Loaded baked potato soup
When the weather is cold outside, I love a deliciously cozy soup to both hold and ingest. This loaded baked potato soup is like the iconic potato bar but in soup form. Each person can customize it to their liking and no one can complain!
INGREDIENTS
– 7 slices bacon, diced
– 1 medium onion, diced
– 2 stalks celery, diced
– 1 tsp kosher salt
– 4 cloves garlic, minced
– 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
– 3 cups chicken stock
– 2 1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
– 2 sprigs fresh thyme
– 1 cup heavy cream
– 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
– 3/4 tsp black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
– Add the sliced bacon to a cold 8-quart stockpot. Set the stockpot over medium heat and cook the bacon until it is browned and crisp, 8-10 minutes. Once cooked, remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. Measure the bacon fat in the stockpot, return 3 tbsp of bacon fat to the stockpot, or add butter as needed for a total of 3 tbsp.
– Heat the bacon fat or butter over medium heat and add the diced onion, celery, and kosher salt. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, 4-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic, sauté for 1 minute, and add the flour. Stir and cook the flour for 1 minute. Slowly add the chicken stock and whisk until it is smooth. Add the peeled diced potatoes and thyme. Bring the soup to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, and cover. Cook until the potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes.
– Once tender, remove about half of the potatoes with some stock. Using an immersion or canister blender, blend the potatoes until they are smooth. Return the blended potatoes to the stock pot. Add the heavy cream, cheddar cheese, black pepper, and cooked bacon. Stir until the cheese is melted and the soup is warmed through, 4-6 minutes.
