Are you still freezing? I have to say that I really do love seeing everyone’s beautiful snowy pics on Instagram lately! Spring is just around the corner, hopefully, for those of us who are over the cold weather. But for now lets enjoy a couple more comfort foods starting with this flavor layered potato soup!
When I told my husband that I was planning on making this soup he was instantly hungry! It has to be the bacon that adds so many flavors to this warm and cozy soup. I mean, most people have had potato soup before. Right? But have you had a potato soup whose base is derived from bacon? There is no way this recipe was ever destined for anything but fabulous.
When you make this soup for your friends they are going to think that you stopped off at some fancy café and brought it home. You go ahead and let them know that you made it from scratch! We will just let them come to their own conclusions about what an awesome chef you are and no one will ever have to know how easy it actually is to put this potato soup together.
Frugal note: I usually find the best prices on bacon at Costco.
The first thing you are going to do is chop up your bacon and start frying it up in a deep pot. Cook until the bacon is nice and crispy, but be careful not to burn it! (That won’t taste good) Remove the bacon from the grease and let sit on some paper towels to remove any extra grease, while keeping the reserved bacon grease in the pan.
While your bacon is cooking you can chop and get all your veggies ready. You will want to keep your chopped potato in some cold water while the bacon finishes cooking. So it doesn’t get brown.
Now to your hot bacon grease (sounds kinda gross but really couldn’t be better!) add the onion, carrots, and celery. Let that cook for just about 3-4 minutes until the onions start get a little translucent.
You’re now ready to add all of your chopped potatoes. Make sure that when you are chopping the potatoes to try and cut them all around the same size and thickness. If they are different sizes they will all cook differently and you might end up with some mushy and some crunchy potatoes. Cook for another 3 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add in the chicken stock, half of bacon (saving the other half for garnish), salt, and pepper. Let the soup come to a simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. You are looking to get the potatoes nice and tender.
To give the soup some texture, smash up a little but of the potatoes. You can do this by using one of these things (sorry not sure on the culinary tool’s name) or by taking 2-4 cups of the soup and lightly blending it in a blender (add back to the pot).
Last thing to do is add the heavy cream, stir to combine, and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes until hot.
Now load up your bowl and top with your favorite baked potato toppings! For this go around we topped our soup with a little dollop of sour cream, fresh cut green onions, shredded cheese, and of coarse a few pieces of crunchy bacon.
What are your favorite baked potato toppings? Share them with me on Facebook!
As always, don’t forget about my Link Parties page to see where I like to share even more ideas.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
2015-03-04 18:12:01
Serves 10
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 larger carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 medium red potatoes, diced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream
- Topping ideas: green onion, sour cream, bacon, your favorite shredded chee
Instructions
- In a deep pot over medium heat, fry bacon until very crispy. Careful not to burn.
- Remove bacon from pan and let dry on paper towels.
- In bacon fat cook onions, carrots, and celery until the onions become translucent. About 3-4 minutes.
- Now add in chopped potatoes and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add chicken stock, salt, pepper, and half of bacon. (Reserving other half of bacon for garnish) Let simmer over medium heat for 25-30 minutes until potatoes become tender.
- Mash a little of the soup to add more texture or you can blend lightly 2-4 cups to get the same texture (add back to the pot).
- Add heavy cream and let simmer for about 5 minutes until hot.
- Serve with your favorite baked potato toppings. Enjoy!
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About Brittany Cooper
My name is Brittany and I am devoted to saving our family money in everything we do. Yes I do coupon but that is not the only frugal thing I do. I'm a bargain hunter, tester of all things DIY, trip planner, our family’s chef, and lover of all things chic. I may be obsessed with being frugal but I still love to add bits of beauty to our home. Decorating on pennies works, it just takes a little patience. I am a firm believer that with a bit of planning you can save your family a lot of money.
FAQs
A slurry can thicken a soup toward the end of the cooking process. Combine cornstarch and a little bit of water—or the chicken stock from the soup—in a small bowl. With the soup simmering over medium-low heat, whisk in the slurry. The soup should start to thicken almost immediately.
What is loaded potato soup made of? ›
It contains all the flavors of a baked potato but can be made in a fraction of the time. Onions, celery, and bacon add powerful flavors to the tender potatoes, while cream, cheddar cheese, and parsley bring the finishing touches. Add toppings to personalize each serving, and a well-crafted, cozy soup is born.
Why isn't my potato soup creamy? ›
Why isn't my potato soup creamy? Most creamy soups require you to add dairy of some sort into it. If you're finding your soup is too thin adding milk, add in cream instead, or whole milk.
Should I soak potatoes before putting them in soup? ›
When adding diced potatoes to a soup or stew, do the following:
- Don't bother washing or peeling the potatoes.
- Dice the potatoes up and put into a large bowl -- not your pot!
- Fill the bowl with cold water, enough to cover the potatoes. ...
- Let soak for only a few minutes, then empty the water and rinse the potatoes.
To thicken potato soup, heat 2 tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of flour, stirring constantly, to make a roux, then add it to the soup. Heat the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the soup is as thick as you'd like it.
Does cream cheese thicken potato soup? ›
Cream cheese can be a delicious and tangy thickener for mashed potatoes so it stands to reason that it can also be used to add body to your favorite silky potato soup recipes — right? The answer is yes. It only works well if you do it carefully, though.
What is the secret ingredient in soup? ›
It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.
Why does my potato soup taste bland? ›
Not Adding Acid. If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl.
Which potatoes hold up best in soup? ›
Potatoes that are low-starch and high-moisture hold together better. Yukon Gold potatoes are on the medium-starch side and will hold their shape in soups. Red potatoes fall into the low-starch category, as do smaller, newer potatoes. Fingerling potatoes will do well in soups, as will long white potatoes.
What can you add to bland potato soup? ›
Cheese: I recommend a good sharp cheddar cheese here for maximum flavor. Greek yogurt or sour cream: To make the soup extra-creamy. Salt and pepper: Add in as much as you need at the end to season your soup well.
If at any point the soup is too thick for you (especially when reheating it), add in some broth until your desired consistency is reached. I highly recommend reheating this soup on a low heat and stirring it often.
Should I peel potatoes for potato soup? ›
Can I leave the peel on for potato soup? Yes! You don't need to peel the potatoes for this potato soup recipe. The skin will help the potatoes keep their shape and prevent them from getting too mushy.
How do you keep potatoes from getting mushy in potato soup? ›
Drain and Cool
Once the potatoes are tender, drain them using a colander in the sink. Let them cool for a few minutes before adding them to your soup. This step allows the potatoes to firm up slightly, making them easier to handle and preventing them from becoming mushy in the soup.
What happens if you don't soak potatoes? ›
The main reasons to cut the potatoes and pre-soak in water are: To allow the excess starches and sugars to be removed from the outer surface of the fry strips AND to keep the potatoes from browning prematurely from exposure to air. Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color.
Do you boil potatoes in water or broth? ›
Pour chicken broth over potatoes. If not completely covered, then add water until all potatoes are submerged. Boil on medium heat until tender, about 30-40 minutes. If you need to speed up the process, can boil covered for the last 10 minutes.
Why is my baked potato soup watery? ›
The main reason your potato is not thickening is that it needs a heavier dairy product. Potato soup is cooked in a milk and chicken broth soup but heavy cream may need to be added. If your recipe calls for whole milk, mix in heavy cream instead or do half milk and have heavy cream.
How do I make my soup thicker? ›
6 ways to thicken soup:
- Blend all or part of it. If you've made a broth with chunks of vegetable in it, such as minestrone soup, then pour the soup through a sieve. ...
- Add cream or yogurt. ...
- Add flour or cornflour. ...
- Use a butter and flour paste. ...
- Blend in bread. ...
- Add lentils or rice. ...
- 5 of the best soup recipes to try next:
It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.
