One of the few meals I could stomach during my first trimester of pregnancy was a baked potato topped with nothing more than a pat of butter and some salt and pepper. As the nausea receded in the following months, I began garnishing my potatoes with more and more toppings. I loaded up my spuds with sour cream, chives, bacon bits, cheddar, and, if I was feeling extra fancy, bolognese sauce. Baked potatoes are still a staple in my home today, but with sweater weather upon us, and just feeling the desire to switch things up, I decided to create my own soup-ified version that tastes just like the humble baked potato.
Most loaded potato soup recipes are pretty similar: They have you brown the bacon, drain some of the fat off, then cook the aromatics in the remaining fat before adding the milk and potatoes. The potatoes simmer in the milk until tender, you blend the soup until it’s smooth, then you garnish it with crispy potato skins and an assortment of toppings. I’ve used some of those techniques (like using the bacon fat to cook the aromatics) in my recipe, but I’ve also incorporated some other tricks for a silky-smooth soup that is loaded with baked potato flavor.
How to Make a Better Loaded Potato Soup
Skip Blending, If Possible
While puréeing the soup in a powerful blender is certainly a quick and easy option—and one I’ve provided instructions for in the notes below in case you're in a rush—it often results in a soup with a gluey texture. That’s because puréeing potatoes causes their starch granules to burst, turning the spuds into a sticky mess.
To avoid that pasty texture, I took a technique from Kenji’s leek and potato soup recipe, in which he simmers potatoes with stock and aromatics until they’re tender, then passes them through a ricer for a velvety soup.
Like Kenji, I chose to use a ricer—but I streamline the process slightly. Instead of fishing out the cooked potatoes from a pot of simmering milk and onions, I decided to microwave the potatoes—which happens while you get a head start on crisping up the bacon and sautéeing the onions—until they’re soft enough to rice. Ultimately, texture is a personal preference, and you can skip the ricing and just purée the whole soup—it will still be slightly gluier, but still delicious.
Load Up on the Sour Cream and Toppings
This soup is not for the faint of heart or lactose intolerant. For an ultra-creamy soup, I whisk in an entire cup of sour cream. This gives the soup pleasant tanginess and, along with chopped chives, shredded extra-sharp cheddar, and crispy bacon bits, recreates the flavors of a classic loaded baked potato topped with sour cream.
For Extra Crunch, Garnish With Potato Chips
I also decided to skip the hassle of crisping up a potato-skin garnish in the oven and opted to garnish the soup with store-bought potato chips instead, a decision inspired by contributor Pat Tanumihardja, who tops her Indonesian chicken noodle soup with lightly salted potato chips. I recommend using salt and vinegar potato chips, as they provide a nice burst of acidity to cut through the heaviness of the soup, but feel free to use plain salted, cheddar, or sour cream and onion potato chips, too.
Using a fork or paring knife, prick skin of potatoes all over. Working in batches if needed, place potatoes on microwave-safe plate and microwave on high power, flipping halfway through, until potatoes can be easily pierced with a paring knife, 12 to 14 minutes. (If they aren't ready, continue to microwave in 30-second increments until soft.) Let potatoes sit until cool enough to handle. Peel the potatoes and pass through a ricer into a medium bowl; set aside. (See notes if you’d prefer to use a blender instead.)
While potatoes cook: In a 6-quart pot, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bacon is crisp and fat is rendered, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons bacon fat from pot.
Add onion and garlic to remaining bacon fat in pot and sauté over medium heat until very soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add milk, season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until flavors meld, about 10 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, purée onion, garlic, and milk until smooth. Add riced potatoes and sour cream, stirring to combine, until soup is warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve. Garnish with sour cream, chives, cheddar, and potato chips, if desired.
Special Equipment
Microwave, ricer, 6-quart pot, immersion blender
Notes
Alternatively, you can use a blender instead of a ricer. Peel cooked potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes, then proceed with step 2 of recipe. In step 4, add potatoes and sour cream to onion, garlic, and milk mixture. Purée using an immersion blender or transfer soup to a blender and begin blending on low (make sure to remove lid vent and cover with a clean kitchen towel before turning on blender to prevent a build-up of pressurized steam). Slowly increase speed to high and blend until completely smooth, about 2 months. Return soup to pot, straining through a fine-mesh strainer if desired, and bring soup to a simmer over medium heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve. Garnish with sour cream, chives, cheddar, and potato chips, if desired.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Once cooled, soup can be frozen for up to 1 month in an airtight container. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.
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