Loaded Baked Potato Soup
This creamy soup is a comfort dish ideal for chilly days. It contains all the flavors of a baked potato but can be made in a fraction of the time. Onions, celery, and bacon add powerful flavors to the tender potatoes, while cream, cheddar cheese, and parsley bring the finishing touches. Add toppings to personalize each serving, and a well-crafted, cozy soup is born.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 7 slices bacon diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 ½ lb potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add the sliced bacon to a cold 8-quart stockpot. Set the stockpot over medium heat and cook the bacon until it is browned and crisp, 8-10 minutes. Once cooked, remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. Measure the bacon fat in the stockpot, return 3 tbsp of bacon fat to the stockpot, or add butter as needed for a total of 3 tbsp.7 slices bacon
- Heat the bacon fat or butter over medium heat and add the diced onion, celery, and kosher salt. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, 4-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic, sauté for 1 minute, and add the flour. Stir and cook the flour for 1 minute. Slowly add the chicken stock and whisk until it is smooth. Add the peeled diced potatoes and thyme. Bring the soup to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, and cover. Cook until the potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes.1 medium onion, 2 stalks celery, 1 tsp kosher salt, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 3 cups chicken stock, 2 ½ lb potatoes, 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Once tender, remove about half of the potatoes with some stock. Using an immersion or canister blender, blend the potatoes until they are smooth. Return the blended potatoes to the stock pot. Add the heavy cream, cheddar cheese, black pepper, and cooked bacon. Stir until the cheese is melted and the soup is warmed through, 4-6 minutes.1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Video
Notes
Put the bacon into an unheated pot when cooking. If the pot is cold when the bacon is first added, then the fat from the bacon gets rendered out more easily.
If there is not enough bacon grease to fulfill the recipe requirements, supplement with butter. You want a total of 3 tbsp of liquid when beginning to sauté the onion and celery.
If the celery has leaves, save them. They hold great flavor and can be used as a garnish when serving.
The garlic should be added towards the end of cooking the onion and celery. It cooks quickly, and burning it should be prevented. Otherwise, it can create an unwanted bitter flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 566kcal