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Cozy Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Bacon

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This creamy, smoky potato soup is a happy accident turned family favorite. Made with bacon, cheddar, and simple pantry staples, it’s the ultimate comfort food for cold nights.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes (about 2 ½ pounds)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • Reserved bacon, crumbled
  • Extra shredded cheese for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon: Place the bacon slices in your cold Dutch oven and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crispy—about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Once cool, crumble it into small pieces. Don’t pour out that rendered fat—you’ll need about 2 tablespoons of it for the next step.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the diced onion to the pot with the reserved bacon fat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent—about 5-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Make the roux: Sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic, then stir constantly for about 1-2 minutes. This cooks out the raw flour taste and helps thicken the soup.
  4. Add the liquid: Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Then add the milk, whisking until smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
  5. Add the potatoes: Stir in the diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika if using. Bring the soup back to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potatoes should be fork-tender when done.
  6. Blend partially: Remove the pot from the heat. Using your immersion blender, give the soup about 5-6 quick pulses—you want to blend about half the soup while leaving some chunky potato pieces intact. If using a regular blender, carefully transfer about half the soup to the blender, blend until smooth, then return it to the pot.
  7. Add the cheese and sour cream: Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream until completely melted and incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  8. Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crumbled bacon, extra shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a generous sprinkle of green onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

For best results, shred cheese from a block to avoid anti-caking agents. Add cheese off the heat to prevent stringiness. Soup thickens as it sits; thin with milk or broth when reheating. Freeze before adding dairy for best results.

Nutrition

Keywords: loaded baked potato soup, bacon potato soup, creamy potato soup, comfort food, easy soup recipe, winter soup

Find it online: https://rowanrecipes.com/cozy-loaded-baked-potato-soup-with-bacon/