Description
Hearty baked potato soup brings comfort and warmth to cold winter nights. Creamy Wisconsin cheddar, crisp bacon bits, and chopped chives create a delightful blend you’ll crave through chilly seasons.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lb (907 g) russet potatoes (large, peeled and diced)
- 6 slices bacon (thick-cut, chopped into 1-inch pieces)
- 3.5 cups (828 ml) chicken broth
- 2 cups (473 ml) half-and-half cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsps butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (177 ml) sour cream
- 1 large yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¾ tsp salt (for boiling the potatoes)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¾ cup (177 ml) chives (finely diced for garnish)
Instructions
- Bacon Preparation: Crisp bacon pieces in a large pot over low heat until golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving rendered fat.
- Potato Processing: Boil potato cubes in salted water for 20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and gently mash, setting aside for later incorporation into the soup.
- Aromatic Foundation: Sauté diced onions in bacon fat over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and butter, cooking briefly to develop rich flavor profiles.
- Thickening Process: Whisk flour into the onion mixture for one minute. Pour chicken broth gradually, deglazing the pot to capture caramelized essence.
- Creamy Integration: Blend half-and-half into the broth, bringing to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat and fold mashed potatoes into the creamy base, ensuring smooth consistency.
- Flavor Enhancement: Incorporate sour cream and freshly ground black pepper. Use an immersion blender to achieve velvety texture, carefully processing until uniformly smooth.
- Final Touches: Gradually melt shredded cheddar cheese into the soup, stirring constantly to prevent separation. Maintain low temperature during cheese incorporation.
- Serving Presentation: Ladle soup into bowls, topping generously with crispy bacon pieces. Serve immediately while hot and freshly prepared.
Notes
- Bacon Fat Magic: Save and reuse bacon fat for incredible depth of flavor, as it becomes the secret base for sautéing onions and creating rich undertones.
- Potato Texture Tip: Mashing potatoes partially before adding ensures a creamy, rustic soup without completely losing potato chunk texture.
- Blending Technique: When using a standard blender, blend in small batches and remove center lid cap to allow steam escape, preventing potential explosive pressure buildup.
- Cheese Melting Hack: Add cheese gradually and stir constantly at low heat to prevent clumping and ensure smooth, silky incorporation into the soup.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Boiling, Sautéing, Simmering, Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg