Whoever thought to turn baked potatoes into Loaded Baked Potato Soup was a genius. It really is loaded too: veggies, russets, broth, bacon and plenty of creamy goodness from milk, cream, cheese and even sour cream, if you’re feeling so bold. Not only is it surprisingly easy to make in spite of all the ingredients and steps, it’s well worth it!
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Oh. Hello. Welcome to the final installment of this week’s “Mindful Stress Eating Series: If Drowning in Dairy is Wrong, I Don’t Wanna be Right.” I’m your host, Danielle. In case you’re just joining us, on Wednesday we enjoyed some homestyle Keto Creamed Spinach, and yesterday we devoured some Creamy Cauliflower Risotto. Both were so tasty, I meticulously scraped the remnants out of the pan after dinner and practically devoured my silicone spatula.
I usually try to keep my posts timeless (like me *sparkle*), but…it’s been a week y’all. 2020 is still raging: the virus is spiking; we had (are still having… will never stop having…) a pretty intense election; the cold, wet weather is settling in (Guns N’ Roses was not lying about November Rain); we just lost national human treasure, Alex Trebek; and I, now apparently having crossed some invisible age threshold, threw out my back. If you’re not stress eating right now, you’re probably an android who isn’t aware they’re an android.
But, I also have a running theme and a schedule to keep, so we’re at least going to make something super creamy and super delicious. However, if you came here for a recipe that’s gonna detox your GI tract and put pep in your step, you came to the wrooooong blog today, honey. Cause today, we’re not smothering vegetables in cream and cheese, no. We’re going straight for the carbs and sprinkling on some magic fairy dust (a.k.a. bacon bits).
This loaded baked potato soup is a balm – a sedative even. You will eat it and cease to feel the need to be productive and just give in to your basic instinct to take several thick, fleecy, faux-furry blankies, build a nest, and hibernate. Do not attempt to argue with your body. You’ve earned some full-bodied, full-bellied rest. Sleep well.
How to Make Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Soup is the one-pot wonder we all need and crave come winter. Easy and decadent, keep this one in your back pocket for your next hibernation day. Be sure to check the recipe card for detailed instructions, as well as step-by-step photos.
- Crisp bacon. Cook bacon until golden brown and crisp; remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain.
- Sautee alliums. Add onion, leek, and celery to the rendered bacon fat and cook until soft. Add some minced garlic at the end.
- Add thickener. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables – this is the thickener for the creamy base!
- Deglaze. Add half a cup of chicken broth to the vegetables and flour and stir until the flour as well as any browned bits from the bottom of the pot are absorbed.
- Add potatoes and liquid. Add the potatoes to the pot, along with the rest of the broth and cup of milk.
- Simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are tender and can be easily mashed with the tines of a fork.
- Add cream and blend. Add heavy cream, then puree the soup until smooth. We like to use an immersion blender.
- Season, garnish, and serve. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into soup bowls and top with your favorite baked potato garnishes like bacon, shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped chives.
Tips for Making This Recipe Perfectly
- Use Russet potatoes – they’re extra-starchy and will help thicken the soup. Peel ’em first!
- Get out those kitchen shears. If you’re using chives, use them to cut those up first in prep, and then easily pre-cut your bacon into fryable bits.
- If you’re storing leftovers, don’t pre-garnish. T’will ruin the texture of your toppings.
Do I Have to Puree the Soup?
Nope! This soup is equally delicious served chunky-style even if you don’t have an immersion blender or don’t want to use it.
Before you start, simply dice the onions and leek (instead of thinly slicing) for best texture later. Be sure to cut the potatoes into bite-sized (½″) pieces. You can also mash half the soup in the pot using a potato masher for an in-between texture.
Can I Freeze Potato Soup?
Sorry to be a killjoy, but between the potatoes (texture will become very grainy) and dairy (texture will become grainy and dairy has a nasty tendency to separate) this is one you’re not going to want to freeze and store. If you don’t eat it all in one sitting, it will keep beautifully for 3-4 days in the fridge.
More Creamy Soups for Dreary Weather
- Ginger Carrot Soup
- Creamy Broccoli Potato Soup
- Curried Cauliflower Soup
- Healthy Potato Onion Soup
- Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Did you make this Loaded Baked Potato Soup? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Description
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, cut into ½” pieces
- 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large leek, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoon flour
- 3 large russet potatoes, peeled, diced (about 2.5 lb potatoes)
- 1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 c milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 c heavy cream
Toppings
- cooked chopped bacon
- chopped chives
- sour cream
- shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is golden brown. Remove using a slotted spoon and set onto a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Add the onion, leek, and celery, then toss to coat in the rendered bacon fat. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Deglaze the pan with ½ c broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot and stirring until the flour is absorbed and smooth. The consistency will be paste-like at this point.
- Add the potatoes to the pot, then pour in the remaining broth and 1 c milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes from the time a simmer is reached. The potatoes are cooked when they can be easily mashed with the tines of a fork.
- Pour in the heavy cream, then puree the soup using an immersion blender. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle into bowls and top with your favorite garnishes.
Recipe Notes
- Leftovers: store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftovers will thicken considerably due to the starch in the potatoes; thin with additional broth to reach the desired consistency.
- Reheat: in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in-between; or in a soup pot on the stove over a medium flame (stir frequently to prevent scalding).
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