Baked Potato Soup

5 from 3 votes

This loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe transforms simple russet potatoes into a restaurant-quality meal with crispy bacon, melted cheddar cheese, and sour cream in every bowl.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 25

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 449kcal

Author: Lauren Allen

Cost: 10

Recipe Link

Equipment

Ingredients

3 lbs russet potatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 lb bacon , cut into ½’’ thick slices
3 Tablespoons butter
1 leek , white and light green part, diced (or ½ of a medium onion, diced)
1 rib celery , diced
2 cloves garlic , minced
2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste
2 cups whole milk or heavy cream
½ teaspoon kosher salt , more to taste
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper , more to taste
1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese , + extra for topping

Toppings:

Sour Cream ,
Diced Fresh Chives

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bake Potatoes: Add potatoes to a large baking tray and poke a few times with a knife or tines of a fork. Coat in a drizzle of oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour, or until fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
3 lbs russet potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper
Shred cheese and allow to sit at room temp while you prepare the soup.
1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
Finish Potatoes: Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half, lengthwise. Scoop out potato flesh and place potato skins on baking sheet. Drizzle skins with more olive oil, a little more salt and pepper and broil for a few minutes, until crispy.
Cook Bacon: When potatoes are half way through cooking, add bacon to a large soup pot over medium heat and cook until the fat is rendered and bacon is crispy (8-10 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Remove some bacon grease.
1/2 lb bacon
Sauté Veggies: Add butter to pan and allow to melt, then add leek and celery. Sauté until tender. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour and stir to combine, for 1 minute. Slowly add chicken broth and chicken bouillon paste, while stirring.
3 Tablespoons butter, 1 leek, 1 rib celery, 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons flour, 2 cups chicken stock, 1 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste
Scoop potato flesh into soup pot, breaking it a part with a wooden spoon. Add milk and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until warmed through.
2 cups whole milk or heavy cream, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Finish Soup: Use an immersion blender to gently puree about half of the soup until you get the texture you want. Don’t overdo it—we don’t want the potatoes to get “gluey” in texture. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese.
Serve topped with extra shredded cheddar cheese, a big spoonful of bacon, sour cream and sprinkle of chives. Serve with crisp potato skins for dipping.

Video

Notes

Yield: 8-10 cups. Serving Size: about 1 1/2 cups.

Nutrition