Baked Potato Soup
Quick answer
Baked potato soup is an American comfort food that translates the flavor of a loaded baked potato into a creamy bowl.
What makes this special
- Baked Potato Soup holds the smoky flavor of roasted potatoes in a thick, cream-based broth.
- Oven-baked potato gives smokier, deeper broth than boiled
- Partial mash leaves some chunks for two textures in one bowl
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Scrub 600g potatoes clean, place them whole on an oven rack, and bake at 200...
- 2 Cook 120g bacon in a pot over medium heat for 6-7 minutes, flipping occasion...
- 3 Wipe out excess bacon fat from the pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium...
Baked potato soup is an American comfort food that translates the flavor of a loaded baked potato into a creamy bowl. Potatoes are first boiled or oven-roasted until tender, then partially mashed and simmered in chicken stock with heavy cream. The depth of the soup depends on sweating onions low and slow in butter before the liquid is added. Toppings replicate the classic baked potato format: crispy bacon bits, shredded cheddar, and finely sliced chives, added at serving. Leaving some potato chunks intact rather than fully blending gives the bowl a more varied texture throughout. The soup thickens overnight as the starch settles into the cream base, so portions reheated the next day are noticeably richer than the first serving. Bacon should go on at the last moment to stay crisp.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Scrub 600g potatoes clean, place them whole on an oven rack, and bake at 200C for 40-45 minutes until a skewer passes through the thickest part with no resistance, then halve each potato and scoop out the flesh to mash.
- 2Finish
Cook 120g bacon in a pot over medium heat for 6-7 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the fat has fully rendered and the edges turn a crispy brown, then drain on paper towels and reserve a portion for the topping.
- 3Control
Wipe out excess bacon fat from the pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat, and cook 120g onion for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft and translucent, reducing the heat if the bottom starts to brown.
- 4Control
Add 700ml chicken stock and the mashed potato, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to break down any lumps, and adjust thickness by adding water or cooking it down further.
- 5Season
Pour in 150ml heavy cream and stir to combine, then add 120g shredded cheddar and stir continuously until the cheese melts completely and the soup turns glossy and creamy, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- 6Finish
Ladle the soup into bowls, scatter the reserved crispy bacon pieces on top, then finish with a handful of shredded cheddar and 2 tablespoons of thinly sliced chives, serving immediately while the soup is at its creamiest.
After the steps
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Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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Loaded baked potato starts with a russet potato baked whole at 200 degrees Celsius for about 50 minutes until the inside is fluffy and the skin is crisp. Rubbing the skin with salt and butter before baking and poking holes with a fork ensures even heat penetration and a thin, crunchy shell. The hot potato is split open, the flesh is fluffed with a fork, then piled with shredded cheddar cheese - which melts on contact - crumbled crispy bacon, cold sour cream, and chopped chives. The sour cream's cool tang balances the salty bacon and rich cheese, while the chives add a mild onion freshness. No additional cooking is needed beyond the bake itself, making it equally suited as a side dish or a full meal.
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