This rich, creamy soup is the ultimate comfort food in soup form! While it uses boiled potatoes instead of baked potatoes in an effort to save valuable time, it has all of the hallmark flavors that you’ve come to expect from a hearty baked potato. The soup has a depth of flavor that comes primarily from vigorously seasoning the potatoes while they’re boiling (more on this later), good quality sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, and of course bacon. My husband can’t get enough of this soup, and once you try it for yourself, neither will you!
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In a large stock pot, melt the schmaltz or butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and shallots, and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally to avoid burnt bits.
In the meantime, add the potatoes to a large saucepan and add enough water to cover. Aggressively salt the water (I normally use 2 handfuls) so that you season the potatoes as they boil- don’t worry, your soup won’t be too salty! Most of the salt is going down the drain after you’re done boiling the potatoes. This step is important, because if you don’t salt the water, you’ll have a substantially blander soup regardless of how well you season it later. Bring the water to a boil with the potatoes in it, and cook them until they can be easily pierced with a knife without any resistance.
Sprinkle the flour in with the onions, garlic, and shallots, whisking vigorously as you sprinkle all of the flour in.
Once the flour has all moistened, slowly add the cream, whisking the entire time.
Once the cream has all been incorporated, do the same with the milk.
Once the milk has all been incorporated, slowly add the chicken stock, again whisking the entire time.
Add the chopped white and light green parts of the scallions and stir. Make sure the burner is at the right temperature for the soup to simmer.
Once the potatoes are tender, transfer them to a colander in your sink. Holding the colander by the handles, jostle the potato chunks until they get roughed up and the starch has coated the pieces of potato (see photo).
Add the cheese, green scallion pieces (leaving some aside for garnish), and potatoes to the soup and stir well to combine. Let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes or so, then taste it and add salt and pepper accordingly.
Finally, add the sour cream and stir well. Taste one last time and make any necessary adjustments to the salt and/or pepper, then ladle into a serving bowl and garnish with scallions and pieces of bacon. Serve immediately.
Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 8 potatoes, scrubbed and chopped (I prefer not to peel them as the bulk of the nutrients are in the skin and I love the texture the skins provide, but feel free to peel them if you want a skin-free soup)
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 Tbsp schmaltz or butter
- 3 onions, chopped
- 2 shallots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 scallions, green parts separated from the white and light green parts (they will both be used, but at different times) and then chopped
- ΒΌ cup flour
- 1 cup heavy cream (light cream is fine too)
- 2 cups milk
- 3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 1 cup sour cream
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- bacon, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, melt the schmaltz or butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and shallots, and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally to avoid burnt bits.
- In the meantime, add the potatoes to a large saucepan and add enough water to cover. Aggressively salt the water (I normally use 2 handfuls) so that you season the potatoes as they boil- don't worry, your soup won't be too salty! Most of the salt is going down the drain after you're done boiling the potatoes. This step is important, because if you don't salt the water, you'll have a substantially blander soup regardless of how well you season it later. Bring the water to a boil with the potatoes in it, and cook them until they can be easily pierced with a knife without any resistance.
- Sprinkle the flour in with the onions, garlic, and shallots, whisking vigorously as you sprinkle all of the flour in. Once the flour has all moistened, slowly add the cream, whisking the entire time. Once the cream has all been incorporated, do the same with the milk.
- Once the milk has all been incorporated, slowly add the chicken stock, again whisking the entire time.
- Add the chopped white and light green parts of the scallions and stir. Make sure the burner is at the right temperature for the soup to simmer.
- Once the potatoes are tender, transfer them to a colander in your sink. Holding the colander by the handles, jostle the potato chunks until they get roughed up and the starch has coated the pieces of potato (see photo).
- Add the cheese, green scallion pieces (leaving some aside for garnish), and potatoes to the soup and stir well to combine. Let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes or so, then taste it and add salt and pepper accordingly.
- Finally, add the sour cream and stir well. Taste one last time and make any necessary adjustments to the salt and/or pepper, then ladle into a serving bowl and garnish with scallions and pieces of bacon. Serve immediately.