| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 55 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 4 large baking potatoes (Idaho or russet)
- 12 slices thick-cut applewood smoked bacon
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups 2 percent low-fat milk, heated
- 5 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces sour cream
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the potatoes on a roasting tray and bake for 45 minutes. When done, the tip of a paring knife should go through the potatoes easily.
- Slice the bacon into lardons (thin strips) and cook in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot.
- Add the flour to the drippings in the pot and stir to combine. Cook, without adding color, until the flour and fat has combined, about 1 minute. Pour in the milk while you whisk to incorporate. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.
- Scoop out the potato pulp from the skins and add to the milk mixture. Mash with the back of a wooden spoon leaving it a little bit chunky.
- Add the cooked bacon (leaving a little out for garnishing the soup), 1 cup of the cheese, and season well with salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with sour cream (from a squeeze bottle), sprinkle with remaining bacon bits, grated cheese and chives.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 1053 |
| Total Fat | 54 g |
| Saturated Fat | 23 g |
| Carbohydrates | 101 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 23 g |
| Protein | 43 g |
| Cholesterol | 128 mg |
| Sodium | 2108 mg |
Reviews
This was very good. Turned out thicker than I expected, so I will cut back on the flour a little next time. I will also add some onion to the bacon while it’s cooking. Otherwise, yuuum!
Ok, this is an awesome recipe. I used Yukon gold potatoes diced up with skins on. Put them in the oven with garlic, onion, salt, pepper, in a pan with chicken broth for about 1 hr. Followed the remaining steps……mmmmm!!
Loved it!!! Added some chicken flavor with salt and pepper!
Used 4 cups of milk and 2 cups chicken stock
Used 4 cups of milk and 2 cups chicken stock
Russet potatoes need to be baked at 400 – 425 in order to get soft.
Proud of myself on this one! Based on reviewers who said it was bland, I used 4 cups milk and 2 cups chicken stock and lots of salt and pepper. Other reviewers said it was too thick but I love it that way. It was delish!! My substitute was I left skins on because that’s how I roll!
When Guy made this on his show he added chicken stock and I think it is a must! Too much like gravy without the chicken stock. I halved the recipe but kept the full cheese amount. This recipe is easy and delicious!
Great! Now I know how to get a backed potato the right way! Too bad it’s not a backed potato! Mike Stice!
Add garlic like the guy said
And green chili- 2-3 depending
And green chili- 2-3 depending
I have made this twice and the second time I added more flavor. The recipe, as is, is okay but didn’t think it was very flavorful. I took some of the ideas of others and used my own. First I sautéed one chopped onion and three chopped celery stalks in a little bit of olive oil. I set them aside while I cooked the bacon in the same pot. I did not drain off any of the bacon grease this time, as was suggested in other reviews. The bacon grease adds a lot of flavor that you need for a potato soup! I used 4 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of milk. So much more flavor!! Will probably skip the milk next time. I also used a dutch oven instead of a stock pot. I just prefer the dutch oven for my soups.
Hint for cooking potatoes: I par cook the potatoes in the microwave, just for about 5 minutes. Then I put them on a hot cookie sheet in the oven. I baked the potatoes at 400 for 45 minutes. They were easy to scoop out of peelings put where still firm. This will save you a little time.
The chicken broth is a great substitution if you are diary free. You can skip the cheese if you are dairy free or just don’t like cheese. I don’t think it adds much to the soup. But maybe I just haven’t used the right cheese.
This is a family favorite! I cook potatoes in the crock pot all day so it is quick to make in the evenings. I usually use more milk than it calls for to thin it out a bit. I cook more bacon for topping but take some of the grease out. You should definitely try it!