Description
Hearty potato soup with creamy goodness blends rustic comfort and elegant simplicity. Home cooks can savor rich flavors that warm hearts and satisfy hunger with minimal kitchen effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 large russet potatoes, baked and diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 12 cups milk or cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Protein and Flavor Enhancers:
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Additional Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sour cream and chives for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a robust pot over medium temperature, gently dissolving butter until it shimmers with golden warmth.
- Introduce finely chopped onions and minced garlic, sautéing until translucent and aromatic, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Fold in pre-baked potato chunks and pour chicken broth, elevating heat to generate a gentle boil, then immediately reduce to a soft simmer for 10 minutes.
- Utilize a potato masher to strategically crush some potato pieces, creating a luxurious textural landscape within the liquid base.
- Incorporate dairy components – milk or cream – along with sharp cheddar cheese and crispy bacon fragments, stirring continuously until cheese melts completely and soup achieves a velvety consistency.
- Calibrate flavor profile by seasoning with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed.
- Ladle into warm serving bowls, embellishing with a dollop of tangy sour cream and delicate chive snippets for visual and gustatory appeal.
Notes
- Customize the texture by adjusting how much you mash the potatoes, creating a chunky or smooth soup based on personal preference.
- Swap chicken broth with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version, ensuring the same rich flavor profile.
- Reduce calories by using low-fat milk and less cheese, without compromising the soup’s creamy consistency.
- Experiment with different cheese varieties like Gruyère or smoked Gouda to add unique depth and complexity to the classic recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg