roasted Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner with Potatoes & Green Beans
- Soy Balsamic Glazed Green Beans
- Green Beans with Tomato and Bacon
- Green Bean Salad with Quinoa
- Southern Style Green Beans with Tomatoes and Bacon
- Italian Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner with Green Beans
This recipe isn’t really a “recipe” when it gets told by my Mother-in-law, or my sister-in-law. “Throw this in, throw that in, sometimes I add this, sometimes I use that.” So, me making this for the first time, I measured while I cooked, and when he walked in the door, I waved him over to the stove, lifted the lid and said “I finally made your favorite soup!” He tasted it and said it was perfect!
#Winning
Ingredients in this Potato, Green Bean and Bacon Soup:
- green beans, onion and potatoes
- bacon
- heavy cream, milk
- salt & pepper
After you cook your bacon in your Dutch oven, remove it, and most of the grease, leaving some in the bottom of the pan. Add in onions and sauté them until translucent. While you are cooking your bacon and the onions, steam your green beans and your potatoes. Add bacon and green beans back into the pot.
Mash your potatoes, and add them back in. Add in cream and milk and Salt & Pepper to taste. Simmer until heated through.
You can lighten this soup up by using half & half or all milk, but I made it full on fat because I had heavy cream in the fridge to use. It was rich, creamy and so delicious!
Enjoy!! Until next time, 
Potato, Green Bean & Bacon Soup
Flavorful creamy broth, with fresh green beans, potatoes and bacon, make this a great soup year round, but especially when you have those fresh garden green beans!
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh green beans, ends snipped and cut into small pieces
- 1 pound bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and 1/8'd
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 2 cups 2% milk
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel and cut potatoes into 1/8s. Boil either on your stove or in the microwave until tender. Drain water and slightly mash. Set aside.
- Steam green beans until slightly tender. Set aside.
- n your dutch oven, cook bacon pieces until slightly crispy, remove bacon with a slotted spoon, drain excess fat, but don't wipe the bottom clean.
- Add onion to dutch oven and sauté in drippings until soft.
- Add bacon back in, add green beans, mashed potatoes, and cover with milk and cream.
- Warm for a bit until heated through, taking care not to boil.
- Salt & Pepper to taste.
Notes
This soup can be lightened up by using either half & half or all milk. If using all milk, it won't be quite as thick of a broth.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 600Total Fat: 43gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 1049mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 3gSugar: 8gProtein: 26g
Nutrition isn't always accurate.
Pin it Before you go!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to know! Snap a picture, share the photo on social media with the hashtag #AnAffairFromTheHeart – I’d love to see what you made! – Michaela
Laura | Wandercooks says
Haha it’s so funny how our tastes change over time right? For me it was mushrooms – couldn’t stand them as a kid, I thought they were ‘icky’ – now I can’t get enough! This soup sounds so delicious espeeeecially with the bacon and beans. Easy to see why it’s such a favourite!
Jere Cassidy says
I can’t say I have ever seen a green bean soup and since I love green beans this is a must try.
Michaela Kenkel says
It certainly is! 🙂
Deborah says
My Lithuanian aunt made this and I never knew how yo make it. Wow! In my 69th year, you showed me how! Thank you for gring9ng back a much loved fish from my childhood!
SandraM says
Was looking for a recipe to use up Christmas leftovers. I put everything in the freezer but I knew I wanted to try this.
Had leftover mashed potatoes, green beans and stuffing. It turned out great!
Michaela Kenkel says
I am so happy you liked it! 🙂
Sherri says
Definitely the best potato soup ever! I substituted one sweet potato and added golden beets: Deliciousness!
Michaela Kenkel says
That sounds great!! Happy you like it!!
Natacha says
I love my veggies and do grow them myself nowadays. So I end up giving away to everyone in my street ,till my hubby told me about the green bean soup his late dad used to make them . He was a real German and loved his food ! Thank you for sharing the recipe I’m going to make it soon
Michaela Kenkel says
I hope you both love it!!
Ellen says
Just made this soup today. It was absolutely delicious & perfect during a blizzard. I didn’t have heavy cream so I substituted sour cream & added a bit of nutmeg. What a rich, comforting soup!
Michaela Kenkel says
That sounds like a fantastic twist!! I will try the sour cream next time for sure!
Jannelle says
I live on a boat and cannot always get fresh green beans. Can I substitute canned green beans?
Michaela Kenkel says
I feel like using canned would change it considerably. If you can’t find fresh, I think your best option would be to use frozen. Are you able to get those?
Patricia Hubbard says
My friend gave me a leftover salad made of cooked red skin potatoes, green beans and undercooked bacon with a lemon vinaigrette dressing. All the parts were interesting to me but the cold combination not so much. I found your recipe so I deconstructed the salad, added some potatoes from my pantry that needed to be used, steamed some more fresh green beans that the same friend gave me, finished off the bacon and lunch is ready! Guess I can see why my friends call me the “leftover lady”! Thanks so much!
Michaela Kenkel says
How ingenious of you!! That does sound like an interesting salad …lol!! I hope the soup was way more satisfying! 😉
Bryan says
This looks like the soup my mom made us growing up. I remember it being buttery. I’d it ok to add butter. Would it make a difference either way?
Michaela Kenkel says
It sure wouldn’t hurt it!! 🙂
Fiona Haynes says
I tried this recipe and loved it. Thank you. However, I thought you may like to try what I did when I am trying to keep off potatoes, bread and rice. I substituted cauliflower mashed up for the potato. Really good too!
Michaela Kenkel says
Subbing cauliflower is always a great idea! I’ll have to try that!
Karen Kemerer says
Added a little sour cream and it made the soup!! Delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Michaela Kenkel says
Sounds yummy!!