Loaded Baked Potato Soup
By this time of year, who needs another soup recipe? I guess I do, just so I remember to make this one again. Coincidentally as I write this, I’m simmering another big pot of soup—this time it’s vegetable.
There’s no way to do a potato wrong, especially a baked potato. It’s essentially a blank canvas for anything from BBQ chicken to bacon and cheese. And as a soup, you just get to stretch those flavors a little farther and even eat it out of a bread bowl if you’re feeling ambitious.
On a soup kick just like me? Try my Roasted Tomato Soup—full of roasted veggies, fresh basil cream, and topped with feta and Colby jack cheeses.
With a few key ingredients, I made this loaded baked potato soup layered and full of good depth: shallots, bacon fat, Worcestershire, and buttermilk. I prefer shallots to onion for their softer, slightly sweeter flavor and the addition of buttermilk adds a great tang and thickness to the consistency.
Ingredients for 4 servings:
8-10 small Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4-6 strips bacon
Reserve 1 Tbsp. bacon fat after cooking
⅓ cup flour
1½ cups low-fat milk
¾ cup buttermilk
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp. Worcestershire
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 cup cheese(s)
I used a sharp white cheddar and black pepper toscano
Salt and pepper to taste
Green onion, sour cream, and additional cheese for topping
To make the soup:
Boil the diced potatoes in water for about 10-15 minutes, until almost fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
Cook bacon in a large pot or dutch oven. Drain on paper towel and set aside, reserving 1 Tbsp. bacon fat in the pot.
Add butter to pot and turn heat to medium. Once melted with bacon fat, add shallots and garlic. Cook until fragrant, but not browned. Add flour, milk, and buttermilk. Whisk constantly until creamy and slightly thickened.
After a couple minutes, add chicken stock and potatoes and bring soup to a simmer. The potatoes will resume cooking and get softer in this step. Add Worcestershire, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer at least 10 minutes.
Just before serving, take the soup off the heat and add cheese and most of the bacon (save some for topping).
Serve in and top with preferred toppings.