Ingredients

• 8 ounces bacon, chopped
• 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 t. dried thyme
• 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus additional for garnish
• 1 cup sour cream, plus additional for garnish
• Pepper
• 3 scallions, sliced thin

Directions

1. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels.

2. Add onion to fat remaining in pot and cook over medium heat until golden, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and flour and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in broth and cream, stir in thyme and potatoes, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and cook until potatoes are tender, about 7 minutes.

3. Puree soup in batches in blender until smooth. Please be careful when pureeing hot soup! Do it in small batches in a blender with the top firmly on. Place a dishtowel on top and hold it down using a hand protected by an oven mitt. Return to pot and warm over medium-high heat. Off heat, stir in cheese until melted, then whisk in sour cream. Season soup with pepper. Ladle soup into bowls, garnishing with bacon, scallions, cheese, and sour cream.

4. Reheating Leftovers

5. To reheat leftover portions of our Loaded Baked Potato Soup, gently warm the soup in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming. Do not let the soup boil, which will cause the sour cream to separate.

6. This recipe was originally from Cook’s Country. I’ve made major modifications.

7. Some other notes on this recipe: I made it as directed, except that I substituted half and half for the cream and only used 2 cups of cheese instead of four. I also substituted 1 T. cornstarch for the flour so that the soup would be gluten-free. The next time I plan on using 6 pieces of bacon instead of 8 oz. and using whole milk instead of the cream and 2 percent cheese — 2 cups instead of the 4 cups of cheese listed. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Even with the lighter ingredients, it is still not for the calorie conscious. However, just a small bowl makes a good meal with a salad. Also, this soup comes together quickly and the texture is wonderful. A good meal on a day like today. Brrrrr.

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