Just-Add-Water Loaded Potato Soup with Smoky Bacon and Cheddar
Mix the dry soup ingredients in a zip bag at home. At camp, boil 4 cups of water on a one-burner stove, simmer the dried corn for 2 minutes, then take the pot off the heat and stir in the mix. Let it stand 5 minutes, top with bacon bits and chives, and eat. About 15 minutes total.
This is a thick, savory potato soup that comes together from one bag and one pot. Instant potato flakes give it body, milk powder makes it creamy, and cheddar powder and bacon bits make it taste loaded. Nothing in it needs a cooler.
It's a good midday meal when you're cold, tired or short on time. It also packs small and light, so it works for a quick lunch on the trail or a no-fuss stop at the rig.
Just-Add-Water Loaded Potato Soup with Smoky Bacon and Cheddar
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Serves
- 3
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- High flame to boil, then off the heat
- Pack weight
- 12 oz
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- One burner
- Some water
- One-pan cleanup
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- Single-burner camp stove and fuel
- 2-quart pot with lid
- Long spoon or whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 3 mugs or bowls
- 2 zip bags
Steps
-
Pre-mix at home
In a zip bag, combine the potato flakes, milk powder, cheddar powder, bouillon, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and pepper. Shake well. Pack the corn, bacon pieces and chives in a separate small bag.
-
Boil the water
Pour 4 cups of water into a 2-quart pot. Bring it to a full boil over high heat on your stove.
-
Rehydrate the corn
Add the freeze-dried corn and the olive oil. Simmer for 2 minutes, until the corn plumps up.
-
Kill the heat
Turn off the stove or lift the pot off the fire. Boiling soup scorches fast once the potato goes in.
-
Stir in the mix
Pour the dry mix in a slow stream, stirring the whole time so it doesn't clump. Keep stirring for about 30 seconds.
-
Let it stand
Cover the pot and wait 5 minutes. The soup will thicken as the flakes soak up the water. Stir again, and add a splash of hot water if it's thicker than you like.
-
Season and serve
Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into mugs and top with bacon pieces and chives. Eat while it's hot.
Trail Notes
Mix the dry base at home and pack the toppings separately. Write the water amount on the bag so you don't have to remember it.
Every ingredient is shelf-stable, so this works on day four of a trip as well as day one. Use only real bacon pieces sold for shelf storage, not fresh bacon.
Use freeze-dried peas or broccoli instead of corn. Add a pinch of cayenne for heat. For a vegetarian bowl, skip the bacon and add 2 tablespoons of crushed crackers on top.
Scrape the pot with a spoon and wipe it with a paper towel before washing. Strain any dish water and scatter it broadly at least 200 feet from water and camp. Pack out the bags and any scraps.
Round out your camp day
Picked to work with the same kit as this recipe.
BreakfastCheesy Green Chile Instant Grits with Corn and Sun-Dried Tomato
DinnerJust-Add-Water Camp Red Lentil Dal with Coconut and Lime
Snack or treatJust-Add-Water Chili-Lime Refried Bean Dip with Crispy ChipsMore one-burner camping meals →Planning a trip? Get the free 3-day meal plan →
Campers ask
Can you make potato soup at camp with just water?
Yes. Instant potato flakes, milk powder and cheese powder turn into a creamy soup when stirred into hot water. You don't need fresh milk, butter or a cooler.
How do you keep instant potato soup from getting lumpy?
Take the pot off the heat, then pour the dry mix in slowly while stirring. Letting it stand covered for 5 minutes smooths out any small lumps.
Is this soup good for backpacking?
Yes. The whole batch weighs about 12 ounces, needs only one small pot and one stove, and has no perishable ingredients.
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