Description
Creamy Baked Potato Soup brings hearty comfort straight from grandma’s kitchen, blending rich potato goodness with crispy bacon and sharp cheddar. Warm spoons will carry delicious memories, inviting you to savor each comforting, silky bite of this classic midwestern favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 large russet potatoes, baked, peeled, and diced
- 3 cups milk (whole or 2%)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
Dairy and Cheese:
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
Aromatics and Seasonings:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- Additional shredded cheese and bacon bits, for topping
Instructions
- Render the bacon in a spacious cooking vessel over moderate flame until achieving a golden, crisp texture, ensuring even browning.
- Transfer the crispy bacon pieces using a perforated utensil, preserving approximately one tablespoon of the savory rendered fat within the pot.
- Introduce diced onions to the residual bacon drippings, sautéing until they become translucent and soft, releasing their aromatic essence.
- Quickly incorporate minced garlic, allowing it to bloom and release its fragrant notes without burning.
- Dust the vegetable mixture with flour, continuously stirring to create a smooth, pale roux that will thicken the soup’s foundation.
- Gradually stream in milk and chicken broth, whisking consistently to eliminate potential lumps and create a silky, uniform liquid base.
- Fold in the pre-baked potato chunks, gently mashing a portion to enhance the soup’s creamy consistency while maintaining some textural potato pieces.
- Reduce the heat, integrating sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until the dairy elements meld seamlessly into the liquid.
- Sprinkle in half of the previously cooked bacon, seasoning with salt and pepper to elevate the flavor profile.
- Allow the soup to simmer, developing depth and reaching a luxurious, velvety thickness.
- Ladle the steaming soup into serving vessels, garnishing with remaining crisp bacon fragments, additional cheese, and delicately sliced green onions.
Notes
- Swap bacon for smoked turkey or tempeh to create a lighter, vegetarian-friendly version of this comforting soup that doesn’t compromise on flavor.
- Use russet potatoes for the best texture, as they break down easily and help naturally thicken the soup without extra flour or starch.
- Customize thickness by adjusting liquid amounts – add more broth for a thinner consistency or mash more potatoes for an extra creamy texture.
- Prevent dairy separation by adding sour cream and cheese off direct heat, stirring gently to maintain smooth, velvety richness without curdling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg