Spud Soup

Literally the only thing I like about cold weather is the fact that I can eat soup every single cold, winter night. So right before this week got us into the 60° weather I made sure to bust out what could be my last soup until next fall - Homemade |loaded| Baked Potato Soup. I've looked high and low for the just right recipe - it had to be both creamy and chunky, but still be like soup. So I ended up combining multiple ideas and after three rounds this winter I think I have finally perfected this recipe. 

| Ingredients |

5 large Russet Potatoes

2 cups Cheddar Cheese

1 cup Sour Cream

1 stick of butter 

1/2 cup (probably extra) Milk

5 strips of Bacon (I used veggie bacon)

1/2-1 cup Tortilla Soup Broth

Dash of Salt + Pepper

2 Cloves of minced Garlic

2 tsp Onion Powder

First, cook your bacon how you like and let cool before you crumble it then melt your stick of butter on low heat in a large stock pot or dutch oven. Then peel and chop your potatoes. Toss your chopped taters in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and reserve and set aside about 2 potatoes worth (maybe 2 cups...) - these will be your chunks in the soup so add more or less depending on how you like it. Mash the remaining potatoes and add that to the melted butter and stir well. 

In your stock pot you should have your melted butter and your mashed potatoes. Add about 1/4 cup of the broth - I use this specific tortilla soup broth because it adds SO much flavor, because we both HATE chives so there's no way I was adding that. The amount of broth and milk that you add is really up to how thick or runny you like your soup. So as I added various things like cheese and sour cream I would add more liquid to make it less thick.

Once you add your broth you can add the milk and whisk together. Then add 1 cup of cheese and about 4 strips of bacon worth (reserve the rest for toppings). Stir together well.

This is about the consistency you should be looking at now (obviously depending on your liquid to potato ratio). Add your seasonings of choice (I used salt + pepper + garlic + onion powder). Then add in some sour cream. Once all that is nice and flavorful add your potato chunks. From here I cranked up the heat for about 5 minutes just so I could make my soup nice and hot for serving. I didn't want my chunks to cook much longer because I didn't want them mushy. 

 Then just serve in bowls and add your leftover cheese + bacon + sour cream.

Yummmmmmnesssss. This is the best soup because you can't really go wrong. If you like it extra chunky reserve more potato chunks. If you like it more runny add more broth. I love that it uses mashed potatoes to make your 'base' instead of whipping cream or flour. Just more potatoes please! I love that it mixes in sour cream + cheese AND THEN you can add more as toppings - so all that flavor is all mixed in nicely. I really think the broth 'makes' this soup - it just adds so much flavor and a little kick.

Happy cooking!