Loaded Potato Soup
Loaded Potato Soup is a homemade soup recipe that’s thick, creamy and full of flavor. Bacon and cheddar cheese give our easy potato soup recipe it’s fabulous depth of flavor and chipotle chili pepper adds a hint of spice.
Servings: 8
Calories: 251kcal
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon ,chopped
- 2 leeks ,chopped, white and light green parts only, 2 cups
- 2 carrots ,peeled and chopped, 1 cup
- 1 rib celery ,chopped, 1/2 cup
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. chipotle chili pepper
- 2 lbs. baking potatoes ,peeled and diced, 6 cups
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ,divided
- 2 scallions sliced
Instructions
- In pot over medium heat cook bacon until crisp, stirring occasionally. Using slotted spoon, remove bacon pieces and reserve.
- In same pot cook leeks, carrots, celery, kosher salt and chipotle chili pepper until vegetables are just tender, 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and vegetables are soft.
- Transfer 4 cups of mixture to blender; let cool for several minutes. Always be careful when processing a hot mixture in the blender! Be sure mixture has cooled a bit first! Then puree, holding hand on top cover of blender, until mixture is smooth. I highly recommend using an immersion blender to upree 4 cups of soup mixture until smooth.
- Return pureed mixture to pot. Cook over medium heat. Add 1 cup cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese is melted.
- Garnish with reserved bacon, remaining cheese and scallions.
Notes
Makes 8 servings/8 cups.
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
- Make this soup a vegetarian potato soup by leaving out the bacon. You can use olive oil in place of the bacon fat to cook the vegetables.
- Use turkey bacon in place of the bacon
- Substitute onion for the leeks
- Substitute chicken broth for the vegetable broth
- You can store your soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Soup will freeze well and last in the freezer for about 6 months. Let the soup defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 1050mg | Potassium: 613mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3536IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 2mg