Baked Potato Soup
Forget firing up the oven! This stovetop baked potato soup is creamy comfort in a bowl.
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Baked potatoes are sensational starchy sidekicks for so many classic savory recipes, but there’s just one problem: they take a while to cook. After scrubbing, poking, and drizzling your potatoes with some oil, it usually takes about one hour for these spuds to achieve that terrific fork-tender interior. While it’s not super inconvenient to make baked potatoes if you plan ahead, it can be a nuisance during a busy workweek.
Time is short nowadays, and it can be hard to remember to pop those potatoes in the oven so they’ll be ready for the dinner plate. In these dire situations, you need a “baked potato backup plan” so you can still experience all those flavors you crave without delaying mealtime.
One great way to enjoy the beauty of a baked potato without using your oven is to break out a pot and swap this side dish for a bowl of soup. Once you have everything prepared for baked potato soup, I swear you’ll cook it in half the time it takes to make a tray of baked potatoes. Better yet, you can totally prep this soup a day in advance!
Even if you’re a baked potato purist, I bet you’ll be surprised how sensational this soupier version tastes. See for yourself why so many baked potato fans are making the switch to soup!
Is Baked Potato Soup Healthy?
OK, baked potato soup isn’t as nutritious as a Crockpot Vegetable Soup or Lentil Soup, but what do you expect from a creamy comfort food? I reduced the fat by using skim milk and light sour cream, but some ingredients (especially bacon) may not be the right call for your health goals.
Although baked potato soup isn’t exactly a steamy pot of superfoods, there are ways you can tweak this recipe to make it fit your diet and add some nutrients. For example, instead of bacon, you could mix in cooked mushrooms or “tempeh bacon” to add rich, savory notes. You could also swap out the sour cream for Greek yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, or a non-dairy yogurt alternative, and feel free to take out that butter if it makes you feel better!
Why is my baked potato soup watery?
The mix of starch in the potatoes and cream in the milk, cheese, and butter are supposed to naturally thicken this soup so you get a rich, creamy texture. However, there are some cases where baked potato soup doesn’t turn out as starchy as you’d expect. There could be a few reasons for this, including the potatoes you’re using, how you cut them, and the extra ingredients in your soup.
First, stick with russet potatoes rather than waxier varieties since they’ll give you all the starch you need. Next, be sure to cut these potatoes into medium-sized cubes since large potato slices will not release as much starch into your soup.
As for the liquids you use, creamier ingredients will yield richer results. I chose to use low-fat milk and light sour cream for health reasons, but you could use whole-fat milk, heavy cream, and plain sour cream if you want a thicker texture. There are also a few hacks like mixing a tablespoon of cornstarch with a little cold water to make a slurry and slowly whisking this thickener into your soup.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-fat milk
- 2 large russet potatoes, baked, peeled, and cubed
- 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Crisp
Cook bacon until crisp; crumble.
Thicken
Melt butter, add flour, then milk; stir until smooth.
Combine
Add potatoes and onions; simmer with cheese and bacon.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
If you have leftovers after making your Baked Potato Soup, let it cool before pouring it into an airtight container and putting it in your fridge. Due to all those starches in the potatoes, it’s best to keep this soup in the refrigerator for a few days rather than risking the texture getting extra grainy in the freezer. However, if you have no other option, you can safely freeze your soup in a freezer-safe container for a few months.
Peeling potatoes is all about personal preference. As long as you scrub your potatoes well, you can leave the skins on if you don’t mind a rougher texture in your soup. While peeled potatoes produce a smoother final product, the downsides include extra prep time and fewer nutrients.
Potatoes are a big no-no for people on low-carb diets, but there are a few sneaky ways to make this recipe without the main ingredient. For instance, you could use cauliflower or turnips to get a similar starchy feel without all those carbs.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe already includes the best topping ideas for baked potato soup. In other words, you can enhance the flavors of your soup by adding a dollop of sour cream, crumbled bacon, or cheddar cheese. While green onions are also a classic topper, other herbs like chives and parsley add a fresh hint of green to this soup. You could even add a dash of hot pepper flakes or sriracha to add some heat to this baked bowl of goodness.
While baked potato soup is hearty on its own, you could easily pair it with a side salad or sandwich for a lovely lunch. Consider serving a half bowl of soup with a BLT Grilled Romaine Wedge Salad or a Healthy Egg Salad Grilled Cheese Sandwich for a satisfying blend of flavors.
Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-fat milk
- 2 large russet potatoes baked, peeled, and cubed
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a large pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp. Drain and crumble.
- In the same pot, melt butter and whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually pour in milk, stirring constantly.
- Add cubed potatoes and green onions. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Cook until cheese melts.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra green onions or cheese if desired.
Nutrition
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