Loaded Potato Soup

I have made this creamy potato soup for many people over the years. Simply delicious topped with crumbled bacon, green onions, or shredded Cheddar cheese. It’s a special treat on a cold winter day.

The Story

I didn’t grow up in a “soup family.” We were more of a meat-and-three-sides household, so I don’t have a treasured, passed-down soup recipe to brag about. My soup journey didn’t begin until after I got married and started dining out more often. That’s when I discovered there’s a whole world of bowls beyond Campbell cans.

Of course, my early attempts at making soup were… let’s call them learning opportunities. I’ve made soup so watery you could see the bottom of the bowl, and soup so thick you could stand a spoon up in it—and it would still be standing a week later. Cooking, for me, has been an evolution. A long one. About 45 years long. And even now, only a handful of my recipes are safe to serve to people who aren’t related to me (and therefore contractually obligated to smile and eat whatever I make).

Then one day, I had potato soup at a restaurant. Creamy, cozy, heavenly potato soup. I thought to myself, How hard could it be? Answer: two years hard. After about six failed batches—each one its own little “what went wrong?” mystery—I finally nailed it. The perfect balance of creamy, chunky, flavorful goodness that I’m proud to serve to guests.

Loaded Potato Soup

Annette Law

A bowl of this ultra-comforting potato soup will please everyone at your table.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 8 cups

Calories 605 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large pot
• 1 Blender

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Ingredients

  

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• ▢ 1 pound bacon chopped
• ▢ 2 stalks celery diced
• ▢ 1 onion chopped
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 8 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
• ▢ 4 cups chicken stock or enough to cover potatoes
• ▢ 3 tbsp butter
• ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• ▢ 3 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
• ▢ salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Gather all ingredients.
• Place bacon in a Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain bacon pieces on paper towels. Drain off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease.
• Cook celery and onion in the reserved bacon drippings until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add cubed potatoes, and toss to coat. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Return bacon to the pan, and add enough chicken stock to just cover the potatoes. Cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream, tarragon, and cilantro.
• Bring cream mixture to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add cream mixture to the potato mixture; stir to combine.
• Transfer about 1/4 of the soup to a blender and puree. Return to the Dutch oven. Adjust seasonings to taste.
• Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

• For those who do not wish to use bacon, substitute 1/4 cup melted butter for the bacon grease.
• Potatoes vary in size; I recommend at least 3 lbs of potatoes.
• To reduce the thickness of the soup, you may eliminate the flour and don’t puree the potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 605kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 16gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 603mgPotassium: 1204mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 615IUVitamin C: 44mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content may vary depending on the brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and other factors.

Keyword loaded potato, potatoes, soup

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