Description
A comforting and creamy baked potato soup loaded with sharp cheddar cheese and crispy bacon, perfect for cozy nights and easy to prepare in about 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 medium Russet potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and diced
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 6 ounces)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth (1 quart)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sour cream (optional)
- 2 stalks green onions, thinly sliced
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- Oil for roasting potatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss diced potatoes with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until golden and slightly crisp.
- While potatoes roast, cook chopped bacon in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pot.
- Add butter to the pot with bacon fat. Once melted, add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle flour over onion and garlic mixture and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth and milk, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add roasted potatoes to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree about half the soup for creaminess, leaving the rest chunky. If using a regular blender, blend in batches and return to pot.
- Stir in shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream off the heat to prevent curdling. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika if using. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with crispy bacon and green onions. Serve immediately.
Notes
Roasting the potatoes adds a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor. Use rendered bacon fat to sauté onions for extra smoky flavor. Blend only half the soup for a perfect creamy and chunky texture. Add more milk or broth if soup is too thick, or simmer longer if too thin. For gluten-free, substitute flour with cornstarch slurry. Dairy-free versions can use almond or oat milk and dairy-free cheese alternatives.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 ½ cups (350
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 18
Keywords: baked potato soup, creamy potato soup, cheddar cheese soup, bacon soup, comfort food, easy soup recipe