Chunky Loaded Baked Potato Soup Food

CHUNKY POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut into 1" cubes.
• Bring water to a boil in large saucepan and add potatoes.
• Cook until tender and drain reserving liquid.
• Set aside potatoes and measure 1 cup cooking liquid (adding water if necessary) and set aside.
• Peel and finely chop onion and chives.
• Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onions and chives to saucepan and cook, stirring frequently until tender, but not brown.
• Add flour to saucepan.
• Season with red pepper and black pepper to taste.
• Cook 3 to 4 minutes.
• Gradually add potatoes, reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, milk/cream, and sugar to onion/chive mixture in saucepan.
• Stir well and add cheese and bacon.
• Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Serve with fresh chives, cheese, and bacon.

FULLY LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• 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.

LOADED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Add the bacon to a large soup pot and cook over medium heat until brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a clean bowl or plate, leaving the bacon grease in the pot.
• While the bacon is cooking, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the pot after the bacon has been removed and cook over medium heat in the bacon grease until the onions are soft and translucent.
• Add the butter and flour to the pot and continue to stir and cook over medium heat for about two minutes to form a roux.
• Add the chicken broth and milk to the pot and whisk to dissolve all of the flour and butter.
• Add the diced potatoes to the pot, cover, and turn the heat up to medium-high to bring the broth up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and let the potatoes simmer for 15 minutes, or until they are very tender (easily pierced with a fork).
• Use a potato masher or immersion blender to mash the potatoes until the soup is to your desired thickness.
• Season the soup with smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Once seasoned, stir in the sour cream.
• Serve the soup hot and top each bowl with the crumbled bacon, sliced green onions, and cheddar cheese.

BAKED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon (if using) until crisp, 12 to 13 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate or cutting board. Return the pot with just 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat to the stove. (If there's not enough fat, supplement with butter to total 3 tablespoons.) If making the soup vegetarian, melt butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Over medium-low heat, sauté the white parts of the scallions and the garlic until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid burning the garlic. Add the potatoes, milk and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (resist the urge to heat it faster as this can lead to curdling). Once at a boil, lower the heat and simmer covered until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• As soup simmers, prepare the potato skins: Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Working in batches if needed, add the potato peels in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until crisp and golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or cutting board, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder. Crumble and set aside.
• Once the potatoes are tender, take the pot off the heat, and purée the mixture with an immersion blender if you'd like a smooth soup. (Mash with a potato masher if you'd like a chunkier soup.) Stir in the sour cream and cheese until combined, then season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with crumbled bacon, more sour cream and Cheddar and the green parts of the scallions. Top with potato peels (eat any extra as chips, dipped in ketchup and mustard).

LOADED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Set a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes; remove to a plate. When cool, crumble and set aside for garnish.
• Add the onions and garlic to the pot, and cook in the rendered bacon grease until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and some salt and pepper, and stir until combined. Cook for 3 minutes, so the raw flour taste cooks out. Add the chicken broth and heavy cream, whisking to remove any flour lumps. Add the potatoes and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes.
• With a potato masher, break up the cooked potatoes¿this will yield a thick and chunky consistency. Whisk in sour cream and then the shredded cheddar; let it melt through.
• Serve garnished with crispy crumbled bacon and sliced scallions.

LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP (SLOW COOKER)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cut tops off of the garlic bulbs, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast in oven until fragrant, about 30 - 45 minutes. Remove from oven and unwrap to cool enough to handle.
• Meanwhile, dice potatoes, leaving skin intact. Add to slow cooker.
• Add chicken broth, onion, salt and pepper. Turn slow cooker to high and cover until garlic is done.
• When roasted garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the head to release the cloves. Using a bowl, plate, or cutting board is optimal, as the skins will flake off and you will not want to add them to your soup. After extracting the garlic cloves, add to the potato mixture in the slow cooker. Stir and re-cover. Cook on High for 1 hour, then reduce to Low. Cook for 6 hours on low.
• After 6 hours, take the lid off the slow cooker. Using a potato masher or immersion blender, break up the potatoes until a chunky yet creamy texture is achieved. Add cream, milk*, cheese, and yogurt, stirring until well blended. Turn slow cooker back to High. Add sliced green onions, bacon, and salt and pepper to taste. * More or less milk can be added depending on desired consistency.