A new, American classic, this Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe is one for the books. (When it starts with bacon, you know it's good!) Blend your cooked russets, veggies, and dairy together to create a thick, creamy pureed soup. Serve hot, garnished with favorites like bacon bits, sour cream, cheese and chives.
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.
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).