ULTIMATE CREAMY BAKED POTATO SOUP
This baked potato soup is the ultimate comfort food, packed with layers of flavor from baked potatoes, smoky bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese. It's surprisingly easy to make and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser, perfect for a cold day or cozy night in.
Equipment
- Oven
- Fork
- Large baking sheet
- Large skillet
- Paper towels
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Whisk
- immersion blender (or regular blender)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle
- Bowls
Ingredients
- 6-8 medium russet potatoes
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, reserve 2 tbsp bacon grease
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Wash and scrub the potatoes. Poke each potato several times with a fork to prevent exploding.
- Bake the potatoes for 45-60 minutes, or until they are easily pierced with a fork. The skin should be slightly wrinkled and the inside soft.
- While the potatoes are baking, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy.
- Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Once cool, crumble the bacon and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet.
- Add butter to the skillet with the bacon grease and melt over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic mixture.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour is incorporated and the mixture starts to turn golden brown.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Stir in the milk and heavy cream.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the soup to thicken slightly.
- Once the baked potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop out the flesh, discarding the skins (or saving them for potato skins!).
- Add the scooped-out potato flesh to the soup.
- Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some chunks of potato for texture. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer the soup to a regular blender in batches.
- Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese until the cheese is melted and the soup is smooth and creamy.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remember that the bacon and cheese are already salty, so start with a little and add more as needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions.
Notes
For a richer flavor, use Yukon Gold potatoes in addition to or instead of Russet potatoes. Do not over-blend the soup; some chunks of potato are desirable for texture. To reheat, gently warm on the stovetop, adding a little milk or broth if needed to thin it out. This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.