Loaded Baked Potato Soup is the perfect dish for the cold winter months! All your favorite flavors of a baked potato in one steaming, cozy bowl of soup. Top with cheddar, bacon bits, and chives for one of the most indulgent soups you’ll ever have!
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 3-4 russet potatoes, scrubbed clean (~1 1/2 lbs)
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup chicken stock (unsalted or low-sodium, if possible)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- 2 cups Freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
- finely chopped chives
- 4 strips bacon, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Once heated, prick the potatoes all over with a fork, and then place on a foil liked baking sheet into the oven and bake for 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes, just until fork tender. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool until you can handle them, and then peel and dice them. Place the potato pieces into a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large pot (I used my Dutch oven and it worked perfectly), add the butter and place over medium heat. Once the butter has completely melted and is starting to bubble, add the diced shallot and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring often to keep things moving, you don't want the shallot to burn. Season a bit with salt and pepper here.
- Add the flour and stir well to combine, and then cook for another 3-4 minutes. This roux will thicken, just make sure to keep it moving, as it can easily get stuck to the bottom of your pot. Add the milk and the chicken stock, and stir to make sure everything is well combined and there are no lumps or stuck bits. Once simmering, add the potato pieces. Once back to a simmer, cook for another 5-6 minutes.
- Pour the soup into a blender (or use an immersion blender in the pot) and blend the soup until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Once smooth, pour the soup back into the pot and add the sour cream, and taste test the soup to adjust the salt and pepper as necessary. If the soup is too thick, add milk 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- When ready, ladle the soup into bowls and top with hearty portions of cheese and bacon, and sprinkle with chives.
- Enjoy!
