Loaded Potato Soup Recipe
A creamy stovetop potato soup cooked in bacon fat, thickened by mashing some of the potatoes right in the pot, and finished with sharp cheddar and sour cream. Topped with crispy bacon, cheddar, and chives.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 625kcal
Equipment
- 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven with a lid
- potato masher
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 8 ounces thick-cut bacon , chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion , diced
- 2 ribs celery , diced 1/4 inch (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic ,minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken bone broth plus up to 1 cup more for thinning
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes , scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (no need to peel)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus about 1/2 teaspoon more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar shredded from a block (measured before shredding)
- Extra cheddar (yellow, white, or both) optional, for topping
- Chopped fresh chives or green onions optional, for topping
- Sour cream (optional) optional, for topping
Instructions
- Add the chopped bacon to a cold Dutch oven and set it over medium heat. Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot and pour off the rest.
- Add the butter, onion, and celery (if using). Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes with celery or 6 minutes without. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in about 1 cup of the broth, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until smooth. Stir in the remaining 3 cups.
- Add the potatoes, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Use a potato masher to mash about a third of the potatoes right in the pot, leaving the rest in chunks.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the half-and-half. Warm for 2 to 3 minutes without letting it boil.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the sour cream, then the cheddar a handful at a time until melted.
- Taste and add more salt as needed, about 1/2 teaspoon. If the soup is thicker than you'd like, stir in more broth 1/4 cup at a time.
- Ladle into bowls and top with the crispy bacon, extra cheddar, and chives.
Notes
- Celery: Optional. If you use it, dice it small and give it the full 10 minutes, or it can stay crunchy in the finished soup.
- Broth: Low-sodium broth leaves room for the salty bacon and cheese. Regular chicken broth works too.
- Lactose free: Use lactose-free half-and-half and sour cream cup for cup. Add a pinch more salt, since lactose-free dairy tastes slightly sweeter.
- Gluten free: Omit the flour and mash about half the potatoes instead of a third.
- Crock pot: Crisp the bacon and soften the vegetables with the flour in a skillet, then cook with the broth and potatoes on LOW 6 to 7 hours or HIGH 3 to 4 hours. Mash, warm the half-and-half on LOW, and turn it off before adding the sour cream and cheese.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days. It thickens a lot overnight; reheat gently with a splash of broth or milk. Freezing isn't recommended.
Nutrition
Calories: 625kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 774mg | Potassium: 1207mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 758IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 308mg | Iron: 2mg
