Description
This recipe delivers a thick, cheesy, and comforting Loaded Baked Potato Soup that tastes like it simmered all day but comes together fast. It focuses on simple steps and rich flavor, perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 medium Onion, chopped
- 2 ribs Celery, chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
- 4 cups Chicken broth
- 4 large Russet Potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 cup Milk (whole or 2%)
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 1 cup Shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup Sour cream (for topping)
- Chopped Chives (for topping)
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large pot until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble, and set aside, leaving 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the pot.
- Add onion and celery to the pot. Cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Whisk in flour to create a roux with the grease. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth until smooth.
- Add diced potatoes, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove about 1 cup of the soup mixture and blend until smooth using an immersion blender or regular blender. Return the blended portion to the pot for thickness.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in milk and heavy cream. Heat through, but do not boil.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the shredded Cheddar cheese until fully melted and the soup is creamy.
- Serve hot, topped with reserved crumbled bacon, a dollop of sour cream, and fresh chives.
Notes
- For an extra rich base, use half-and-half instead of milk.
- If you skip the blending step, mash some potatoes against the side of the pot for thickness.
- Use your favorite cheese blend, like Colby Jack, along with Cheddar for extra flavor.
- Make sure the soup is off the direct heat before adding the cream and cheese to prevent curdling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 75mg