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Baked Potato Soup Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 122 reviews

This creamy and comforting Baked Potato Soup recipe combines tender, mashed baked potatoes with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and a smooth sour cream base. Cooked on the stovetop, this hearty soup is perfect for chilly days and makes a delicious meal garnished with fresh chives and bacon bits.

Ingredients

Scale

Potatoes and Base

  • 4 large russet potatoes (equal to 2 lbs.)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 3 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups half and half
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Bacon and Cheese

  • 6 slices thick cut bacon
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/8 cup chives (finely diced)
  • 1 large yellow onion

Instructions

  1. Prep Work: Shred the cheddar cheese from a block and measure out the sour cream and half and half. Let them sit at room temperature to ensure smooth blending later in the recipe.
  2. Cook Bacon: Cut bacon into 1-inch squares using kitchen shears. Cook in a large pot over low heat, occasionally rotating pieces to brown evenly. Bacon will shrink as it cooks, so start with some overlapping pieces. Once crisp, remove bacon and set aside, leaving 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pot.
  3. Cook Potatoes: While bacon cooks, peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Add them to a stock pot and cover with water, ensuring potatoes are submerged by about 1 inch. Add salt and boil gently for 20 minutes or until potatoes are very fork tender. Drain and gently mash the potatoes. Set aside.
  4. Sauté Onion and Garlic: Add diced onion to the pot with bacon drippings and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and butter, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
  5. Make Roux: Whisk in the flour and stir continuously with a silicone spatula as the flour cooks for 1 full minute to remove any raw flavor.
  6. Add Liquids: Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring and use the spatula to deglaze the pot by scraping up any bacon bits stuck to the bottom. Gradually add the half and half and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
  7. Combine Potatoes and Seasoning: Stir the mashed potatoes into the liquid base, mixing well. Then add sour cream and pepper, stirring to combine. Remove from heat.
  8. Optional Blending: For a creamier and smoother texture, use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot or transfer it to a blender in batches. This step is optional based on your preferred soup consistency.
  9. Add Cheese: Gradually sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese into the soup, stirring constantly. Make sure the soup base isn’t too hot to prevent cheese from clumping; the cheese should melt smoothly and help thicken the soup as it sits.
  10. Garnish and Serve: Garnish the finished soup with the crispy bacon pieces and finely chopped chives. Serve hot and enjoy a hearty, comforting meal.

Notes

  • Allowing dairy ingredients to sit at room temperature helps prevent curdling when added to hot soup.
  • Blending the soup is optional but results in a creamier texture; you can leave some chunky potato pieces if preferred.
  • Use fresh sharp cheddar cheese for best melting and flavor.
  • Scraping up browned bits from the pot (fond) adds rich, smoky flavor to the soup.
  • This recipe can be made vegetarian by omitting bacon and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
  • For a thicker soup, reduce the amount of chicken broth slightly or add more flour while making the roux.

Keywords: Baked Potato Soup, Creamy Potato Soup, Bacon Potato Soup, Cheddar Potato Soup, Comfort Food Soup

Find it online: https://amayaharis.com/baked-potato-soup-recipe/